Limping to Greatness: The Story of SS Imperator

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Sources:
The Only Way to Cross by John Maxtone-Graham
The Liner by Philip Dawson
www.nytimes.com/2007/07/05/ar...
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44135
Music and Select Stock Footage:
Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Artlist: artlist.io/
Chapters:
00:00 Chapter 1: Albert Ballin
5:29 Chapter 2: Size Matters?
10:39 Chapter 3: Limperator
17:49 Chapter 4: Death of a Dream
22:25 Chapter 5: Berengaria or The Ship Formerly Known as Imperator
Disclaimer: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue providing free high-quality historical content.

[@BigOldBoats]

The first 100 people to use code OLDBOATS at the link below will get 60% off of Incogni: incogni.com/oldboats Thank you for watching! What are your thoughts on that eagle?

[@LBSC70]

I like the eagle as a representation of sheer length

[@kenney5454]

Nationalism & Might to go along with Size Matters would have given passengers a sence of security and pride

[@crysneon7809]

I have u

[@NonsensicalNauticalRambings]

Man, three boat people videos in a week? And they are all incredibly high quality? This is excellent! Imperator getting a full video documentary is definitely needed, and now the only Imperator class ship left for you to do is none other than White Star Line’s Majestic.

[@mwaheed5611]

May I know which channels you speak of so I may see them?

[@Commander-McBragg]

Christmas came early for ship nerds!

[@rhearoyality]

Maybe it's....something in the water 😂

[@rightmadmod9416]

Definitely giving thanks for that!

[@xxximwhitexxx]

What are the other 2? I'm assuming one is Part time Explorer

[@SamGreeneRacing]

Just over the last few days we've gotten two Big Old Boats uploads, two Ocean Liner Designs uploads, and a Part-time Explorer upload. We eating good this week.

[@brkemm25]

I know. I enjoyed all of them!

[@justaadhdgamerwesley6244]

We eating good this week

[@Spooky_Platypus]

I’m so glad I’m not the only one watching all those channels! 😂

[@lucasread1743]

Now we just need Historic Travels to upload a video!

[@Hubcapdiamondstarhalo]

I miss ocean liners. Today, cruise ships look like floating hotels and while they seem to be really fun, I think they're aesthetically undesirable. A ship to take passengers on should look like a ship. Not a box that is being floated on top of a foundation. Ocean liners are absolutely gorgeous and i wish they'd go back to this design. This ocean liner is absolutely beautiful.

[@johndoe-vf4un]

I completely agree with you!

[@ralpharchbold2454]

Could not agree more ...I've had great times on the old style liners ..real ships

[@fredklemaster3687]

But with 1 bad omen, The German Giant Ship = The SS Imperator, must be related To Chicago's Smaller Eastland, because both ships Leaned to 1 side or the other side!

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Oh man, we are on the same wavelength. I have a video on the Ballin trio coming out this weekend! Good stuff BoB!

[@BigOldBoats]

It's bound to happen every now and then! I can't wait to watch!

[@attackoramic8361]

Two of my favorite oceanliner channels in a single comment.

[@Brock_Landers]

So sad about Albert Ballin's death. He took an overdose of sleeping pills, leaving behind a note that read, "Better an end with dread, than dread without end." He was fearing that revolutionaries would torture and imprison him. He was also heartbroken to see his dream, his fleet of beautiful liners, being damaged and destroyed (just like Brad said).

[@will-qw1tk]

Ocean liner designs and big old boats in one day, wooo!

[@brkemm25]

And part time explorer

[@MaritimeNexus]

The Ballin trio ships are some of my favorite liners of all time. Their size and spacious interiors made them noteworthy and allowed them to have great careers. While researching them for my MC builds I truly understood how magnificent these ships once were and soon became one of my favorite trio of liners.

[@michaelimbesi2314]

The tendency to heel over and stay there that Imperator showed on her sea trials is probably actually a loll. This is a result of her being very slightly unstable in the upright condition, but becoming stable as she heels over a little and immerses more of her hull. It’s a very bad sign, because ships like that will require much less energy to capsize than a ship that is properly stable. If they hadn’t modified her after her first season, the severe storm in her second season probably would have capsized and sunk her.

[@Station7Jason]

Rest In Peace Albert Ballin, history thanks you for your fantastic creations.

[@HistoryintheDark]

"So, should we fix that list?" "We tried. The girl just likes to dance. Let her dance."

