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MV Mefküre

October 21, 2023

MV Mefküre (often referred to as Mefkura) was a Turkish wooden-hulled[3] motor schooner chartered to carry Jewish Holocaust refugees from Romania to Istanbul, sailing under the Turkish[2] and Red Cross flags. On 5 August 1944 a Soviet submarine sank her in the Black Sea by shellfire, killing more than 300 refugees.

Monument to the vessels Struma and Mefküre in Ashdod, Israel
History
NameMV Mefküre
OperatorJean D Pandelis[3]
Port of registry Istanbul or Şile[1]
Launched1929[2]
Out of service5 August 1944[2]
FateSunk by Soviet submarine[2]
General characteristics
Typemotor schooner[2]
Tonnage52 GRT[3] or 120 GRT;[1] 40 NRT[1]
Length35 m (115 ft)[3]
Beam8 m (26 ft)[3]
Propulsion
  • diesel engine of about 75 BHP;[1]
  • single screw
Speed
  • maximum 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph);[3]
  • cruising speed 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)[3]
Crew7[3]
Tel Aviv memorial plaque to Mefkure victims

Final voyage and sinking Edit

On 3 August 1944 three small old merchant ships, overcrowded with about 1,000 Jewish refugees, left the Romanian port of Constanța at about 20:30 hrs. Sailing instructions from the German naval authorities were for Morina with 308 passengers to sail first, followed by Bulbul with 390 people, and lastly by Mefküre with 320 refugees (the exact number may be slightly different) on board. The vessels were ordered to sail from position 43°43'N 29°08'E strictly southward, which would lead them directly into the Bosphorus.[4] Armed ships of the Romanian Navy escorted the convoy and provided signal flags to aid their passage from the harbour and through the mined area of the approaches.

On 5 August 1944, about 40 minutes after midnight Mefküre was about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of İğneada in Turkey when flares from an unknown vessel illuminated her.[3] Mefküre failed to respond and carried on.[3] In the same night, at 02:00 hrs, the German radio direction-finding station at Cape Pomorie in the Gulf of Burgas intercepted a radio signal of the Soviet Shchuka-class submarine, Shch-215, with a bearing of 116 degrees. "This bearing crossed the course of Mefkure and the two Turkish vessels almost exactly at the area where Mefkure was sunk during that night."[5] The German historian Jürgen Rohwer claimed Shch-215 as the vessel which then attacked.[6] Shch-215 fired 90 rounds from her 45-mm guns and 650 rounds from her 7.62 mm machine guns.[7][8][9] Mefküre caught fire and sank. Her captain, Kazım Turan, and six of his crew escaped in the only available lifeboat, but only five of the refugees survived.[10] The number of refugees killed is unknown, but one estimate suggests it includes 37 children.[11]

On 30 July 1944 submarine Shch-215, under command of Captain 3rd Rank AI Strizhak, had departed from Batum, operating at the approaches off Burgas. This submarine, on the night of 5 August, claimed the sinking of a big schooner with about 200 armed men aboard,[7][9] answering the attack with rifles and light machine guns, and in addition one "barkass", possibly a life boat. Shch-215 made the attack in position 42.00'N 28°42'E, at a distance of 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) westward from the ordered course of Mefküre.

A fortnight after the sinking a JTA news report alleged that three German surface craft had sunk Mefküre. The same report stated that Bulbul had been intercepted, too, but was allowed to proceed after identifying herself; at daybreak she rescued Mefküre's survivors.[12] Bulbul continued to İğneada, whence her 395 refugees and the five surviving Mefküre refugees continued by road and rail to Istanbul. Morina also reached Turkey, and refugees from both ships continued overland to Palestine.[13]

Memorials Edit

There are memorials to those killed aboard Mefküre at the Giurgiului Cemetery in the south of Bucharest in Romania[14] and at Ashdod in Israel.

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d Lawson, Siri Holm. "Re: Identity of MEFKURE sunk 1944". Norwegian Merchant Fleet WW II. Warsailors. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e Lettens, Jan (24 December 2012). "SV Mefkure (+1944)". The Wreck Site. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "מפקורה SS Mefküre Mafkura Mefkura". Haapalah Aliyah Bet Database. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  4. ^ Finkelstein 1991, Document 17
  5. ^ Finkelstein 1991, p. 5
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2013). "Shch-215". uboat.net. Guðmundur Helgason. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  7. ^ a b Nikolaev, Aleksandr S. "Щ-215, С-215 туп "Щ" X серии". Энциклопедия отечественного подводного флота (in Russian). Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  8. ^ Подводная лодка "Щ-215". Черноморский Флот информационный ресурс (in Russian). 2000–2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  9. ^ a b Щ-215. СОВЕТСКИЕ ПОДВОДНЫЕ ЛОДКИ (in Russian). 23 April 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  10. ^ Danacioglu, Dr Esra (2012). (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2012-09-15.
  11. ^ "Desastres Maritimos de la 2ª Guerra Mundial 1944 (Esta seccion sera traducida en breve)". Historia y Arqueologia Marítima Indice desastres... (in Spanish). Fundacion Histarmar. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  12. ^ "War Refugee Board Confirms Report That Sinking of "Mefkure" by Germans Was Deliberate". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. August 22, 1944.
  13. ^ Ofer, Dalia (1990). Escaping the Holocaust: Illegal Immigration to the Land of Israel, 19391–944. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 260–266. ISBN 0195063406.
  14. ^ Leeson, Rosanne (20 January 2009). "The Sinking of the Mefkure". JewishGen. Retrieved 26 March 2013.

