This passenger ship was built after WW I by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Shipyards at Glasgow Scotland. Christened as the Turbine Steam Ship (T.S.S.) Tuscania, she went into service in 1921 weighing 16,991 tons.
At 597' long and 70' wide, her 6 steam turbines and twin screws were capable of 16 knots. She was the 'state of the art' of marine engineering at that simpler time, and was to lead a long and diverse sailing career spanning four decades.
During the Depression, Anchor Line decided to sell their ship to the General Steam Navigation Company of Greece, which was interested in establishing a Trans-Atlantic service between Greece and the U.S. She was renamed Nea Hellas or 'New Greece' and departed from Piraeus for her first voyage on May 19, 1939.
The New York Herald Tribune noted her first arrival in New York for the Greek Line. reporting that during her first stay there, a series of parties and dinners celebrating her arrival were planned for the New York business, social, and diplomatic community. Unfortunately the festivities were short lived. Within months of her maiden crossing, WWII broke out in Europe, and she was placed under allied control, and put in service as a troop transport. During the next seven years she was affectionately dubbed the 'Nelly Wallace' by her many soldier passengers. The Nea Hellas was returned to her Greek owner in 1947, and served as Greece's flagship until 1955, when she was replaced by the Greek Line's newly commissioned Olympia, as the Line's new carrier for the Piraeus-New York route. She was renamed 'New York' and put into service for the northerly route between Germany, France, Canada, and Boston, and her new namesake New York. By 1959, she had reached the grand age of thirty-seven years.
On November 14, 1959 she returned to her home port of Piraeus for the last time, twenty years after her first departure as the pride of the Greek nation.
The world had changed much since that time. The advent of the Boeing 707 had cut the 14-day voyage to less than 9 hours. The age of passenger ships as a mode of transportation was quickly coming to an end. She was laid up for two years, and sold to Japanese ship breakers. On August 19, 1961 she left Piraeus for Onomichi, Japan where she met her fate in the scrap yards.
The Nea Hellas never attained the 'glamour ship' status of some of her contemporaries, like the Queen Mary, the Mauretania, and the Normandie. Nevertheless, like many great ships long gone, she left an indelible memory to those whose lives she touched. To the eight hundred thousands of souls who spent fourteen days on a one way journey from their old world to the new one, she became a great symbolic bridge in their lives.
This site is a cooperative effort made possible by contributions of personal memories and shared photos.
Please consider sharing your family's history to the legacy of this ship's history in cyberspace by clicking the button below .
The Nea Hellas is among the many passenger ships of the past that brought our ancestors to the United States.
Janet Butters
I just found out that this is the ship that brought my dad Carmel Butters when he was 19 years old came to North America from Valletta Malta having set sail November 4, 1950.
My dad has long passed, but he would be amazed to know that we found the name of the ship that brought him to New York on November 20, 1950. I would love to read stories from folks who were on the same voyage. What a thrill that would be!!
Please let me know if any readers have any information to share.
I just found out that this is the ship that brought my dad Carmel Butters when he was 19 years old came to North America from Valletta Malta having set sail November 4, 1950.
My dad has long passed, but he would be amazed to know that we found the name of the ship that brought him to New York on November 20, 1950. I would love to read stories from folks who were on the same voyage. What a thrill that would be!!
Please let me know if any readers have any information to share.
Grace Blair UK
My uncle, John(Jack) Chambers was the ship's doctor during the war years - I wonder if anyone remembers the name. After the war he was partner in a medical practice in Cowdenbeath and was responsible for opening a clinic there. He was a popular, well respected GP and, after his death, the Burgh Council named a street after him.
Below are some ephemera I recently found from his wartime service on the Nea Hellas.
My uncle, John(Jack) Chambers was the ship's doctor during the war years - I wonder if anyone remembers the name. After the war he was partner in a medical practice in Cowdenbeath and was responsible for opening a clinic there. He was a popular, well respected GP and, after his death, the Burgh Council named a street after him.
Below are some ephemera I recently found from his wartime service on the Nea Hellas.
Leah Sills
My father and grandparents, Abraham, Eugenia and Stefan Rozenfeld arrived on July 12, 1940 into Hoboken, New Jersey. Here is a luggage tag from their voyage. I have one of the suitcases too.
Kevin Ayers Brisbane Australia
Thank you for your dedicated site and to those who have contributed to it. I have a first-hand account from my late father, Bernard Francis Ayers, who paused his Officer commission with The Salvation Army in the UK to enlist with the RAF Volunteer Reserve and serve in the war effort overseas.
Life Aboard the Nea Hellas from Glasgow to Capetown in WW2
Glasgow where we embarked on a turbine steamship. It had been one of the Cunard Line but had been bought by the Greek Line and renamed the Nea Hellas (New Greece). In 1941, she was put under allied service as a troop transport, carrying over 60,000 troops during her wartime service. Being servicemen, they said we were as “near hell-as we could get”. It wasn’t all that bad, however, and we had quite a pleasant trip. As the ship was rather overcrowded, we had to sleep in hammocks or wherever we could find room. There were sufficient places for hammocks to hang but, because airmen were not experts in hanging hammocks, other sleeping arrangements were made.
On 28 August 1942, we sailed down the River Clyde and out of “the tail of the bank”. We journeyed out into the Irish Sea and south into the Atlantic Ocean but, after that, we never knew where we were going. No information was given. If we wrote to loved ones or relatives, we were not to give any indication of our whereabouts or where we had been. One of the wartime posters said, “Be Like Dad, Keep Mum”. On 9 September 1942, we entered port at Freetown, Sierra Leone on the African coast for a four-day stopover. We crossed the Atlantic, close to Brazil, before sailing in a much more southerly direction. Life on board was active because all servicemen had to be kept in a fit condition. Apart from physical exercises and games on deck, they kept us occupied with lectures and briefings from our leaders on the voyage, as well as quizzes and spelling bees. The nature of the ship had resulted in us being split into smaller communities or teams. There was a team from every troop deck or area, each of which contained fellows from related units. As an NCO, I was appointed captain of the team on my troop deck. It was most fortuitous that we won all of the competitions we took part in. We had a good bunch of well-educated fellows and I was fortunate to be associated with them.
Every serviceman was supplied with a life jacket, on which many of them wrote their name. I wrote “John 3:16”; a text from the Bible, which became the topic of many conversations. On the troop deck, life jackets were useful. Sometimes we sat on them or used them as pillows. One hot and steamy night (we could have been crossing the Equator), the temperature down below was so high that I went up on deck to find a cooler spot. I lay down under one of the lifeboats that was hanging above the deck, put my life jacket under my head and went to sleep. During the night, I awoke and, as I opened my eyes, realised I was looking straight down into the sea. I had rolled to the edge of the deck and there was no ledge to prevent me from rolling any further. Had I gone a few more inches, I would have fallen overboard. They wouldn’t have missed me until roll call the next morning, by which time it would have been too late. I would have been miles behind and, with so many troops on board and submarines hovering in the area, they certainly wouldn’t have turned the ship around to look for me.
Early on the morning of 25 September 1942, I was on the deck just as the sun was beginning to rise. Outlined against the sunrise was Table Mountain, so I knew that we had recrossed the Atlantic and come around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. They took us off the ship and transported us to a transit camp at Pollsmoor. What a time we had at Cape Town in our three-month interlude there before being transported on to India.
Pat Hughes Va Beach, VA.
I was so excited to find your site because my dear friend, Dr. Lampis Anagnostopoulos, journeyed to his destiny aboard the Nea Hellas, leaving his homeland in Greece on April 14, 1951. Lambie, as he is known to his friends, had just turned twenty-one and had not yet changed his name from Charalambos.
His recently published book, " From One Life to the Next", details his voyage to New York where he said goodbye to the relationships that sustained him during the two week journey and continued on to Chicago. Ten years later, he realized his goal of serving humanity by becoming a physician. The book also chronicles the struggles and obstacles he overcame along the way in hopes of inspiring others to persevere.
In reading his book, I became curious about the young girl who was the most significant friendship he formed. Her name, as he recalls, was Kalliope, but he does not remember her last name. She was about nineteen and was traveling with her mother and younger brother of twelve. They were going to join her two older brothers in New York. Her father had died in combat against the German Paratroopers in the Battle of Crete. Once reaching New York, they parted company and he never saw her again.
I was so impressed with her character and the emotional depth she possessed at such a young age. It was obvious that she and Lambie shared a special bond during that transitional journey. She listened to his poetry writings and his sentiments and truly believed that he would accomplish his goal.
I would so love to find out what happened to Kalliope for him. And, I would so love it if she were still alive and could know that he was worthy of her faith and belief in him. My hope is that by posting to this site fate could make that possible. Anyone with any information may contact me at [email protected].
