Floating Dock with “Kaiser Wilhelm der Große”

Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was the largest ship in the world at the time it was commissioned and was also famous for bringing the Blue Riband to Germany for the first time. The legendary 10 German years on the North Atlantic began with Kaiser Wilhelm der Große.

The NDL (Norddeutscher Lloyd) had established itself with the river class on the North Atlantic, but there was tough competition here, so that technical development progressed rapidly. Each shipping company used every opportunity to gain an advantage. As a result, the Rivers Class was already obsolete before the final units were completed.

NDL awarded two shipyards a contract to build a fast steamer each: the order for Kaiser Wilhelm der Große went to Vulcan in Stettin, and for Kaiser Friedrich to Schichau in Danzig. Kaiser Friedrich became a nightmare for the Schichau shipyard and the NDL. The ship did not achieve the specified performance and was not taken over by the NDL.

Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was a special ship in many respects. Instead of the 13 watertight bulkheads that had been customary up to then, 16 bulkheads were installed in Kaiser Wilhelm der Große, which were also designed to be significantly stronger than those known from England. The boiler groups were housed in boiler rooms separated by watertight bulkheads. Size and machine performance spoke for themselves.

This ship also differed from others in organizational terms. The personnel were accommodated close to the respective work stations and were not allowed to enter the upper deck. The social hierarchy of the passengers was carefully maintained. The 1st class passengers were accommodated in the nave, the 2nd class in the stern and the 3rd class in the forecastle. All sections were sealed off from each other so that the passengers could always keep to themselves.

Kaiser Wilhelm der Große served his time on the North Atlantic. On November 21, 1906, he collided with the British steamer Orinoco off Cherbourg. Three sailors died on the Orinoco and five passengers died on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Große. After 15 years in regular service, Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was converted into an emigrant ship in the winter of 1913/14. Now there were only 3rd class and steerage places on board.

At the beginning of August 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was taken over by the Imperial Navy as an auxiliary cruiser. Fate overtook him on August 26, 1914. During the takeover of coal off Rio del Oro, Spanish West Africa, he was put into action by the British cruiser Highflyer. After the existing ammunition had been used up, the crew sank the heavily damaged auxiliary cruiser themselves. That was the end of the ship known as the “Dicke Wilhelm” or “Großer Kaiser”. The wreck could still be seen until the 1950s, when it was demolished.