Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 41938: German passenger liner Imperator at anchor, circa 1913


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

S.S. Imperator (German Passenger Liner, 1913)
Served as USS Imperator (ID # 4080) in 1919.
Later the British Passenger Liner Berengaria

Imperator, a 52,117 gross ton passenger liner built at Hamburg, Germany, entered trans-Atlantic commercial service under the German flag in June 1913. For several months she was the World's largest ship, until surpassed in size by her near-sister, S.S. Vaterland (later S.S. Leviathan). In August of 1914, as World War I began, she was laid up at Hamburg and remained inactive for more than four years. Following the November 1918 Armistice, Imperator was taken over by the Allies and allocated to the United States for temporary use as a transport, bringing American service personnel home from France. She was commissioned as USS Imperator (ID # 4080) in early May 1919 and left Brest in mid-month on the first of her voyages to New York. By the time she was finished in late summer, she had carried some 25,000 persons back to the U.S. from Europe.

Decommissioned at New York City in late November 1919, Imperator was transferred to the British, who renamed her Berengaria and put her back into the north Atlantic passenger trade. Later, she was also used for warm weather cruising to Bermuda and the Caribbean. Plagued by electrical fires beginning in the mid-1930s, she had to be withdrawn from service in 1938. Berengaria was sold for scrapping prior to the outbreak of World War II, but was not completely dismantled until 1946.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning the German passenger steamer Imperator and the British passenger line Berengaria, and provides links to pictures related to her service as USS Imperator (ID # 4080)

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • Imperator (German Passenger Liner, 1913) -- On Board and Close Up Views; and
  • USS Imperator (ID # 4080), 1919-1919.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 41938

    Imperator     (German Passenger Liner, 1913)

    At anchor, circa 1913.
    Note her huge figurehead, which was removed early in the ship's career after being damaged in a storm.
    This ship served as USS Imperator (ID # 4080) in 1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 95KB; 565 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103645

    S.S. Imperator     (German Passenger Liner, 1913)

    Halftone reproduction of a photograph showing the ship in port in 1913, before she lost her massive eagle figurehead and had her smokestacks reduced in height.
    This image was published in 1919 by A.M. Simon, 324 E. 23rd St., New York City, as one of ten photographs in a "Souvenir Folder" of views concerning USS Imperator (ID # 4080). All the photos were taken circa 1913, when the ship was new and operating under the German flag.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 53223

    Imperator     (German Passenger Liner, 1913)

    "The Hamburg American liner Imperator, which was turned over to the U.S. Navy to be used as a transport as the result of the agreement made at Brussels between the German and Allied representatives. Imperator is the third largest vessel now afloat, being of 52,000 tons. This photo was made on her arrival in New York in 1913 on her maiden voyage. She was tied up in Hamberg during the war." (quoted from the original 1919 caption).
    This ship's maiden voyage to New York was made in June 1913. She served as USS Imperator (ID #4080) in 1919.
    Note her fancy stern decoration.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 97KB; 590 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99379

    S.S. Imperator     (German Passenger Liner, 1913)

    In port, possibly at New York City in 1919 while she was serving as USS Imperator (ID # 4080).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 94KB; 600 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 697

    Berengaria     (British Passenger Liner)

    In harbor, during the 1920s or 1930s.
    Completed in 1913 as the German liner Imperator, this big steamer served as USS Imperator (ID # 4080) in 1919. She was then transferred to the British Cunard Line and operated as Berengaria until 1938.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     


    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • Imperator (German Passenger Liner, 1913) -- On Board and Close Up Views; and
  • USS Imperator (ID # 4080), 1919-1919.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 25 January 2004
    Page divided 13 December 2007