Lambie practiced as a highly respected cardiologist until 2013. He still volunteers one day a week at a rehab facility and delivers the Hippocratic Oath in Greek each year to the graduating medical class at the University of Chicago. He has also been honored with the establishment of a medical scholarship in his name there. He has just submitted a second book for publication which will focus on his childhood in Greece and the traumatic experiences of WWII there.
Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to participate in this forum.
Michalis Hello! I wanted to let you know that I colorized and posted the image that you used in your banner for your site and was pleasantly surprised to see that you used it. My grandmother sailed many times on the Nea Hellas between Athens and New York in her college years when she attended Columbia University and her godfather was Leonidas Goulandris, one of the co-owners of the Nea Hellas! I would simply like to ask that I am given credit for the image with a link to the following page on your site, if you would be so kind. http://www.deviantart.com/art/Recoloring-TSS-Nea-Ellas-528314026
John Spanakos Stamford Ct.
I served on the TSS New York from 1956 to 1958 as crew member my position was a fireman in the boiler room.
What I liked about the TSS New York was that it was a well built ship, and could withstand storms or rough seas. The ship was very stable on rough seas and you would barely feel the ship rocking,
On this particular day we were sailing from Southampton, England to New York, the ocean was very calm but the ship was barely moving. The captain thought there was something wrong. I was in my cabin which was located by the bow of the ship and as I happened to look out my porthole I saw a giant dead whale, stock to the bow of the ship. I ran up and told the captain because from the bridge the captain did not have view of the bow. At that point the captain reversed the engines and the ship went backwards so the dead whale became loose, then we were able to continue on our voyage. In the winter we would cruise to the Canary Islands.
TSS New York leaving New York City in 1956
Tony Livia Remembers the TSS Nea Hellas
Voyaging across the Atlantic on a steamship as a young boy can leave indelible lifetime memories. Seven year old Tony Livia relived those memories through the miracle of cyberspace where he was able to find photos of the Nea Hellas that brought him to America in 1952. He was inspired, did a lot of research and had a model of the ocean liner commissioned several years ago. He was kind enough to share photographs of his rare model which are pictured below. Enjoy! Spanakos Stamford CT.
I served on the TSS New York from 1956 to 1958 as crew member my position was a fireman in the boiler room. What I liked about the TSS New York was that it was a well built ship, and could withstand storms or rough seas. The ship was very stable on rough seas and you would barely feel the ship rocking, On this particular day we were sailing from Southampton, England to New York, the ocean was very calm but the ship was barely moving. The captain thought there was something wrong. I was in my cabin which was located by the bow of the ship and as I happened to look out my porthole I saw a giant dead whale, stock to the bow of the ship. I ran up and told the captain because from the bridge the captain did not have view of the bow. At that point the captain reversed the engines and the ship went backwards so the dead whale became loose, then we were able to continue on our voyage. In the winter we would do cruises from New York to the Canary Islands Julie Ziavras My father Evangelos John Ziavras (aka Angelos or Evan J.) sailed on the T.S.S. Nea Hellas from Piraeus arriving at the Port of NY on September 10, 1939, the day Canada declared war on Germany and the battle of the Atlantic began. My father was just 11 days short of his 15th birthday, and made the trip by himself. He never spoke of this traumatic event in his life, but I was able to learn about his journey through extensive research and Ellis Island records. My grandfather John E. (Ioannis) Ziavras had immigrated to the US in 1910, served in the US Army during WWI and became a US citizen. He was married in Salem, MA and his first three children, including my father, were born there. In 1928 he relocated his family back to Greece and settled in the southern port town of Kalamata where they led a privileged life. With the German invasion of Poland and the start of WWII on September 1, 1939, it soon became apparent that Greece would also be involved in the war. The Greeks, in a desperate attempt to mobilize an army, were enlisting boys in their early teens and older men to help defend the country. In a move that most likely saved his young son’s life, my grandfather John decided to send my father Evangelos to relocate to the US by himself. My father was already a US citizen by birth, which may have made it easier for him to obtain a ticket at a time of impending war when people were desperate to leave Greece. During his 14 day journey across the Atlantic, German U Boats swarmed the Atlantic torpedoing and sinking British ships. My father later served with US Navy during WWII in the North Atlantic. After the war he joined his father in Lynn, MA where his father owned a shoe repair business. My father met my mother, Mary Zaferiou in the Catskills, NY and they settled on Long Island, NY, where I and my 3 siblings were born and raised. My father died in 1992 in the family home in Great Neck, LI. Below is my father's passport 1939 passport photo, the Nea Hellas manifest from his voyage as well as a NY newspaper article on the Nea Hellas' arrival during that troubled time when many were escaping the specter of WWII. Paula Burzawa
I can't thank you enough for this wonderful connection to our past. My mother and aunt arrived to America in 1951 aboard the Nea Hellas. I'd like to post the photo with the hopes that we can find my mother's missing friend. My mother, Maria (Akouris) Stamatopoulos (far right ) came over to America from Greece on the Nea Hellas in 1951 with her sister, Elaine Stamatopoulos (far left) . During that voyage, my mom and sister befriended a girl named Voula (girl in the middle). My mom is now 76 years old, and has been looking for Voula for a lifetime. They arrived in Chicago, where my mom and aunt Elaine left for Montanta, before eventually settling back in Chicago. I am the author of two books, detailing Greece in WWII and the civil war, and as I am currently writing the story of my mother and aunt's journey aboard the Nea Hellas, we hope to find Voula. If anyone recognizes her, please feel free to reach out. I am writing my 3rd novel about Greece, and family history - and this latest details my mother's journey aboard the Nea Hellas. I can't wait to share it with you! Your efforts are keeping family history alive, and helping millions of children (like me) understand their parents and grandparent' lives and connection to their homeland! Thank you! __[email protected] website: www.Seasonsofsun.com Eli Pinhas My father, mother, brother and sister sailed on the Nea Hellas from Piraeus, Greece to New York on May 22, 1951. They were listed as Mois Pinhas, Matilde Pinhas, Sara Pinhas and Saadi Pinhas. I have the original ticket that was issued on May 20, 1951 in Piraeus. Ticket #75521. The fare was $205 each for my parents, my 3 ½ year old sister was half price - $102.50 and my then 9 month old brother was $10. Tax was $16. Total for all four tickets was $538.50. Gerry Conetta On the 55th anniversary of our family's landing in Canada, with the nostalgia triggered by the day, I searched the TSS New York on the Internet and stumbled onto this brilliant website. I had no inkling of the historical significance of the vessel that brought us to Canada. Finding this site and reading of "our" ship's history was the icing on the cake for this day. Finding the TSS New York was more exciting than finding the Titanic. We grew up in Glasgow's South Side one street away from the same River Clyde on which the ship was built. We left from the dock at Greenock and docked in Quebec City on this day in 1957. Our voyage was a nine-day adventure for an eleven-year old boy, a lifelong memory. I remember waking up at around 4:00am every day on the ship and being allowed to stand gabbing with the crew in the engine rooms every morning while the rest of the passengers slept - a dream for a young boy who had known only the Gorbals tenements. Our onboard family consisted of my mother, God rest her, and the four of us children. We had qualified for "assisted passage" to both Canada and Australia with our destination being decided on by my Dad's toss of a coin, literally, a coin toss decided our lives. My Dad, God rest him, did not get to enjoy the voyage with us as he had gone ahead to Toronto four months earlier to find employment and housing for us. By the time we joined him, he was already working for Massey-Harris which would become Massey-Harris-Ferguson and then Massey-Ferguson where he would stay till his retirement many years later. I remember also a fellow passenger named James Stewart, not THE James Stewart, who shared our table in the dining room. That poor man managed to sit through half of the first day's first meal and stayed hidden away the whole voyage except for not even half of the final day's dinner. I've never forgotten him rushing away from the table after a few mouthfuls on the first day and again on the final day. The other thing I remember to this day were the THIRTY FOOT waves we caught during watching a movie and the iceberg we sighted as we neared Newfoundland. Anyone who traveled on that voyage from Greenock at the end of April, 1957 to Quebec City in May is welcome to contact me at g[email protected]. Thanks to this marvelous website for giving me the opportunity to reminisce and share my memories. In the below photo you can see the four of us children and my mother behind my sister during a life-jacket drill. 2/19/18 |
Frank Schembre, Cambridge Ontario Canada.
Arrived from Sicily in late October 1959. I celebrated my 5th birthday on the ship. With me, were my parents and my older sister, as well mom was pregnant with my younger sister. I have not been back since. The below photo shows the Captain, some of the crew and all the children on the ship enjoying a party,
I hope it will bring back memories for some.
Tony Livia
Sailed to America in October 1952 when I was 7 years old. Thankfully with all the information we have available today I'm able to actually see photos of this ship. For many years all I had was memories of this ship. I have commissioned model ship master to build a replica of this ship the NEA HELLAS. It will take 6 months to build and looking forward to enjoy and visualize when I was a little boy walking the decks of the NEA HELLAS. Can't wait.
