7.
Nov. 22, 2008

I am wondering if anyone knows if the internment camp in Argentina where the crew of the Graf Spee was incarcerated held any German civilian crew members of Esso (Panama Transit Company) tankers?  Nine out of twenty seven Esso ships had their German crews replaced in foreign ports (non-United States) at the outbreak of WWII. Most of the seamen who were removed from the PTC/Esso ships in American ports in August of 1939 ended up interned at Ft. Lincoln, North Dakota. I am trying to find out if any of the crews from the following tankers were repatriated to Germany or ended up interned in South America. I am doing research on the internment of the German crews of the Esso - Panama Transit Company tankers owned by Standard Oil Company. Can anyone provide more information about WWII internment camps in South America?

Nine Esso/PTC tankers where the crews were removed in South American waters in August/September of
1939.

MS J. A. Mowinckel - August 1939 the ship was on her way around South America having discharged at Buenos
Aires - arrived at the canal zone the first day of the war - on Sept. 16 her German crew was replaced by Americans sent from NY.

MS Leda - at the outbreak of the war German crew was loading crude oil at Caripito - crews changes after 1939 American to Danes to American.

MS Calliope - arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 8-22-1939 with a German crew - all German shipmasters had been instructed by their government to proceed to German or friendly ports because war was imminent - British cruiser HMS Ajax was patrolling outside the harbor - the master of the Calliope refused to sail until he received from his government "assurance of safety for crew and vessel"- American officers were sent to Rio de Janeiro - the German captain refused to relinquish the tanker until he received a written guarantee that he and his crew would be cared for properly pending their repatriation - after considerable negotiation the American officers took charge of the vessel on 9-7-1939.

MS Harry G. Seidel - the first day of the European war, 9-3-1939, German crew removed in port at Buenos Aires where she arrived August 22, 1939 - American crew dispatched to take over ship - American officers take charge on 9-7-1939 after being divided between Harry G. Seidel and Calliope - Calliope sails on 9-12 - Harry G. Seidel ships on 9-18 manned with a mixed crew which 29 nationalities are represented.

MS Franz Klasen (8) - German crew replaced with Americans the ship left Aruba on Sept. 2, 1939 for Montreal - later American crew replaced with Danes.

MS F. H. Bedford (5) - 9/3/1939 Bedford on way from Buenos Aires to Aruba - Dutch refuse to let German crew come to land in Aruba - US State Department obtains authority to issue transit visas to the Germans - the crew sent on the Santa Rosa to NYC then via rail to Los Angeles to board the Asama Maru (men on Asama Maru are seized off the coast of Japan in violation of international law, men interned first at Hong Kong then transferred to Ceylon, and Canada,  for some reason 5 men including the captain end up at Ft. Lincoln).

MS Thalia (16) - 9/4/1939 German crew delivered Venezuelan crude to NYC 9/15/1939 American crew
put onboard. 

MS Prometheus (2) - last of the German manned vessels of the PTC - German crew, due to circumstances remained onboard until April 1, 1940 when American crew took charge at St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands.

SS Niobe - (1) ship en route from Aruba to Sao Salvador, Brazil at the start of the war. German crew replaced with an American crew around 9-8-1939. No details of the crew transfer or repatriation of crews.

* Italics= Ships with Crew members interned at Ft. Lincoln according to roster dated 4/24/1943. Number of crew members interned at Ft. Lincoln in parentheses.

I would appreciate any and all assistance.

Shirley Weiss

6.
Nov. 20, 2008

I have something unique in the world (I think), it's an original phone (Siemens) from this battleship. I am considering selling the phone on ebay. If anyone is interested please contact me.

Daniel Hermida

Overall view of the phone.

 

View of the receiver.

5.
Nov. 16, 2008

I am re-constructing a roster of WW2 German prisoners of war, interred at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. One record
includes the following:

Richard Schultze,
Marine Kuest. Batt,
Date of birth 4-9-1890
rank of Hptgefr.

His is the only name in my records that state he was a part of the crew of the Graf Spee (see below) Since
they were interred in Argentina, I am wondering how he ended up in a POW camp in central Indiana. The
roster is not yet available, but the website with considerably information concerning the POWs is at
www.IndianaMilitary.org.

Thank you,
James D. West

Reply 1
Nov. 19, 2008

This sailor is not in my own crew list. Perhaps, he was on board in the early days from Graf Spee (1936-38) and then came to other ship or a submarine. Submarine crews were POW's in Canada.

Best regards,
Maj. General Enrique R. Dick

4.
Oct. 16, 2008

Very good page! My grandfather was a crew member of the Admiral Graf Spee (Herbert Manglitz) and I have many original things of him (uniform, photos,). I'm a fanatic of my grandfather, and the Spee. Greetings from Córdoba, Argentina.

Mariano Melfi Manglitz

3.
Mar. 27, 2008

Le informo que el Capitán F.W. Rasenack falleció el día 23 de marzo de 2008 a la mañana, de causas naturales. Al momento de su deceso tenía 94 años.

(Ich gebe hiermit bekannt, dass Kapitaen zur See F.W. Rasenack am Morgen des 23. Maerz 2008 aus Altersgruenden verstorben ist. Er wurde 94 Jahre alt.)


(I must inform you that Captain F.W. Rasenack died on March 23, 2008 in the morning of natural causes. At
the time of his death he was 94.)

Saludos,
Hugo R. Sochi

2.
Mar. 22, 2008

My name is Amalia Nélida Levalle and I am trying to contact Mr. Herbert Schaefer who was a crewman on the Admiral Graf Spee, Division 1. We met while he was interned in Argentina in 1943 and was wondering what became of him. I would be happy to hear from him or any of his relatives. Some of the information about him I
have is:
HERBERT SCHAEFER
- born: 29/04/1919
- Father: Hugo Schaefer
- Mother: Ida Grosskopf
- Hometown: RECKLINGHAUSEN, WESTPHALIA

Thank you,
Amalia Nélida Levalle
Rosario, Argentina

(Mein Name ist Amalia Nélida Levalle und ich versuche gegenwaertig Herrn Herbert Schaefer zu kontaktieren.
Er war ein Besatzungsmitglied der Admiral Graf Spee und zaehlte zur 1. Division. Wir lernten uns 1943 waehrend seiner Internierung in Argentinien kennen und ich frage mich, was aus ihm seitdem geworden ist.
Aus diesem Grnd wuerde ich gerne mit ihm oder seinen Verwandten in Kontakt treten. Dies sind die Information,
die ich ueber ihn habe:
Geburtsdatum: 29.4.1919
Vater: Hugo Schaefer
Mutter: Ida Grosskopf
Heimatstadt: Recklinghausen, Nordrhein-Wesfalen/Ruhrgebiet)

Vielen Dank,
Amalia Nélida Levalle
Rosario, Argentinien

1.
Jan. 5, 2008

I possess a significant piece of artwork (below) regarding the Admiral Graf Spee, could anyone be of any help
in determining it’s value and/or a buyer? It is hand made in-laid frame, original ribbon, various photos of Graf Spee, surrounded by actual butterfly wings. This was a common type of art during that period, more than likely done on the islands for one of the Graf Spee crew members during their internment.

Thanks,
Alan Niesen