Built as Bismark for the Hamburg - Amerika Line; her fitting out was constantly interrupted during World War I. Naval blockade and relentless munitions production deprived the Blohm & Voss Shipyard at Hamburg of an adequate flow of raw materials - in fact, many of  Bismark's brass fittings were stripped to make ammunition (towards the end of the conflict, entire streets were being dug up in some towns to harvest copper cables and lead piping - a sight which really brought home to German citizens how desperate the shortage of strategic metals had become). However, work continued on her until it became obvious that Germany's cause was hopeless - Kaiser Wilhelm II and his son, The Crown Prince, cherished the ambition of taking a round the World victory cruise on the great liner. The two biggest suites on C Deck were intended for them.

TO BE CONTINUED