Josephine Gawrylash (Pollice) , Hamilton Ontario Finally found the name of the ship we immigrated to Canada from Italy on in 1952 – I was 3 at the time and my parents thought the name of the ship was The Nicloas out of Greece – drove my husband Tom crazy trying to find the ship’s background and where it came into port in Canada—My Dad was already in Hamilton and our passports are stamped as immigrants to Canada on April 28, 1952 - We will be visiting Pier 21 on April 29th this year to see where I came to Canada aboard the Nea Hellas
Josephine Boland New Jersey My husband, Arthur, my 2 year old daughter, Theresa. and 1 year old son, Allan and I (Josephine) travelled on the Nea Hellas from Malta to Hoboken / New York, U.S.A. at the end of May to the beginning of June 1951. On board there was a Greek family with four girls, one of whom was called "Speranza" (Hope). . They were very good to each other and loved my infant son, playing with him, holding him and pushing his baby carriage around the deck all day long. They were heading to Montreal. Unfortunately, I don't know their last name. We wonder what happened to them and would like to find out how they made out in this new country.
([email protected])
Adela Fortin Edgecombe Bonsall, California.
My parents met in the summer of 1943. My father was an American soldier a tank driver in World War II. My mother was only 10 years old when my Dad’s company came through her little village in southern Italy. He came upon a group of frightened children, and gave them several candy bars. One of the boys swiped hers from her hand, and she started crying, My Dad gave her another one. It made her happy, and she took him by the hand and brought him to her house to meet her mother and father. He befriended them and told my Mother he would one day return when she grew up and marry her. Before he left the village Dad gave them his address in the states, so they could write to his mother and learn if he survived the war. His company went on to France where he was wounded and sent home.
My Italian grandmother wrote to my Dad in 1944 and letters started back and forth. In February 1951 my Dad, true to his word, went to get my mom in Italy and bring her to his home in New Bedford, Mass. They married and the romantic story was covered by the media, including LIFE magazine. He stayed in Italy six months waiting for my Mom’s papers to be processed. They boarded the Nea Hellas on September 18th and 14 days later started a new life in America. They had separate rooms on that voyage each with 4 bunkbeds, and my mom was sea sick for most of the voyage. She felt my dad didn't make enough of an effort to be with her. I know she shared her room with at least 3 other women and the rooms were very small, so I'm not sure how he could spend time with her. I recently found my Dad’s letters to my Mom and am getting to know more about my Dad through information I am finding. I have decided to write a book. Does anyone remember them? Their names are George and Nina Fortin. My Dad died in 2005. If you google their names there are many pictures on line. [email protected]
Mrs Marion Davie Scotland
I have recently been scanning documents from my mother's old suitcase and came across a tourist class dinner menu for Sunday June 23rd 1935, as well as a passenger list , New York to Glasgow. My mother had treasured these as this was the voyage she made with her sister, as American citizens, traveling to Scotland to be married to my father in July 1935.
Her parents were Aberdonians who had emigrated to America just after the turn of the century. In 1930 my mother and her older sister made their first trans Atlantic journey back to the old country to see relatives in Aberdeen. It was a fateful journey as she first met my father to be on this voyage! On the same ship was an Edinburgh University student working in his holidays as an assistant purser, on his way back to Scotland! He invited the sisters to visit his family in Edinburgh, which they did. They corresponded for the next four years, and in 1934 my father travelled to the States, hoping to propose to my mother. She accepted, but did not see him again until 1935, when she travelled back on the the 'Tuscania' to Scotland. Quite a romantic story, I think!
My mother and father(George and Peg) had three children, all girls. The first, Alison, was born in the middle of 1939, so not many months before war broke out with Germany. Peg's mother travelled over to Britain to help her daughter at the time of the birth, so she had at least seen her first granddaughter. Her husband had to stay behind in the States as he was working. Once war broke out, of course, there could be no more transatlantic journeys in either direction. My parents could not send over many photos of the baby either, as photographic materials were really scarce as they were required for the war effort. There were many letters however, some of which have survived, describing war-time rationing and conditions, as well as the antics of the new child. In due course, I came along and then my younger sister, Carolyn, in 1944. Peg was desperate to be able to let the girls' American grandparents see her daughters, two of whom her mother had never seen at all. My father booked a passage on the first available ship he could get the family on, once the war was over and that ship was the Queen Elizabeth. The Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary had both been utilised as troop ships during the war, but whenever they were de-commissioned they resumed their passenger service.
I can remember that voyage as a nearly four-year-old and remember my mother pointing out the Statue of Liberty to us as we neared New York. We stayed four months in the States, in Philadelphia, my father returning after a few weeks to go back to work. We returned on the Queen Mary. Unfortunately the three of us never saw our American grandparents again, although my mother flew back a couple of times to see her ageing parents. Pictured below some souvenirs from that
voyage in 1935
Fraser MacKinnon, Michigan "I just learned today that my mother sailed on the Tuscania on her voyage from Glasgow to New York. They were from Scotland. They arrived in New York on October 2, 1923. They went to Joliet, Illinois and eventually settled in Michigan where she died in the 70's. I found your web site and was very pleased to find the pictures of the Tuscania. These pictures will go into the genealogy booklet I am compiling. Thank you for the pictures and the history of the ship."
Faye Ward Hamilton Ontario
My mother and I had travelled in May 1957 from Greenock to Halifax, then took the train to Montreal where we visited my grandmother’s sister for a few hours before boarding another train to Toronto and then on to Timmins, Ontario, where my father awaited our arrival. The coal mines in Scotland were all closing down, but in Timmins I expected to find ‘streets paved with gold”! They were not. Life was very difficult for my parents in those early years, but Canada was a land of opportunity for me, their only child. I have been blessed in this country.
I was seven; my mother was thirty-one. I cannot imagine how she felt leaving behind the only family and world she had ever known. We shared a small cabin with another woman and her child. For about eight days, we children explored all over the boat. I especially remember the movie theatre. One afternoon, I ate too much chocolate and was in bed for the next couple of days. When we arrived in Canada, I recall seeing two different hills---my pal and I assumed that they were the provinces and we would would be able to see each other and call out across the valley. (She was heading to Saskatchewan and I to Northern Ontario---probably a couple of thousand miles apart!)
A few years ago, I was traveling with my husband on the west coast of Newfoundland, heading up to its northern point, L’Anse aux Meadows. As we drove along, I began to describe the TSS New York, and told him details of the voyage. He remarked that in thirty years of marriage, I had never shared any of that with him. We wondered what had triggered the memories. When we spoke with a guide at L’Anse aux Meadows (The place the Vikings landed and inhabited in Newfoundland) we realized that the TSS New York had likely passed that very spot on its way to Halifax. The sights and smells of land and sea had re-opened memories I thought were buried. Reading your website has also opened those memories...my dreams will be interesting tonight. Thank you!
Grace Cavallo New Jersey
I came to America from Valetta Malta with my mother and sister May1952. We sailed from 5/22 to June 4 and arived into Newark NJ. My mother who is now 91 still tells me the story of the rough seas and how she past time with us walking the deck. This ship is part of my history and jouney here. I treasure the memories of a brave mother bringing her two young daugbters to America for a life of opportunity.
Lisa Miller UK
I have come across you site about the Nea Hellas, which I think is amazing as my grandad served on her when he was in the merchant navy. He is celebrating his birthday this month and I have been serching for every bit of info on her to present him with a book on her that I have put together myself. Unfortunatley, this is a little awkward as I’m trying to get info out of him without letting on as what I am doing!
Thanks to your site, I’ve got a little more info now and the Nea Hellas was also nicknamed ' Nearer to hell' ! Brilliant site, thank you and the people who served in the merchant navy really should get some recognition! As their saying goes .... ' If blood was the price we had to pay for our freedom, then the merchant ship sailors paid it in full' thanks again
From Lackey Paparis, Williamsburg, Virginia "My mother and I came over in 1952 on the Nea Hellas. I was only 2 1/2 years old and was almost lost overboard trying to catch a large dead fish. When I was older, my mother would tell me of the great ship that brought us over to America. I always wondered what this ship looked like. Now, thanks to you I will blow this picture up and hang it in our restaurant. Last June I sent an e-mail to the Greek Embassy in Washington asking about pictures on the Nea Hellas. The reply was to contact a newspaper in Greece, which ran a feature on past Greek ships. I had a friend in Greece who sent a copy of the newspaper. The picture of the Nea Hellas was very disappointing, but at least I knew how the ship looked from the rear. During the summer I tried several internet search sites with no luck. Then a couple weeks ago I just happened to try another internet site and your page came up. I took the pictures the very next day to my mother who was very surprised that I found such beautiful pictures of the ship. They brought back memories. My daughter made a wallpaper for my computer of the big picture. Thank you very much for making the site, I hope you have had a lot of responses from other passengers. If You every come to Williamsburg, please stop by at our restaurant the Yorkshire. It will be a pleasure to meet you in person."
