
The film depicts the first month of 1945 when the Russian Red Army broke into the eastern part of Germany and forced millions of civilians to flee in the coldest of winter. While the Russians invaded Ostpreussen hundred of thousands of civilians were evacuated by ships. Gotenhafen was the last open port and ships left the town almost by the minute, overloaded by refugees. One of the last ships to leave Gotenhafen was the 'Wilhelm Gustloff', a former 'Kraft durch Freude' pleasure cruiser designed for 1000 passengers. Until today it is unknown how many people were on board but it is said to be around 10.000. The ship sunk without a trace and only a handful of people survived this hellish nightmare.

as Maria Reiser

as Kurt Reiser

as Hans Schott

as Generalin von Reuss

as Edith Marquardt

as Dr. Beck

as Vater Marquardt

as Vater Reiser

as Dienstmädchen Marta

as Gaston

as Oberleutnant Dankel

as Arzt

as Funker der Gustloff

as Kapitän Zahn

as Monika