SS Navemar
Encyclopedia
SS Navemar was a Spanish
freighter
that was used in 1941 to evacuate about 1,120 European Jewish
refugees to the United States
in grossly overcrowded and insanitary conditions.
as SS Frogner, she was acquired by Ybarra y Compania of Seville
in 1927 and renamed SS Cabo Mayor. She was sold on again to the Compania Española de Navegacion Maritima in 1932 and finally renamed Navemar. Between 1937 and 1938, the ship was the subject of a court battle in the United States between the government of the Republic of Spain
and the ship's crew, who were trying to prevent her from being requisitioned in the Spanish Civil War
. The Spanish government won the case following a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States
.
(known as "The Joint") were desperate to rescue Jewish refugees from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia escaping Nazi persecution
. Many held US visas that were about to expire. The Joint's agents directed them to Seville, where the Navemar had been privately chartered to make the trans-Atlantic crossing. Tickets for the few passenger cabins went at exorbitant prices; the captain vacated his cabin and charged $2,000 to all those who could fit themselves into the small space. Bunks were fitted in the filthy cargo holds (which had previously been used to carry coal) and although attempts were made to clean the ship, there was too little time. The Navemar departed from Seville
on 6 August 1941, calling at Lisbon
in Portugal
, where many of the visas were extended by the US embassy. After putting-in at Havana
in Cuba
, she reached New York
on 12 September 1941; many of the passengers had contracted typhus
and six of them died during the seven-week crossing. After this voyage, the Navemar returned to general trade and was torpedoed and sunk in the Strait of Gibraltar
on 23 January 1942 by the Italian submarine Barbarigo
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
that was used in 1941 to evacuate about 1,120 European Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
refugees to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in grossly overcrowded and insanitary conditions.
Pre-World War II
Originally built for Fearnley & Eger of OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
as SS Frogner, she was acquired by Ybarra y Compania of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
in 1927 and renamed SS Cabo Mayor. She was sold on again to the Compania Española de Navegacion Maritima in 1932 and finally renamed Navemar. Between 1937 and 1938, the ship was the subject of a court battle in the United States between the government of the Republic of Spain
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
and the ship's crew, who were trying to prevent her from being requisitioned in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. The Spanish government won the case following a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
Refugee voyage
In 1941, the American Jewish Joint Distribution CommitteeAmerican Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
(known as "The Joint") were desperate to rescue Jewish refugees from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia escaping Nazi persecution
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. Many held US visas that were about to expire. The Joint's agents directed them to Seville, where the Navemar had been privately chartered to make the trans-Atlantic crossing. Tickets for the few passenger cabins went at exorbitant prices; the captain vacated his cabin and charged $2,000 to all those who could fit themselves into the small space. Bunks were fitted in the filthy cargo holds (which had previously been used to carry coal) and although attempts were made to clean the ship, there was too little time. The Navemar departed from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
on 6 August 1941, calling at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, where many of the visas were extended by the US embassy. After putting-in at Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, she reached New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 12 September 1941; many of the passengers had contracted typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
and six of them died during the seven-week crossing. After this voyage, the Navemar returned to general trade and was torpedoed and sunk in the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
on 23 January 1942 by the Italian submarine Barbarigo
Italian submarine Barbarigo
Barbarigo was a World War II Italian built for the Italian Royal Navy . The submarine was converted into a transport to carry materiel between Germany and Japan in 1943, but disappeared on her first mission in that capacity, sometime after 16 June 1943....
.