From Moe Erlich, Cape Cod, Massachussets "Thanks for your story. My Dad lives in Brooklyn, NY) The Nea Hellas brought him to Halifax in 1950, he met my mom in Toronto and I was born in Montreal. They both lost everyone in The Holocaust and this ship represented freedom to the New World for him. He's 75 now but loves to tell the story of how the ship was caught in a great storm in the middle of the ocean, and how he found himself walking into an empty dining area asking an amazed crew member what was being served. He said that after surviving what he had in Europe (the deaths of his loved ones, The Nazis, dysentery-which was usually deadly back then and starvation) a storm, no matter how big, was not going to keep him from eating! This story is true and will become legendary in my family. I printed out all your pages in color and plan to send it to my Dad as part of a Father's Day present. He mentions the ship, every so often, as a fond memory. The internet is truly amazing-I just got on a few months ago and it's finding people like you that makes it all worthwhile! Sharing memories with the few that would understand. Please feel free to use it on your web page if you see fit."
From Judy Larribaut, United Kingdom "Just to let you know that my father travelled on the neahellas from Greenock on the Clyde to South Africa via the med during the early part of 1944.It was an uneventual trip carrying RAF aircrew trainees to South Africa for their flying training."
From Theodore Ierapetritis, Sydney Australia "I am the son of an once upon a time high-ranking officer of the Royal Hellenic Navy - which makes me an oldie, damn it! Anyway your page and photograph of New Hellas did not fail to almost bring tears to my eyes. Too many memories of Hellas, of childhood, of our father and travelling every summer, by ship of course, to Athens to spend our holidays with yia-yia ....Simply a torrent of pleasant memories, and for which I'm very grateful to you for them. But what a lovely sojourne that was and I thank you for it."
From Henry Lacina, Sydney Australia " My parents, Mieczyslaw Lacina and his new bride Janina, came to Australia from Europe after WW2 on the Nea Hellas. They traveled overland from Germany where they were liberated from forced labour on German farms. They decided not to return to their native Poland because they feared that Europe may erupt into war again one day, so they applied for Australian immigration under work contracts. After arriving in Naples, Italy they were taken to the dock to board the Nea Hellas. They were brought before two American officers, one reading from a list of passengers, and another seated next to a briefcase full of US bills. They were pleasantly surprised when they were allocated $7.00 US, as 'pocket money' for the voyage, but were less pleased when they discovered that they would be bunking in separate male and female quarters!
My mother was seasick for most of the voyage but dad was in his element after an initial queaziness. They were surprised to see that although the ship had been commissioned by the Australian government to bring over displaced persons from the war, the ship had its full compliment of staff and they were given First-Class service! They ate everything they could get their hands on and enjoyed dancing, singing and other forms of impromptu entertainment. After many years of poverty and hunger in Europe, to be able to go back for seconds at the dinner table was like being in heaven!
My father often told me about how wonderful it was to be waited on and treated like royalty; and all free of charge! He remembers bad weather on the way, and turning up in a near empty dining room as the ship was being tossed around. The seas were so rough that he marveled at seeing the two huge propellers come entirely out of the water as he leaned over the stern railing in the pitching seas.
After a voyage through the Suez Canal and steaming across the Indian Ocean, they arrived almost a month later on 23rd Feb 1949 at the port of Melbourne, Australia. They were taken by train to converted army barracks at Bonegeila for processing and English classes before being transported to Sydney. My parents enjoyed the rest of their lives in peace and comparative luxury in their newfound 'land of milk and honey'. My father has very fond memories of the splendid service and 'holiday of a lifetime' that the hospitable crew provided. Thank you to any surviving crew who may get to read this, and thank you for putting up such a wonderful website full of memories."
From George Flak, Montreal, Canada. "It was a thrill to find your site on the web. Our family sailed on the Nea Hellas from Genoa to Halifax in 1949, refugees sailing to a new land we knew little about. My search for the Nea Hellas started when I looked for the Pier 21 museum in Halifax, it's a recent museum that contains artifacts and the history of refugees arriving in Halifax after World War II. I thought I would find a listing of the ship we sailed on, but it hasn't been mentioned to date. I have one vivid memory of the trip, one morning in mid Atlantic, Five years old, I wandered around the ship and climbed up on one of the huge air vents near the edge, with feet dangling over the water. I was startled by my mother's scream, and almost fell overboard. From that point on I am deathly afraid of heights. I sincerely thank you for the work you have done in creating this site, I'm going to frame the pictures that you have posted, my parents have both died but I'm sure they're both happy that I found this link to our past."
From Karl-Heinz Steffens, Tamms, Illinois "I served as a bellboy on the ship, from April 1958 until her last voyage in 1959. She was engaged in line service from Bremerhaven to Le Havre, Southampton, Cobh and New York. In the winter she cruised Madeira and Canary Islands, Casablanca and Lisbon. Still have many fond memories of the old girl. I have several photos of my time aboard the New York.
Yes, I have stories too. For 16 months and 25 days she was my home. Sailors (even though I was just 14,when I started to work), are sentimental about their ships. It was a sad moment, to leave her. I transferred to her running mate, the Q.S.S. "Arkadia" then engaged in the Bremerhaven-Quebec-Montreal service. 33 years ago, I promised my wife-to-be, that I would never go to sea again. I kept that promise; but never lost my love for the sea and ships, especially the "Music Ships", the passenger liners. I am always looking for ship related items on the net, and when I spotted the "Nea Hellas" site, I knew that I had found something special. It was like an early Christmas present. My daughter, who is getting me membership in the World Ship Society for Xmas, wished that she had found your site first. On the "New York" I saw, for the first time, the White Cliffs of Dover, my first sunset at sea, icebergs, northern lights and the Statue of Liberty, as well as New York's breathtaking skyline. Aboard her, I met my first love, Kay Stromberg of Albuquerque, NM. You see, I still remember her name. We weathered the fringes of 2 hurricanes. when towering waves came crashing down on the decks and the wind howled like a banshee. Each time we had to change course because the engines just did not have as much power as the angry ocean. On a "Sunshine Cruise" from Southampton to Madeira, the Canaries, Casablanca and Lisbon, the "New York" was struck by a maverick Wave in the Bay of Biscay. It was the day of the Captain's Farewell Dinner, which was followed by a dance and a midnight cold buffet. Or was to be followed. The wave struck about 11pm,when the dance and preparations were fully underway. The ship listed sharply to starboard and kept going and going. The hurricanes excited me, this scared me badly. You could hear crashing sounds from all over the ship. In the ballroom champagne bottles hit the deck and exploded, dancers were sliding through the shards, in the dining room the elaborate cold buffet flew everywhere. An ice sculpture depicting Poseidon with a 5 pound can of Beluga caviar in his hands became ice cubes, lobster pyramids separated, broken salt shakers made walking treacherous. In little over a minute it was over. Over 100 passengers injured, none seriously. On the "New York" I also attended my first, and only, burial at sea, got drunk for the first time (Dec.31'58) and learned how a hangover felt (Jan 1 '59). I guess the old lady was my first love! She was in the twilight of her years, when the Greek Line transferred her to the Northern Route. By the summer of 1959, her age caught up with the "New York" She suffered a number of breakdowns, drifting for hours on the Atlantic, while repairs were being made. She had simply worn out! You are right; the New York was never a glamour ship. She was, like most, simply a workhorse. Doing a job, without any fanfare. Now had she hit an iceberg, who knows..... But she was popular with her passengers. The "Sunshine Cruises" from Southampton were always booked solid. She should have been retired, re-stored and renamed "Nea Hellas" and made into a ship museum, to display the rich Greek maritime culture. Old sailing ships are pampered, but nobody wants old passenger liners though they played an important part in the history of this, or any other country. They are fading away fast, cut up and made into Toyotas. And look what has replaced them. Sleek new cruise liners, who look like they were designed and built by Lego. Almost all are ugly as sin. No rake, no character, just floating Motel 6's."
From Moe Erlich, Cape Cod, Massachussets "Thanks for your story. My Dad lives in Brooklyn, NY) The Nea Hellas brought him to Halifax in 1950, he met my mom in Toronto and I was born in Montreal. They both lost everyone in The Holocaust and this ship represented freedom to the New World for him. He's 75 now but loves to tell the story of how the ship was caught in a great storm in the middle of the ocean, and how he found himself walking into an empty dining area asking an amazed crew member what was being served. He said that after surviving what he had in Europe (the deaths of his loved ones, The Nazis, dysentery-which was usually deadly back then and starvation) a storm, no matter how big, was not going to keep him from eating! This story is true and will become legendary in my family. I printed out all your pages in color and plan to send it to my Dad as part of a Father's Day present. He mentions the ship, every so often, as a fond memory. The internet is truly amazing-I just got on a few months ago and it's finding people like you that makes it all worthwhile! Sharing memories with the few that would understand. Please feel free to use it on your web page if you see fit."
