Boat that ferried Danish Jews to safety in WWII takes on water at Seaport
During routine morning rounds Thursday, museum staff members discovered that Gerda III, a 40-foot Danish lighthouse tender and visiting vessel from the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City, had taken on water at its dock.
Because the boat was half submerged, the museum's staff contacted the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which dispatched a team to assess and mitigate any environmental impact, said Sophia Matsas, the museum's vice president of marketing and communications.
Matsas said a barge and crane stabilized and recovered the vessel, which was then towed to the museum's Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard for assessment.
Matsas said the museum is in close communication with the Museum of Jewish Heritage to coordinate the next steps.
Gerda III was among a fleet of workboats used to secretly ferry Danish Jews to Sweden so they could not be persecuted by the Germans who occupied Denmark during World War II.
The boat's Danish crew is credited with rescuing an estimated 300 Jews in groups of 10 and 15 in 1943, part of the overall effort that helped more than 7,000 people flee Denmark for Sweden. This was more than 90% of the Jews in Denmark at the time.
Restored in Denmark, the boat was donated by the Danish government to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in 1989 and later brought for display and safekeeping at Mystic Seaport Museum. The Museum of Jewish Heritage has been raising funds for its restoration. Additionally, Mystic Seaport Museum launched a PayPal fundraising campaign for the boat earlier this year.
'The Museum is committed to the responsible stewardship of maritime heritage and will continue to work diligently with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for Gerda III,' Matsas said.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage issued a statement Thursday expressing concern about the condition of the boat and called it 'a powerful symbol of the remarkable rescue efforts undertaken by the Danish people during the Holocaust.'
'The Gerda III's story, one of courage, resilience, and solidarity, exemplifies the extraordinary actions of ordinary people who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,' the statement reads.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage said it will offer support to Mystic Seaport Museum 'to ensure the Gerda III is fully restored and continues to serve as an educational resource for generations to come.'
'We are thankful to the incredible team in Mystic for their quick response. Without organizations like Mystic Seaport Museum, dedicated to preserving our maritime history, treasures like Gerda III would be lost,' the statement reads.
To donate toward the preservation and upkeep of the Gerda II, readers can visit https://mysticseaport.org/gerda-iii-danish-lighthouse-tender/.
g.smith@theday.com
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