The Limited Times

Proposal for the purchase of the "Gorch Fock 1" in Stralsund rejected

1/26/2023, 8:51:36 PM


The citizens of the Hanseatic City of Stralsund have canceled the planned purchase of the sailing training ship "Gorch Fock 1". After a non-public part of the meeting, the citizenship president announced that a corresponding proposal for the purchase of the ship built in 1933 had not been decided, as city spokesman Peter Koslik announced on Thursday evening.

The citizens of the Hanseatic City of Stralsund have canceled the planned purchase of the sailing training ship "Gorch Fock 1".

After a non-public part of the meeting, the citizenship president announced that a corresponding proposal for the purchase of the ship built in 1933 had not been decided, as city spokesman Peter Koslik announced on Thursday evening.

Stralsund - Reasons and details from the non-public meeting were not mentioned.

The city wanted to take over the barque, which is more than 80 meters long, from the Tall Ship Friends association.

The ship is to be fundamentally renovated and converted into a walk-in, barrier-free museum ship.

Last year, the federal government promised funding of 13.5 million euros.

At the time, Mayor Alexander Badrow (CDU) said with a view to the commitment: "I am pleased that our white swan of the Baltic Sea will soon shine again in all its beauty."

It remains to be seen how the ship will continue.

According to the association, the “Gorch Fock 1” was built by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg in just 100 days in 1933 and sailed under the German, Soviet and Ukrainian flags before returning to Stralsund in 2003.

At that time it was called "Towarischsch" (Comrade).

The name Gorch Fock goes back to the writer of the same name.

In 1933, the "Gorch Fock 1" also established a ship class that comprised a total of six ships, including the youngest sister ship built in 1958 and current sailing ship of the German Navy, which also bears the name "Gorch Fock".

dpa