From Judy Larribaut, United Kingdom "Just to let you know that my father travelled on the neahellas from Greenock on the Clyde to South Africa via the med during the early part of 1944.It was an uneventual trip carrying RAF aircrew trainees to South Africa for their flying training."
From Theodore Ierapetritis, Sydney Australia "I am the son of an once upon a time high-ranking officer of the Royal Hellenic Navy - which makes me an oldie, damn it! Anyway your page and photograph of New Hellas did not fail to almost bring tears to my eyes. Too many memories of Hellas, of childhood, of our father and travelling every summer, by ship of course, to Athens to spend our holidays with yia-yia ....Simply a torrent of pleasant memories, and for which I'm very grateful to you for them. But what a lovely sojourne that was and I thank you for it."
From Henry Lacina, Sydney Australia " My parents, Mieczyslaw Lacina and his new bride Janina, came to Australia from Europe after WW2 on the Nea Hellas. They traveled overland from Germany where they were liberated from forced labour on German farms. They decided not to return to their native Poland because they feared that Europe may erupt into war again one day, so they applied for Australian immigration under work contracts. After arriving in Naples, Italy they were taken to the dock to board the Nea Hellas. They were brought before two American officers, one reading from a list of passengers, and another seated next to a briefcase full of US bills. They were pleasantly surprised when they were allocated $7.00 US, as 'pocket money' for the voyage, but were less pleased when they discovered that they would be bunking in separate male and female quarters!
My mother was seasick for most of the voyage but dad was in his element after an initial queaziness. They were surprised to see that although the ship had been commissioned by the Australian government to bring over displaced persons from the war, the ship had its full compliment of staff and they were given First-Class service! They ate everything they could get their hands on and enjoyed dancing, singing and other forms of impromptu entertainment. After many years of poverty and hunger in Europe, to be able to go back for seconds at the dinner table was like being in heaven!
My father often told me about how wonderful it was to be waited on and treated like royalty; and all free of charge! He remembers bad weather on the way, and turning up in a near empty dining room as the ship was being tossed around. The seas were so rough that he marveled at seeing the two huge propellers come entirely out of the water as he leaned over the stern railing in the pitching seas.
After a voyage through the Suez Canal and steaming across the Indian Ocean, they arrived almost a month later on 23rd Feb 1949 at the port of Melbourne, Australia. They were taken by train to converted army barracks at Bonegeila for processing and English classes before being transported to Sydney. My parents enjoyed the rest of their lives in peace and comparative luxury in their newfound 'land of milk and honey'. My father has very fond memories of the splendid service and 'holiday of a lifetime' that the hospitable crew provided. Thank you to any surviving crew who may get to read this, and thank you for putting up such a wonderful website full of memories."
From George Flak, Montreal, Canada. "It was a thrill to find your site on the web. Our family sailed on the Nea Hellas from Genoa to Halifax in 1949, refugees sailing to a new land we knew little about. My search for the Nea Hellas started when I looked for the Pier 21 museum in Halifax, it's a recent museum that contains artifacts and the history of refugees arriving in Halifax after World War II. I thought I would find a listing of the ship we sailed on, but it hasn't been mentioned to date. I have one vivid memory of the trip, one morning in mid Atlantic, Five years old, I wandered around the ship and climbed up on one of the huge air vents near the edge, with feet dangling over the water. I was startled by my mother's scream, and almost fell overboard. From that point on I am deathly afraid of heights. I sincerely thank you for the work you have done in creating this site, I'm going to frame the pictures that you have posted, my parents have both died but I'm sure they're both happy that I found this link to our past."
From Karl-Heinz Steffens, Tamms, Illinois "I served as a bellboy on the ship, from April 1958 until her last voyage in 1959. She was engaged in line service from Bremerhaven to Le Havre, Southampton, Cobh and New York. In the winter she cruised Madeira and Canary Islands, Casablanca and Lisbon. Still have many fond memories of the old girl. I have several photos of my time aboard the New York.
Yes, I have stories too. For 16 months and 25 days she was my home. Sailors (even though I was just 14,when I started to work), are sentimental about their ships. It was a sad moment, to leave her. I transferred to her running mate, the Q.S.S. "Arkadia" then engaged in the Bremerhaven-Quebec-Montreal service. 33 years ago, I promised my wife-to-be, that I would never go to sea again. I kept that promise; but never lost my love for the sea and ships, especially the "Music Ships", the passenger liners. I am always looking for ship related items on the net, and when I spotted the "Nea Hellas" site, I knew that I had found something special. It was like an early Christmas present. My daughter, who is getting me membership in the World Ship Society for Xmas, wished that she had found your site first. On the "New York" I saw, for the first time, the White Cliffs of Dover, my first sunset at sea, icebergs, northern lights and the Statue of Liberty, as well as New York's breathtaking skyline. Aboard her, I met my first love, Kay Stromberg of Albuquerque, NM. You see, I still remember her name. We weathered the fringes of 2 hurricanes. when towering waves came crashing down on the decks and the wind howled like a banshee. Each time we had to change course because the engines just did not have as much power as the angry ocean. On a "Sunshine Cruise" from Southampton to Madeira, the Canaries, Casablanca and Lisbon, the "New York" was struck by a maverick Wave in the Bay of Biscay. It was the day of the Captain's Farewell Dinner, which was followed by a dance and a midnight cold buffet. Or was to be followed. The wave struck about 11pm,when the dance and preparations were fully underway. The ship listed sharply to starboard and kept going and going. The hurricanes excited me, this scared me badly. You could hear crashing sounds from all over the ship. In the ballroom champagne bottles hit the deck and exploded, dancers were sliding through the shards, in the dining room the elaborate cold buffet flew everywhere. An ice sculpture depicting Poseidon with a 5 pound can of Beluga caviar in his hands became ice cubes, lobster pyramids separated, broken salt shakers made walking treacherous. In little over a minute it was over. Over 100 passengers injured, none seriously. On the "New York" I also attended my first, and only, burial at sea, got drunk for the first time (Dec.31'58) and learned how a hangover felt (Jan 1 '59). I guess the old lady was my first love! She was in the twilight of her years, when the Greek Line transferred her to the Northern Route. By the summer of 1959, her age caught up with the "New York" She suffered a number of breakdowns, drifting for hours on the Atlantic, while repairs were being made. She had simply worn out! You are right; the New York was never a glamour ship. She was, like most, simply a workhorse. Doing a job, without any fanfare. Now had she hit an iceberg, who knows..... But she was popular with her passengers. The "Sunshine Cruises" from Southampton were always booked solid. She should have been retired, re-stored and renamed "Nea Hellas" and made into a ship museum, to display the rich Greek maritime culture. Old sailing ships are pampered, but nobody wants old passenger liners though they played an important part in the history of this, or any other country. They are fading away fast, cut up and made into Toyotas. And look what has replaced them. Sleek new cruise liners, who look like they were designed and built by Lego. Almost all are ugly as sin. No rake, no character, just floating Motel 6's."
From Frank Cserepy, Northwest Territories, Canada "Thank you so much for the web site. It gave me information on this ship that I never had before. Your account of the Nea Hellas does miss out on an important part of her service as a post-war refugee ship ferrying European refugees to North America. This is when I as a 9-year old boy, my mother and father and two younger sisters were on her passenger manifest sailing from Naples to Halifax with stops at Genoa and Lisbon in the summer of 1949. She certainly was a good looking ship! My memories of her include watching 16 mm movies in the open air on the aft deck when weather permitted, being pushed in by some bully into the (salt water) swimming pool - the defining moment at which I vowed that I would learn how to swim - and one bad storm in which the whole family with the exception of my father stayed in our cabin, sicker than dogs. My Dad and a handful of others who were unaffected by the ship's motion went to the dining room for their meals and were served in solitary splendour. I still have my "Landed Immigrant" card given to me at Pier 21 (Canada's equivalent of Ellis Island) in July of that year. The ship is important for me because it brought about the greatest change in our lives: our emigration to Canada and the start of a new life in this wonderful country. The Nea Hellas was and is the only ocean liner I have ever sailed on. It was during the heyday of ocean travel when airliners were still propeller driven and air travel (especially for refugees) was prohibitively expensive. Thanks again for putting this together."