[@merafirewing6591]

Nah, she always looks drunk for some reason.

[@DanielMasmanian]

You write such beautiful, eloquent scripts, and you narrate them so warmly. Well done, and thank you.

[@Feline_Frenzy53]

I did not know about Mr. Ballin's end. That is so sad. Thank you for the video, it was wonderfully produced!

[@jenniferlevine5406]

Excellent video. I really love the old footage that you find to accompany your stories. I haven't heard the story of this vessel before. It's rather sad. I have to go and watch this again now! Thanks so much.

[@joshuaryan1946]

Touching and beautiful. Great footage, photos, and narration, condensing a great deal of research into clear statements. And you're looking better than ever.

[@sethcopeland4362]

From John Maxtone-Graham's essential The Only Way to Cross: "Peacetime service resumed in the twenties was essentially unchanged, apart from a welcome absence of coaldust. British transformation of their ex-Germans was largely cosmetic: a new flag at the masthead, a new name across the stern, new funnel colors and a new berth on the Hudson's eastern shore. In the Berengaria's working spaces, her German origins had disappeared; plates identifying switches and valves had been reversed and inscribed in English. But in the cabins, the bathtub drains were still marked AUF and ZU and ashtrays bore the legend ZIGARREN.. The playroom's little rocking boat was still there but with a new name painted on the side."

[@kurotsuki7427]

I appreciate that while they had some safety issues, like the list, they actually did tests of safety features like the water tight compartments. Havent heard of that happening in many old ships.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Yes! Another winner from Big Old Boats! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into these excellent documentaries. I've loved ocean liners for decades but a lot of the footage here was new to me. --- Something that viewers may find of interest is that the Berengaria was to have remained in service until 1940 then be replaced by the Queen Elizabeth. In 1938 a fire broke out aboard the Berengaria while she was docked in New York. Her certification to carry passengers was revoked and the Berengaria returned to England without passengers, never to serve again as a passenger liner but was scrapped. --- Someone else may know more about this and can add a comment, but I believe Winston Churchill tried to prevent the scrapping of the Berengaria and maybe the Olympic also, knowing that the two liners would be of great value in the event of a war that appeared to be and actually was not far off.

[@flapjackfae]

I'm not a boat person, particularly, but I'm grateful to whatever algorithm popped you into my feed, as I am always entertained and informed by your videos. Excellent research and writing, and such a pleasant voice.

[@thunderfox53]

I am so glad I found this channel...I absolutely love the way you narrate this videos...it gives this stories emotion and makes makes me really feel for the history of this old ships

[@ScarletTermite]

But..but I liked the name Imperator! Excellent video as usual. It’s so sad that Herr Ballin took his own life but maybe, considering what was to come for Germany, it was a blessing in disguise. The eagle on the bow was, imo, gauche but I’ve always thought of the Kaiser as a bit gauche, anyway. I loved that you included a clip from “The Navigator.” Keaton is my all time favorite. I will be looking forward to the next once we’re through Thanksgiving. I hope you have a nice holiday. 😊

[@vitothepizzaguy7475]

The transatlantic shipping era will always amaze me

[@aprylrittenhouse4562]

I finally found some time to watch this. How sad he felt suicide was his only option. Although it was his decisions that that brought ruin to his dream company. I hope he found peace in eternity.

[@jetsons101]

Another banger of a watch..... Your intro reminds me of the 1936 movie "Things to Come." Old B&W footage is fine as is CG images of ocean liners, but just imagine what it must have been like to be at the launching of a new liner going down the slipway. Lots of information an great narration.

[@bluegreenglue6565]

Another fascinating story. Thanks so much for all the effort you put into these videos for us.

[@CJODell12]

Wake up everyone, Big Old Boats just dropped a new banger

[@chesspiece81]

Watching these videos and seeing how quickly the ships became "outdated" shocks me. It's no wonder that airplanes so quickly took over. Not only are they much faster but they don't fall out of favor nearly as quickly as these massive ships and such provenance isn't given to whatever plane you arrive on.

[@Walker_TR2]

Well, to be fair the technology of ocean liners was constantly evolving and improving. So it was naturally hard to keep up with when ships took years to build and release, only to he outdated a couple years layer.

[@joshuaryan1946]

Despite the fact that airplanes are double-butt ugly and uncomfortable inside, they do become obsolete rather quickly.

