DAF KdF group ship cruise on the Monte Olivia 1934

DAF KdF Kraft durch Freude. Hamburg-Südamerikanischen Dampfschiffahrtgesellschaft. Group document for the ship cruise on board of the Monte Olivia in 1934. Dinner card, postcard with dinner information, ship regulations, card with trumpet signal.

Built by Blohm & Voss Hamburg in 1925, this 13,750 ton liner participated in the very first KdF cruise in May 1934, accompanied by the Dresden. The Monte class of ships were prescient of what was to come for the KdF, because they did not have a ‘class’ system. Passengers still paid differing amounts depending on cabin location, however, third class passengers were free to roam all areas of the ship. Although not owned by the KdF, the Monte Olivia was chartered for use in the Nazi cruise program. During the war, she served as a hospital ship, accommodation ship and finally, evacuation ship during Operation Hannibal. After completing one of her runs from East Prussia to mainland Germany, she was bombed by the Allies on April 3, 1945 and sunk.