From Nicholas Dinos, Athens Ohio "My memories are dark. My family had gone to Greece in 1938 (my mother and father were immigrants from Janina), apparently to stay. At the time (I was 4 1/2) I thought we were going for a visit. (I was born here). But through 1939, the situation in Europe grew more difficult and finally, of course, Hitler invaded Poland on Sept.1 and the world was at war. My father and mother were both naturalized American citizens long before, but the Greek government took the position that a Greek is always a Greek and , while they would allow my mother, my sister (age 2) and me to return to the US, if we could, my father had to stay and fight. My father had done quite well in business and he was able to bribe (that's the only word which fits) his way up the government chain (he and family had good "connections") until he got General Metaxas to agree that we could leave. By that time, it was late September and my father had got tickets on the Nea Hellas back to New York. My mother, sister, and I were on board (it was a night sailing) and my father jumped out of a taxi at the last moment as the gang plank was being withdrawn. The ship left Piraeus and somewhere shortly thereafter, maybe near Malta or Sicily, we were accosted by a German submarine, which caused us all to be forced to stay on deck with life preservers on for (as I recall) a couple of days and nights. Eventually, I am told, a British submarine appeared and the German sub went off. e then continued for a total, I believe, of 17 days until we got to New York. I still remember the trip on the Nea Hellas. My mother till the day she died in 1989, at 81, kept telling me to remember lifeboat No.9, which was the boat she was assigned to, and had, as I later found out, intended to get Bette and me on it, and then stay with my father, even if it meant that we would be orphaned. I'd really be interested in any information anyone has about that trip of the Nea Hellas in the last week of September 1939 and the first week or two of October. As I was then 5 1/2 , am not certain how much is true, how much is embellished, and how much is just a frightened child misinterpreting events."
From Jon Hall, Ontario Canada "My father and mother emigrated to Canada from England in 1957. The only passage they could get was on the Greek Line because my mother was pregnant. I was four. My brother was three. We arrived in New York in March and took the train to London Ontario. We arrived in Canada on my fifth birthday, March 20, 1957. I have no memories of the trip itself although we have a photograph of the four of us standing on deck in lifejackets during an evacuation drill. My brother and I in short pants and knee socks with my very fat mother and formally dressed father standing in long wool coats. One of the steamer trunks we used on the voyage sat in my bedroom for years and I was very familiar with the sticker which read "Not wanted on voyage." This site contains some fascinating details which fill in some of my past. Thank you for creating it."
From Christine Hrissanthou Wilson, Massachussets "My parents sailed to America on the Nea Hellas in the fall of 1954.They landed in Boston in either October or November. I am trying to reach my mother to get the details. They hit a hurricane during their crossing and the ship was almost lost. For years I have wanted to get details of their voyage for them but never had the time to research. Now that I am on line I thought I would look it up. I was very surprised to find a site with all of this information. I have spoken to my mother and have received the details of her journey to the USA. It seems that hers was the final trip that Nea Hellas made before she was sold to Japan. They left Piraeus sometime between 19-22 of October. They hit a hurricane right after passing the Strait of Gibraltar sometime after midnight of the 25th. The ship had sent out a mayday distress call as her engines were taking on water. The ship was up on an angle and everyone was not expecting her to survive. The passengers were all confined to their rooms. Some how they managed to bail the water out and the ship righted herself and continued on her course. I know that there was a write up about her experience in some newspaper, probably the New York papers, but I have not had the time to do any research. They arrived in to New York on the 2nd of November 1954. If you or anyone has any more information I would love to receive correspondence. This is a great site. I was very moved to find pictures of this amazing vessel. I look forward to hearing back from someone. Thank you."
From Callie Englesson, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania "I had the privilege to have traveled on the Nea Hellas. We left Hoboken, NJ on June 6, 1950. It was a wonderful trip. There was dancing every night--and they had a great orchestra. Most of the dancing was done by the Greek Americans, and we had a great time. The food was good in every class--First, Second and Tourist. The facilities in Tourist weren't as good as the rest of the ship. They showed American movies. Since I spoke both languages fairly well, many of the crewmen would save me a special seat so that I could translate for them. The sea was calm all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. It took about 5 days to reach Lisbon and I began to feel like Columbus seeking the East by that time. We stopped off at Lisbon, stayed overnight, went to a nice restaurant, did a lot of sightseeing all night; and left the next day for Gilbraltar. We sailed along the coast of Spain, France and then Italy. Our next stop was Genoa. We took a bus ride to Porto Fino. Next stop was Naples; we went to Pompeii, then toured Naples. This trip was shortly after the War, and many Italians were returning home. We watched from the rail as they were met by their relatives, they cried, and we cried! On June 25 we reached Piraeus, and then it was our turn to cry as we met our relatives! It was an unforgettable trip, and I will always remember every minute of it! We had just emerged from WWII, times had been hard, and the coming of the brides brought much love and excitement in the Greek American communities. I would be pleased if you include my comments in your history of the Nea Hellas. I have many pleasant stories to tell, and I'm actually writing a complete history of the four months that I spent in Greece that summer. Incidentally, when I returned, I was engaged. My return trip took 18 days, it was a very rough voyage; many people got seasick. We had Jewish refugees on board, and many of them had numbers tattooed on their arms. When I questioned one lady she said "Aushwitz"! Three months after I returned home, my fiancé flew back. It was a three-day trip. Planes were not what they are today. We have been married 49 years; have three children and three grandchildren. It has been a good life!"
From Jim Kalafatis, New York City "I made four crossings on this ship , and they were all full of adventures I can never forget. To a young boy four fourteen day voyages to and from Greece, with stops at the Azores, Lisbon, Malta, Naples, and Halifax taught me there was another world out there! It seems the two times I made the eastward passage en route to Piraeus, I always had to earn my 'sea legs' for one day, but after that I became an old salt. I remember the ship's Captain letting me blow her steam whistle at noon to allow passengers to set their watches to the changing time zones. What a thrill to a seven year old! To a young boy who called the Nea Ellas home for a total of eight weeks, she will never be forgotten. The era of scheduled trans Atlantic ocean travel is unfortunately long gone.
My first voyage was in 1953. My dad had not seen his family since 1940 and was returning after a 13 year absence, bringing his young American born son, so that he could finally meet his grand parents.
Mom, grandma and family friends came to Hoboken to see us off. I missed the last two months of the second grade for that journey, but the trip taught me so much more about life than any second grade curriculum could have ever. Our arrival in Piraeus is still vivid in my memory. I still remember the emotion, the tears, the great hugs, the first night time glimpses of a strange third world port city. World War II bomb damage was still much in evidence. There were partially standing apartment houses where walls were missing, covered by makeshift plastic curtains. Poverty was rampant. I was struck by glimpses of Gypsy women with babies in their arms begging for loose change to feed their children, or kids my age working as shoeshine boys. It was quite a contrast to the comparative luxury of growing up in a working class neighborhood in New York City. Those trips were the beginnings of a lifelong love affair with Greece. I have made many trips to Greece by air since that time, and like my father, I too have introduced my children Greece, so they too could see and learn about the land of their ancestors. The Nea Ellas will always be one of my treasured happiest childhood memories. My father gave me a great gift that would forever change my outlook on life and sense of who I was. This gift was Greece, and getting there was half the fun.
From Nicholas Dinos, Athens Ohio "My memories are dark. My family had gone to Greece in 1938 (my mother and father were immigrants from Janina), apparently to stay. At the time (I was 4 1/2) I thought we were going for a visit. (I was born here). But through 1939, the situation in Europe grew more difficult and finally, of course, Hitler invaded Poland on Sept.1 and the world was at war. My father and mother were both naturalized American citizens long before, but the Greek government took the position that a Greek is always a Greek and , while they would allow my mother, my sister (age 2) and me to return to the US, if we could, my father had to stay and fight. My father had done quite well in business and he was able to bribe (that's the only word which fits) his way up the government chain (he and family had good "connections") until he got General Metaxas to agree that we could leave. By that time, it was late September and my father had got tickets on the Nea Hellas back to New York. My mother, sister, and I were on board (it was a night sailing) and my father jumped out of a taxi at the last moment as the gang plank was being withdrawn. The ship left Piraeus and somewhere shortly thereafter, maybe near Malta or Sicily, we were accosted by a German submarine, which caused us all to be forced to stay on deck with life preservers on for (as I recall) a couple of days and nights. Eventually, I am told, a British submarine appeared and the German sub went off. e then continued for a total, I believe, of 17 days until we got to New York. I still remember the trip on the Nea Hellas. My mother till the day she died in 1989, at 81, kept telling me to remember lifeboat No.9, which was the boat she was assigned to, and had, as I later found out, intended to get Bette and me on it, and then stay with my father, even if it meant that we would be orphaned. I'd really be interested in any information anyone has about that trip of the Nea Hellas in the last week of September 1939 and the first week or two of October. As I was then 5 1/2 , am not certain how much is true, how much is embellished, and how much is just a frightened child misinterpreting events."
From Jon Hall, Ontario Canada "My father and mother emigrated to Canada from England in 1957. The only passage they could get was on the Greek Line because my mother was pregnant. I was four. My brother was three. We arrived in New York in March and took the train to London Ontario. We arrived in Canada on my fifth birthday, March 20, 1957. I have no memories of the trip itself although we have a photograph of the four of us standing on deck in lifejackets during an evacuation drill. My brother and I in short pants and knee socks with my very fat mother and formally dressed father standing in long wool coats. One of the steamer trunks we used on the voyage sat in my bedroom for years and I was very familiar with the sticker which read "Not wanted on voyage." This site contains some fascinating details which fill in some of my past. Thank you for creating it."