[@merafirewing6591]

​@@Walker_TR2 It's also what saddens me, like the existing passenger ship lines were trying their best to signal the public to slow down. Yet the ocean liner gets swept away.

[@towgod7985]

Very well done video. No hype, just history. Cheers frm Toronto.

[@rickgrimes4133]

Thank you so much for doing these videos. I throughly enjoy them!

[@maxsothcott4484]

An outstanding piece of work! Thank you for such an excellent presentation. Congratulations

[@stihlpancakes661]

Amazing! Keep this up, and you will be the h.i. Sutton of, as you say, old boats!

[@cantabilius5945]

Very interesting and well-presented! That's quite a poignant photo at the end of the three 'sisters' together in their different company liveries. In my opinion, Majestic was the pick of the bunch aesthetically; Berengaria and (to a lesser degree Leviathan), while certainly grand, have a lugubrious look to them.

[@MegaTriumph1]

A ship that size with such a pronounced list has an achievement of error that needs to be researched all by it's self. Albert Ballin how is that possible. They should of saved that ship for research and a museum for people to explore ship building it was an amazing ship. Truely a history of questions.

[@VanessaScrillions]

Oh my goodness I cannot freaking tell you how overjoyed I am to see another video from you!!!!! Thank you so so so much for all you do. Your videos are incredibly well made and researched, and I really appreciate it

[@pedenharley6266]

Great video, Brad! I’ve got to say I’ve never quite been as big of a fan of this trio of ships as I am of the White Star and Cunard liners, but you told the story well. Now the important question, is that a Stratocaster behind you? If so, which one?

[@blabblablalab4911]

As a matter of facts, its wrong to talk about the Imperator with female pronouns. The Imperator was named after Kaiser Wilhelm the second and was refered to as „Der Imperator“ - In fact it was the only male ocean liner to ever exist as far as I know. Thank you for such a nice video!

[@tj1435]

I believe her sisters or his brothers I mean were the same as they were named Vaterland and Bismarck

[@geodot595]

french liners were referred to as He rather than She, mainly because they were not built as sisters in the strict sense of the word.

[@Tindometari]

English customarily treats ships as female, even if the ship is named for a man or its name is an explicitly masculine noun like 'Imperator'. (For some reason Great Lakes freighters are sometimes an exception.) For example, Royal Navy ships have always been referred to as 'she' even if the ship is named for a King of England. But German and Russian customarily treat ships as male. Whether to carry the original language's gendering of ships across in translation or to use the custom of the target language is one of those very fine points of translation that translators get very exercised over precisely because the issue is so small and there are valid reasons to take either course. But generally, that's only an issue when actually translating. When simply speaking in a given language, one generally follows the custom of the language one is speaking in.

[@panther7748]

Thank you for covering this important chapter of oceanliner history. I think that german ships in general and Albert Ballin and his work in particular are too often glossed over by english-speaking media and KZbin channels.

[@anthonywatts2033]

Sorry, slight error. The Berengaria was NOT the first Cunarder named after a person. I think that honour goes to Caronia. Named after (from memory) the Cunard line's New York rep's daughter. Happy to be corrected. But I reckon I'm right! Great video. Thanks.

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

I like the retro Jazz funk. Who else was dancing the Charleston in the kitchen?

[@michaeldemonte7476]

I enjoy all the informative videos...I am terrified of big ships only for the fact I get seasick in the bathtub and I would become a lost soul if anything happened!

[@Hubcapdiamondstarhalo]

I love the idea of ocean liners but I'm afraid of cruise ships. They just look like floating hotels waiting to be hit by a rogue wave. Even though the Poseidon adventure was technically an ocean liner and not a cruise ship, I'd feel much safer on an actual ocean liner. I think the idea of luxurious cruises is really attractive but I feel like you're taking a huge risk. I visit them after they're retired like the qm2 and ss united states 😂

[@Hubcapdiamondstarhalo]

Much safer to visit then when they're already docked. I think they're trying to make the qm2 into a floating hotel that will stay docked. I know Disney purchased it a few years back and renovations have been done. Might be worth a look if you're the type that likes them but doesn't want to actually go out to sea.

[@felixpgames9639]

New video notification from big old boats Immediately know it’s gonna be a masterpiece

[@PatricknHiPoNC]

After loving your videos for years, it was great to see your face! Handsome devil!! Now I’m really hooked!!

[@Jopsyduck]

This is creepy, I just happened to see a book called "the last ships from hamburg" about this guy and his partners.

