SS Potsdam (1899)

Painting of Potsdam in about 1910
History
Name	1900: Potsdam 1915: Stockholm 1928: Solglimt 1941: Sonderburg
Namesake	1900: Potsdam 1915: Stockholm 1928: Norwegian for "sunshine" 1941: Sonderburg
Owner	1900: Holland America Line 1915: Swedish American Line 1928: Hvalfangerstakjeselskabet 'Atlas' 1930: A/S Odd 1941: Kriegsmarine
Operator	1928: Christian Nielsen & Co 1930: A/S Thor Dahl 1941: Erste Deutsche Wahlfang Ges 1942: Trossschiffverband
Port of registry	1900: Rotterdam 1915: Gothenburg 1928: Larvik 1929: Sandefjord 1941: Hamburg
Route	1900: Rotterdam – New York 1915: Gothenburg – New York
Builder	Blohm+Voss
Yard number	139
Laid down	4 May 1899
Launched	15 December 1899
Completed	5 May 1900
Maiden voyage	17 May 1900
Refit	1928
Identification	1900: code letters PQLF by 1913: call sign MHM 1914: call sign PEE 1915: code letters JVMC by 1918: call sign SGL 1928: code letters LHNB by 1934: call sign LDMD
Nickname(s)	"Funneldam"
Fate	scuttled 1944, partly blown up 1946, raised and scrapped 1947
General characteristics
Type	1900: ocean liner 1928: whaling factory ship
Tonnage	1900: 12,606 GRT, 8,018 NRT, 12,649 DWT 1930: 12,279 GRT, 7,123 NRT
Length	573.0 ft (174.65 m) overall 550.0 ft (167.6 m) registered
Beam	62.0 ft (18.9 m)
Draught	31 ft 10 in (9.70 m)
Depth	34.6 ft (10.5 m)
Decks	3
Installed power	1,355 NHP, 7,600 ihp
Propulsion	2 × screws 2 × triple-expansion engines
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h)
Capacity	passengers, 1900: 282 × 1st class, 208 × 2nd class, 1,800 × 3rd class cargo: 612,000 cubic feet (17,330 m3) grain, 559,000 cubic feet (15,829 m3) bale
Crew	186
Sensors and processing systems	by 1910: submarine signalling by 1930: wireless direction finding
Notes	sister ships: Rijndam, Noordam

SS Potsdam was a steam ocean liner that was launched in Germany in 1899 for Holland America Line. In 1915 Swedish American Line acquired her and renamed her Stockholm.

In 1929 Norwegian owners acquired her, had her converted into a whaling factory ship, and renamed her Solglimt. In 1941 a German auxiliary cruiser captured her and she was renamed Sonderburg. She was scuttled in 1944, and raised and scrapped in 1947.

When new, Potsdam was the largest ship in the Holland America Line fleet. She was the only Holland America Line ship ever to be named after the German city of Potsdam. She was the first of four Swedish American liners to be named after the Swedish capital city Stockholm.