From Christine Hrissanthou Wilson, Massachussets "My parents sailed to America on the Nea Hellas in the fall of 1954.They landed in Boston in either October or November. I am trying to reach my mother to get the details. They hit a hurricane during their crossing and the ship was almost lost. For years I have wanted to get details of their voyage for them but never had the time to research. Now that I am on line I thought I would look it up. I was very surprised to find a site with all of this information. I have spoken to my mother and have received the details of her journey to the USA. It seems that hers was the final trip that Nea Hellas made before she was sold to Japan. They left Piraeus sometime between 19-22 of October. They hit a hurricane right after passing the Strait of Gibraltar sometime after midnight of the 25th. The ship had sent out a mayday distress call as her engines were taking on water. The ship was up on an angle and everyone was not expecting her to survive. The passengers were all confined to their rooms. Some how they managed to bail the water out and the ship righted herself and continued on her course. I know that there was a write up about her experience in some newspaper, probably the New York papers, but I have not had the time to do any research. They arrived in to New York on the 2nd of November 1954. If you or anyone has any more information I would love to receive correspondence. This is a great site. I was very moved to find pictures of this amazing vessel. I look forward to hearing back from someone. Thank you."
From Callie Englesson, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania "I had the privilege to have traveled on the Nea Hellas. We left Hoboken, NJ on June 6, 1950. It was a wonderful trip. There was dancing every night--and they had a great orchestra. Most of the dancing was done by the Greek Americans, and we had a great time. The food was good in every class--First, Second and Tourist. The facilities in Tourist weren't as good as the rest of the ship. They showed American movies. Since I spoke both languages fairly well, many of the crewmen would save me a special seat so that I could translate for them. The sea was calm all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. It took about 5 days to reach Lisbon and I began to feel like Columbus seeking the East by that time. We stopped off at Lisbon, stayed overnight, went to a nice restaurant, did a lot of sightseeing all night; and left the next day for Gilbraltar. We sailed along the coast of Spain, France and then Italy. Our next stop was Genoa. We took a bus ride to Porto Fino. Next stop was Naples; we went to Pompeii, then toured Naples. This trip was shortly after the War, and many Italians were returning home. We watched from the rail as they were met by their relatives, they cried, and we cried! On June 25 we reached Piraeus, and then it was our turn to cry as we met our relatives! It was an unforgettable trip, and I will always remember every minute of it! We had just emerged from WWII, times had been hard, and the coming of the brides brought much love and excitement in the Greek American communities. I would be pleased if you include my comments in your history of the Nea Hellas. I have many pleasant stories to tell, and I'm actually writing a complete history of the four months that I spent in Greece that summer. Incidentally, when I returned, I was engaged. My return trip took 18 days, it was a very rough voyage; many people got seasick. We had Jewish refugees on board, and many of them had numbers tattooed on their arms. When I questioned one lady she said "Aushwitz"! Three months after I returned home, my fiancé flew back. It was a three-day trip. Planes were not what they are today. We have been married 49 years; have three children and three grandchildren. It has been a good life!"
From Jim Kalafatis, New York City "I made four crossings on this ship , and they were all full of adventures I can never forget. To a young boy four fourteen day voyages to and from Greece, with stops at the Azores, Lisbon, Malta, Naples, and Halifax taught me there was another world out there! It seems the two times I made the eastward passage en route to Piraeus, I always had to earn my 'sea legs' for one day, but after that I became an old salt. I remember the ship's Captain letting me blow her steam whistle at noon to allow passengers to set their watches to the changing time zones. What a thrill to a seven year old! To a young boy who called the Nea Ellas home for a total of eight weeks, she will never be forgotten. The era of scheduled trans Atlantic ocean travel is unfortunately long gone.
My first voyage was in 1953. My dad had not seen his family since 1940 and was returning after a 13 year absence, bringing his young American born son, so that he could finally meet his grand parents.
Mom, grandma and family friends came to Hoboken to see us off. I missed the last two months of the second grade for that journey, but the trip taught me so much more about life than any second grade curriculum could have ever. Our arrival in Piraeus is still vivid in my memory. I still remember the emotion, the tears, the great hugs, the first night time glimpses of a strange third world port city. World War II bomb damage was still much in evidence. There were partially standing apartment houses where walls were missing, covered by makeshift plastic curtains. Poverty was rampant. I was struck by glimpses of Gypsy women with babies in their arms begging for loose change to feed their children, or kids my age working as shoeshine boys. It was quite a contrast to the comparative luxury of growing up in a working class neighborhood in New York City. Those trips were the beginnings of a lifelong love affair with Greece. I have made many trips to Greece by air since that time, and like my father, I too have introduced my children Greece, so they too could see and learn about the land of their ancestors. The Nea Ellas will always be one of my treasured happiest childhood memories. My father gave me a great gift that would forever change my outlook on life and sense of who I was. This gift was Greece, and getting there was half the fun.
From Theodore Siamas, New Jersey "Until I read the history of the TSS Nea Hellas, I never knew that I sailed on what probably was her last trans atlantic crossing (Greece to Canada). The crossing in October of 1959. There were a total of 4 people in our party. My two sisters (Vasiliki then 8, Georgia then 6) myself then 5 years old and my aunt Ellen then 18. She would be our escort for the trip. We left Greece from a small village in Atoloakardania named "Eleftheriani" about 35 kilometers outside of Nafpactos to be reunited with our parents who had left a few years earlier. Our destination was Montreal Canada. We embarked on October 12, 1959 on the T.S.S. New York bound for Quebec City, Quebec Canada and arrived on October 27, 1959.Our passenger numbers were 418, 419 and 420. Being only 5 my memories are quite limited. I do however remember the mutky and cold waters and weather when we arrived in North America. I remember a safety drill that was held once where everyone was to wear this white very bulky life saver and how Georgia my sister refused to put it on. My aunt threatened that if she did not the captain would throw her over at which point she quickly put it on. I remember the eating room and the abundance of food (anytime you were hungry) and I remember I was always hungry. The food was strange. After dinner they would serve this thing that was red and alive (it moved) we refused to eat it, later on we recognized it as jello. We would also be served bananas which again we would not eat (we had never seen them before and my aunt had warned us not to eat strange food because it would make us sick). I don't remember much more other then the fact that his voyage was one of the few that went to Quebec City, most went to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Thanks for putting this together."
From Demetra Tikellis Apostolou, Haverhill, Massachusetts "Upon discovering your website, I immediately got out an old photo scrap book that belonged to my mother. Here I was able to see myself as a 3 year old traveling from Piraeus to New York, September 1939 and on the Nea Hellas's last trip or close to her last trip as a private passenger liner until the end of the war. We were lucky to be on her as we had been scheduled to return to the USA later in October on the SS Saturnia, Italian registry, with which we had traveled to Greece in June. Even though the passage was somewhat risky because Germany had invaded Poland and war was on the threshold, we had a memorable trip. We sat with Captain Cadaras for dinner the entire trip and became friends. We met other passengers that we became koumbari with. We had a great trip and stopped in Gibraltar. When Germany invaded Poland, we were on the island of Lesbos in a small village visiting my grandparents. A young child told my mother, "Theia, you are not going back to the United States because the war has started. My mother asked my grandfather, "What does he mean?" Typically, my grandfather said, "are you going to listen to the words of a young child." Well my mother had my brother and I off the island the next day on our way to Athens. Upon arrival she started out to the steamship agencies trying to find us a berth. To no avail, all places taken. When she got to the office of the Nea Hellas, she became more clever and upon shaking hands with the ticket agent, slipped him some American money. That worked. He told us to come back in the afternoon and we would have our tickets. So that's how I ended up on the Nea Hellas in 1939. I asked my mother later when I was older. How much money did you give him. $10.00. When we were close to New York, we radiogrammed my father and he came to New York to pick us up. He had no idea where his family was, and thought we were still in Greece with travel plans for October. He worried so much, that when we arrived in New York, we saw my father with grey hair. One other souvenir that I have to this day is a scar on my right side of my face. While my mother and older brother were at a life boat and blackout drill, I who was supposed to be napping got into my brother shaving things (he was 15) and tried to shave my face. I cut my face and was treated in the infirmary. When they called my mother in, all I could think of was to tell her, "don't worry, it doesn't hurt a bit. I was more frightened of my mother being angry than what pain I possibly had. I have a picture of a line of young women posing for a beauty contest with me in the front as the youngest contestant. If anyone is interested, perhaps I can show it as an attachment on an e-mail to them. So after 61 years, this website has brought many memories and stories to my mind that I heard from my mother (now deceased) who always looked back on that trip with delight."