[@tygapaul]

One of your best yet!

[@gc7820]

The trio that made 3 stackers fashionable

[@thejudgmentalcat]

When the ship keeps listing, that's a BIG PROBLEM

[@andrewbrendan1579]

I second the motion! I love ocean liners, but I would have avoided the Imperator. I wonder how many people who might have known a little more about ships and stability than other people or who just gave the matter a little more consideration actually did stay away from the Imperator. I wish I could remember it better or find it elsewhere, but I've read that Albert Ballin said something about the Imperator being a good hotel in a bad ship.

[@ianmc87]

Wonderful video, thank you.

[@QUADRAXIS666]

Jarrow is pronounced like Arrow with a J sound, I grew up in Newcastle (home of the Turbinia) and Jarrow is nearby!

[@sirbum1918]

It's a bit odd but 2nd class always had the least number of passages on ships back then but I wonder if that is because the middle class was so small?

[@burningchrome70]

Back when historical events required crowds of people...

[@pickles3128]

Now that would cause a 'covid outbreak.' I remember seeing politicians at BLM riots then the next morning going back to applauding the arresting families for attending funerals not held over zoom.

[@SeaTravelr123]

Well done... Great video on a great ship... would love toes one on the Majestic as well... Happy Thanksgiving...

[@alanh1406]

Overall, it seems while the passengers enjoyed the ship and her crews did not. Listing, fires, stability it would nice to hear what the men really said about her over a few pints.

[@rrmike90]

As always, great video!

[@richardmccann8215]

Well done.

[@giovannirastrelli9821]

“So they put her on the Berengaria. Locked up in her stateroom like a wild animal.”

[@arthurallen189]

My favorite ocean liner of all. thank you 👍

[@bubu23101989]

So sad that this amazing story fell under the tragedy of Titanic. Rip Ballin.

[@Floortile]

Wonderful videos, such as this, ram home again how tragic it is that ocean travel is now only on floating apartment blocks (in an unholy marriage with the Oscar ceremony). Thanks very much for reminding us of what was once graceful, special and elegant.

[@davidryall-flanders6353]

Loving these stories.

[@gayprepperz6862]

"Sadly it was never replaced." Really? I think the only person that was sad to see that monstrosity go was the Kaiser 😉

[@russellwynn9790]

Just a minor comment on what is a great video. The place Jarrow is pronounced with a soft G sound as in Juice/Jerry, not a Y as in Johan. Hope it helps for future. Keep up the great work.

[@camdelaforce1230]

Love your work yay you for being brave, i hate doing camera.... well anything. As a historian you taught me something ! What a beautiful ship, shame it wasn't preserved.

[@johndoe-vf4un]

Great vid, but wasn't the France the first major liner to have a maiden voyage into NY after Titanic sank? Her maiden voyage was 5 days after the sinking.

[@Hubcapdiamondstarhalo]

That's a very good question. And I'd like to know the answer myself.

[@andywomack3414]

Like Frank Lloyd Wright designs, impressive but functionally imperfect.

[@ELCADAROSA]

Albert Ballin - 15 August 1857 - 9 November 1918 61 years old.

[@MiniMC546]

Oh, a video about the SS Limperator...

[@asn413]

i think those "wings" like on the QM might have helped this ship a lot.

[@TheLonelyLurker1995]

DACSHUND! THE DOXIE SAUSAGE DOGGIE IS WEARING A MILITARY HAT! THAT MADE MY DAY!

[@IronMaiden756]

What an incredible video. I just subscribed. Sometimes, KZbin gets me.

[@7BJDX]

@ 19:34 wasn't it the treaty of versailles that forced german to relinquish ships? treaty of Paris was in 1783?

[@BigOldBoats]

Correct. Every video has one dumb mistake somewhere 😫

[@7BJDX]

dam i feel bad for spotting it now 🤦‍♂Still a great video, keep it up! @@BigOldBoats

[@connarcomstock161]

22 minutes in *ELECTROSWING!*

[@AltereanReviews]

The glorious Eagle garish? How dare you.

[@wildsmiley]

So, what with thinking up the cruises during winter months aboard SS Augusta Victoria, did Ballin basically invent cruise ships?

[@MrSGL21]

jesus. that was just.....sad. seriously. I'm tearing up.

[@Mabpools]

These vids help me go to sleep

[@randomrazr]

crazy how titanic would have only been the largest ship in the world for only a couple months if she didnt sink

[@jskirvs]

Spoiling us! Thank you!