Further reading Edit

  • Finkelstein, Albert (c. 1991). The Mefkure Tragedy: an inquiry into the slayers' identity (3rd revised ed.). self-published. includes 19 documents and a list of 302 passengers (victims) of the Mefkure
  • Finkelstein, Albert (1993). Tragedia "Mefkure": studiu asupra identităt̜ii asasinilor. A Finkelstein. ISBN 2-9507-6970-5.
  • Finkelstein, Albert (1997). Etre ou ne pas naître: chronique de l'Holocauste en Roumanie. Paris: Etoile de la Pensée. ISBN 2-214-10354-6.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (1964). Die Versenkung der jüdischen Flüchtlingstransporter Struma und Mefkure im Schwarzen Meer (Februar 1942, August 1944). Schriften der Bibliothek für Zeitgeschichte, Vol.4 (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Bernard & Graefe. Verlag für Wehrwesen.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (1986). "Jüdische Flüchtlingsschiffe im Schwarzen Meer (1934–1944)". In Büttner, Ursula (ed.). Das Unrechtsregime. Vol. 2. Hamburg: Christians Verlag. pp. 1972–48. ISBN 3-7672-0963-2.

External links Edit

  • "Mefkure –Definition". Zionism and Israel –Encyclopedic Dictionary.
  • Ozer, Ayfan (February 1992). . Turkish Jews. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.