[@aldenconsolver3428]

That is not a case of "Sadly they were never replaced" on that eagles wings. It was a thank god nature tore off that excrement from the bow. Who ever came up with that surely was working nights to embarrass the German liner - oh and 2000 tons of concrete is a mistake on the scale of the sinking on launching. One US Heavy cruiser (10,000 tons standard) took 200 tons of concrete to counter all the extra aa guns and the designers were humiliated.

[@josephpiskac2781]

My Great Grandmother crossed on this line.

[@caddieguy6510]

Do a video for the Edmund Fitzgerald.

[@richardberriman]

Gr8 vid though I think he should have toughed it out. Better to go down swinging than run away, but, probably more to the story than just the ships. As for renaming of ships, I'm not superstitious myself, however, I can't speak for others and I understand its considered bad luck. Maybe you'd get better buy in from the sailors if the fact of the ships past wasn't just white washed.

[@bee7137]

not the big 3 uploading within a week!?

[@llYossarian]

I think it's supposed to be _Im-PAIR-Uh-Tor_

[@JamesKing-el3ry]

Yay

[@joeanderson9852]

👍👍

[@Nobody.exe50]

Damn

[@lakrids-pibe]

That eagle figurehead is so awful lol

[@Khorsathedark]

great video. btw, im-peer-ah-tor

[@peterchicas9178]

During the opening sequence showing the Kaiser, marching German troops in Pikelhelm, and the Imperator herself, you chose to play "God Save the Tsar", the IMPERIAL RUSSIAN national anthem -- interesting choice!

[@ShrexyGuy]

I'd imagine that it's got something to do with the Imperial German anthem's irrational association with the National Socialists. ALLEGEDLY*, in Germany it's discouraged to perform "Hail to thee in the Victor's crown" due to the association with a people who came around 60 years after it became the Imperial anthem and 160 years after it was first composed

[@adalbertschwafel2587]

​​​@@ShrexyGuyare you from germany or have meaningful insights

[@panther7748]

Isn't it a part from the "1812 Ouverture"?

[@peterchicas9178]

Imperial Germany had no official national anthem. Prussia had an official anthem, "Heil dir im Siegerkranz." However, since it was sung to the same tune as "God Save the King" it was rarely played during World War I (for obvious reasons). The Deutschland Lied ("Deutschland Uber Alles) was too heavily identified with the 19th century German republican movement to be acceptable in Imperial Germany (It was also sung to the same tune as the Austrian national anthem at the time). The patriotic song most often sung or played during the late imperial period was "Die Wacht am Rhein."@@ShrexyGuy

[@MikeHunt-zh6lt]

tsk Albert will never be ballin ,"chapter 1: Albert Ballin" mfw

[@MarksofDistinction]

Great video, amazing production but I think you need a haircut :)

[@markstott6689]

Jarrow is pronounced with a J like in James. It isn't pronounced, 😊❤😊Yarrow.

[@DataRew]

I do think it is highly naive to think that had Great Britain agreed to not ally with any countries at war with Germany that it would have prevented WWI, and that conceit was already something untenable with the alliances already in place. That would have only encouraged Germany to persue war as an option, since they went the way they did after Franz Ferdinand's assassination anyways. Otherwise, excellent video as always!

[@111coo00]

57th like and eight comment

[@fraudbuster5232]

I like the end of her story where she gets recycled into cat food cans.

[@jeffpetrie7744]

Love your videos, but your Ss are distracting. 💕

[@giovannirastrelli9821]

Kaiser Wilhelm II and his homely, intellectually challenged with Augusta were extremely antisemitic and proud of it. The fact that they accepted and admired Albert Ballin speaks miles about what kind of man he was how much he helped the Jewish community pre-WWI.

[@MrSGL21]

it was the way of the world in those days. everyone was a bigot. EVERYONE. the Japanese, the CHinese, the French, the Germans, the Americans, EVERYONE. people today would be appalled at what came out of people's mouths in those days. Hate Crimes? thats a tuesday evening's entertainment.

[@vivgoodreads7711]

My great-grandfather immigrated to the US on the Imperator in October 1913. I greatly enjoyed learning more about it. Loved all of the pictures and stories.

[@PR1NC345]

22:23 Does anyone know this song

[@kennelson3848]

Truly enjoyed this piece of history!