42°03′N 30°20′E / 42.050°N 30.333°E / 42.050; 30.333

October 21, 2023
mefküre, often, referred, mefkura, turkish, wooden, hulled, motor, schooner, chartered, carry, jewish, holocaust, refugees, from, romania, istanbul, sailing, under, turkish, cross, flags, august, 1944, soviet, submarine, sank, black, shellfire, killing, more, . MV Mefkure often referred to as Mefkura was a Turkish wooden hulled 3 motor schooner chartered to carry Jewish Holocaust refugees from Romania to Istanbul sailing under the Turkish 2 and Red Cross flags On 5 August 1944 a Soviet submarine sank her in the Black Sea by shellfire killing more than 300 refugees Monument to the vessels Struma and Mefkure in Ashdod IsraelHistoryNameMV MefkureOperatorJean D Pandelis 3 Port of registryIstanbul or Sile 1 Launched1929 2 Out of service5 August 1944 2 FateSunk by Soviet submarine 2 General characteristicsTypemotor schooner 2 Tonnage52 GRT 3 or 120 GRT 1 40 NRT 1 Length35 m 115 ft 3 Beam8 m 26 ft 3 Propulsiondiesel engine of about 75 BHP 1 single screwSpeedmaximum 11 5 knots 21 3 km h 13 2 mph 3 cruising speed 9 knots 17 km h 10 mph 3 Crew7 3 Tel Aviv memorial plaque to Mefkure victims Contents 1 Final voyage and sinking 2 Memorials 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksFinal voyage and sinking EditOn 3 August 1944 three small old merchant ships overcrowded with about 1 000 Jewish refugees left the Romanian port of Constanța at about 20 30 hrs Sailing instructions from the German naval authorities were for Morina with 308 passengers to sail first followed by Bulbul with 390 people and lastly by Mefkure with 320 refugees the exact number may be slightly different on board The vessels were ordered to sail from position 43 43 N 29 08 E strictly southward which would lead them directly into the Bosphorus 4 Armed ships of the Romanian Navy escorted the convoy and provided signal flags to aid their passage from the harbour and through the mined area of the approaches On 5 August 1944 about 40 minutes after midnight Mefkure was about 25 miles 40 km northeast of Igneada in Turkey when flares from an unknown vessel illuminated her 3 Mefkure failed to respond and carried on 3 In the same night at 02 00 hrs the German radio direction finding station at Cape Pomorie in the Gulf of Burgas intercepted a radio signal of the Soviet Shchuka class submarine Shch 215 with a bearing of 116 degrees This bearing crossed the course of Mefkure and the two Turkish vessels almost exactly at the area where Mefkure was sunk during that night 5 The German historian Jurgen Rohwer claimed Shch 215 as the vessel which then attacked 6 Shch 215 fired 90 rounds from her 45 mm guns and 650 rounds from her 7 62 mm machine guns 7 8 9 Mefkure caught fire and sank Her captain Kazim Turan and six of his crew escaped in the only available lifeboat but only five of the refugees survived 10 The number of refugees killed is unknown but one estimate suggests it includes 37 children 11 On 30 July 1944 submarine Shch 215 under command of Captain 3rd Rank AI Strizhak had departed from Batum operating at the approaches off Burgas This submarine on the night of 5 August claimed the sinking of a big schooner with about 200 armed men aboard 7 9 answering the attack with rifles and light machine guns and in addition one barkass possibly a life boat Shch 215 made the attack in position 42 00 N 28 42 E at a distance of 19 nautical miles 35 km 22 mi westward from the ordered course of Mefkure A fortnight after the sinking a JTA news report alleged that three German surface craft had sunk Mefkure The same report stated that Bulbul had been intercepted too but was allowed to proceed after identifying herself at daybreak she rescued Mefkure s survivors 12 Bulbul continued to Igneada whence her 395 refugees and the five surviving Mefkure refugees continued by road and rail to Istanbul Morina also reached Turkey and refugees from both ships continued overland to Palestine 13 Memorials EditThere are memorials to those killed aboard Mefkure at the Giurgiului Cemetery in the south of Bucharest in Romania 14 and at Ashdod in Israel See also EditAliyah Bet Patria disaster Struma disasterReferences Edit a b c d Lawson Siri Holm Re Identity of MEFKURE sunk 1944 Norwegian Merchant Fleet WW II Warsailors Retrieved 26 March 2013 a b c d e Lettens Jan 24 December 2012 SV Mefkure 1944 The Wreck Site Retrieved 26 March 2013 a b c d e f g h i j מפקורה SS Mefkure Mafkura Mefkura Haapalah Aliyah Bet Database 27 September 2011 Retrieved 26 March 2013 Finkelstein 1991 Document 17 Finkelstein 1991 p 5 Helgason Gudmundur 1995 2013 Shch 215 uboat net Gudmundur Helgason Retrieved 26 March 2013 a b Nikolaev Aleksandr S Sh 215 S 215 tup Sh X serii Enciklopediya otechestvennogo podvodnogo flota in Russian Retrieved 27 March 2013 Podvodnaya lodka Sh 215 Chernomorskij Flot informacionnyj resurs in Russian 2000 2013 Retrieved 27 March 2013 a b Sh 215 SOVETSKIE PODVODNYE LODKI in Russian 23 April 2008 Retrieved 27 March 2013 Danacioglu Dr Esra 2012 UNUTULMUS BIR TRAJEDI KARADENIZ DE BATIRILAN MEFKURE II in Turkish Archived from the original on 2012 09 15 Desastres Maritimos de la 2ª Guerra Mundial 1944 Esta seccion sera traducida en breve Historia y Arqueologia Maritima Indice desastres in Spanish Fundacion Histarmar Retrieved 26 March 2013 War Refugee Board Confirms Report That Sinking of Mefkure by Germans Was Deliberate Jewish Telegraphic Agency August 22 1944 Ofer Dalia 1990 Escaping the Holocaust Illegal Immigration to the Land of Israel 19391 944 Oxford Oxford University Press pp 260 266 ISBN 0195063406 Leeson Rosanne 20 January 2009 The Sinking of the Mefkure JewishGen Retrieved 26 March 2013 Further reading EditFinkelstein Albert c 1991 The Mefkure Tragedy an inquiry into the slayers identity 3rd revised ed self published includes 19 documents and a list of 302 passengers victims of the Mefkure Finkelstein Albert 1993 Tragedia Mefkure studiu asupra identităt ii asasinilor A Finkelstein ISBN 2 9507 6970 5 Finkelstein Albert 1997 Etre ou ne pas naitre chronique de l Holocauste en Roumanie Paris Etoile de la Pensee ISBN 2 214 10354 6 Rohwer Jurgen 1964 Die Versenkung der judischen Fluchtlingstransporter Struma und Mefkure im Schwarzen Meer Februar 1942 August 1944 Schriften der Bibliothek fur Zeitgeschichte Vol 4 in German Frankfurt am Main Bernard amp Graefe Verlag fur Wehrwesen Rohwer Jurgen 1986 Judische Fluchtlingsschiffe im Schwarzen Meer 1934 1944 In Buttner Ursula ed Das Unrechtsregime Vol 2 Hamburg Christians Verlag pp 1972 48 ISBN 3 7672 0963 2 External links Edit Mefkure Definition Zionism and Israel Encyclopedic Dictionary Ozer Ayfan February 1992 The Struma Tragedy Turkish Jews Archived from the original on 2007 09 27 42 03 N 30 20 E 42 050 N 30 333 E 42 050 30 333 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MV Mefkure amp oldid 1148061335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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