Ingomar Koch Cape May, NJ
Thanks for creating these pages about the Nea Hellas/New York. At the age of 11 in 1958 my mother took me on a trip to Germany to visit relatives and tour Europe. The most memorable time on board was on the return trip in early September as the New York sailed through quite a strong storm. I am sending some old color slides I took on that voyage. I also remember the vibration as the screws came out of the water in wave troughs. Thanks again for taking the trouble.
Chris Merkel Pasadena, California
My mother, my oldest brother and sister age 3 and I traveled back to America in 1939 to escape Nazi's. My father Gottfried came later in 1939. On his voyage the ship left Piraeus and very close to Greece the ship developed engine trouble and was assisted by the British Navy. As my father had renounced his German citizenship hours before, he always remembered that event. He was born in Germany and in 1939 was Professor of German at the University of Athens. My mother, Winifred was an American studying at the American School of Classical studies. I learned of the ship finding a picture post card of the ship. On the back, written in my mothers hand was "Nea Hellas" Maiden Voyage Piraeus to New York May 1939.
From Chrysoulla Christoforou, Canton, Ohio "Hello, whoever you are! (smile) I am so pleased to have found your site showing pictures and history of the NEA HELLAS. I have found a missing piece of my life today. I traveled this ship when I was one and a half years old and have never seen a picture of it. I am writing now just to tell you how happy I am, but this week I will show this site to my parents who have not seen or heard anymore about it since the day they set foot in New York Harbor in May I believe, of 1950. I will gather details from my parents who are now 81 and 76 so that I can type our relationship to this grand old ship... many, many thanks for putting this site together."
From Costas Christoforou, Canton Ohio "Our family of 6 left our native Cyprus on 6/23/1950: destination, Pireas, Greece. We boarded the Nea Ellas after a one week layover there; the date was 6/30/1950. The voyage was harsh. As soon as we entered the Atlantic Ocean, foul weather was on us. The boat sailed in high waves which slapped hard way above the the deck. The extremely thick fog effected the siren into a continual alert until the moment we broke through the opaque mist. Most of the passengers were strongly affected by sea-sickness. What a relief when the waves subsided and we were in calm waters again. Our cabins were small and it made it difficult with 4 children, ranging from age 5 years down to 45 days old. One very vivid memory I have is the day my son and I were in the washroom just ready to leave it. My boy tugged on my jacket to get my attention. He was holding a small wad of money and in Greek he said, "Papa, you dropped your money..." It was a small amount, but all I had to get us to our destination of Canton, Ohio. Thank God he was with me at that moment. After 17 days, we finally reached New York harbor and the strange land that has now been our home for 50 years...thank you for the memory..
Christine Stergiou, Montreal, Canada This is the story of my mother Agnes (Lola) Vastopoulos as told to me, her daughter, about her most 'memorable' voyage aboard the Nea Hellas to the new world. "I was seventeen years old when my parents decided it was my turn together with my eldest brother, Costa, to leave Greece for the new world in 1953. John, another brother, had made this journey to Toronto then to Montreal in 1952. My other brothers Orfeas and George and sister Zoe (Suzy), were to follow us in 1954 together with my parents. I remember arriving at and leaving our suitcases on the wharf alongside thousands of others, and I could tell who were the immigrants (steerage) and who were first class. Our suitcases were old, broken and tied up with rope. As I was walking the gang-plank onto the ship, I looked back and waved at my mother. I was trembling and crying, I never left home before let alone the country. Where was I going? But the only strength in me I had was knowing my brother John was waiting for us in Montreal. The Nea Hellas was a huge ship, I remember, so many different nationalities! The cabin was small but comfortable for four people. My brother and I went on deck and took a picture on the railing (My brother Costa is the first from the left and I am the second)
My mother, my oldest brother and sister age 3 and I traveled back to America in 1939 to escape Nazi's. My father Gottfried came later in 1939. On his voyage the ship left Piraeus and very close to Greece the ship developed engine trouble and was assisted by the British Navy. As my father had renounced his German citizenship hours before, he always remembered that event. He was born in Germany and in 1939 was Professor of German at the University of Athens. My mother, Winifred was an American studying at the American School of Classical studies. I learned of the ship finding a picture post card of the ship. On the back, written in my mothers hand was "Nea Hellas" Maiden Voyage Piraeus to New York May 1939.
From Chrysoulla Christoforou, Canton, Ohio "Hello, whoever you are! (smile) I am so pleased to have found your site showing pictures and history of the NEA HELLAS. I have found a missing piece of my life today. I traveled this ship when I was one and a half years old and have never seen a picture of it. I am writing now just to tell you how happy I am, but this week I will show this site to my parents who have not seen or heard anymore about it since the day they set foot in New York Harbor in May I believe, of 1950. I will gather details from my parents who are now 81 and 76 so that I can type our relationship to this grand old ship... many, many thanks for putting this site together."
From Costas Christoforou, Canton Ohio "Our family of 6 left our native Cyprus on 6/23/1950: destination, Pireas, Greece. We boarded the Nea Ellas after a one week layover there; the date was 6/30/1950. The voyage was harsh. As soon as we entered the Atlantic Ocean, foul weather was on us. The boat sailed in high waves which slapped hard way above the the deck. The extremely thick fog effected the siren into a continual alert until the moment we broke through the opaque mist. Most of the passengers were strongly affected by sea-sickness. What a relief when the waves subsided and we were in calm waters again. Our cabins were small and it made it difficult with 4 children, ranging from age 5 years down to 45 days old. One very vivid memory I have is the day my son and I were in the washroom just ready to leave it. My boy tugged on my jacket to get my attention. He was holding a small wad of money and in Greek he said, "Papa, you dropped your money..." It was a small amount, but all I had to get us to our destination of Canton, Ohio. Thank God he was with me at that moment. After 17 days, we finally reached New York harbor and the strange land that has now been our home for 50 years...thank you for the memory..
Christine Stergiou, Montreal, Canada This is the story of my mother Agnes (Lola) Vastopoulos as told to me, her daughter, about her most 'memorable' voyage aboard the Nea Hellas to the new world. "I was seventeen years old when my parents decided it was my turn together with my eldest brother, Costa, to leave Greece for the new world in 1953. John, another brother, had made this journey to Toronto then to Montreal in 1952. My other brothers Orfeas and George and sister Zoe (Suzy), were to follow us in 1954 together with my parents. I remember arriving at and leaving our suitcases on the wharf alongside thousands of others, and I could tell who were the immigrants (steerage) and who were first class. Our suitcases were old, broken and tied up with rope. As I was walking the gang-plank onto the ship, I looked back and waved at my mother. I was trembling and crying, I never left home before let alone the country. Where was I going? But the only strength in me I had was knowing my brother John was waiting for us in Montreal. The Nea Hellas was a huge ship, I remember, so many different nationalities! The cabin was small but comfortable for four people. My brother and I went on deck and took a picture on the railing (My brother Costa is the first from the left and I am the second)
The first night at sea , we entered the dining room, and there was more food than I had ever seen in my life in Kastoria, Greece. Ice-cream, jello, sliced-bread.!!! We had plates full of ice-cream, I could not get enough of it. Then came the jello...it was moving. No one touched it. And was that bread? so thin and soft like a sponge? I did not eat that either. The second night there were fewer people in the dining room! We took a stroll on the ship's deck and were quickly told that first class sections were off-limits to us. The ship stopped at different ports of call to pick up more passengers. One stop was Italy (Napoli) and we were allowed shore-leave for a few hours. I purchased lipstick and eye-makeup for the first time in my life. It was for the new world of course!! We also purchased blankets, as we were told it was very cold in Canada. Aboard ship, I met many new people. One man in particular, Adamo only spoke Italian, luckily I spoke some Italian too. (my mother spoke Italian from the Katoxi) He boarded the ship and was destined for Toronto. He offered me chocolate from his hometown. It was the first time I ever ate chocolate. I met another Irish man he only spoke English and we only communicated with our hands. He was an artist and drew a picture of my face. I still have this picture. Every day was spent meeting new people and sharing stories and dreams. But mainly the 14 days were spent eating and dancing and sucking on lemons , which my mother packed in my suitcase. It was the end of October when we reached Halifax....Cold and Dark. We said our good byes to new friends and were put on a two day train ride to Montreal. Then reality hit us and the story begins........
From Jeff Mordos, New York City "My parents, grandmother, and sister (6 mos. old) came to the US on the Nea Hellas in 1951. I was born in NY 6 years later. Ours is a Greek Jewish family who came to the US after having lost everything to the Nazis during their occupation of Greece in WWII. The info on the website you've created is a wonderful historical perspective on the vessel that got us here that I'll be able to pass on to my children (currently aged 9 and 10).
Carmen Semler , Mountain View, California "I came to America from the island of Malta in November,1950, with my father and brother. We have recently been told that we arrived aboard The Nea Hellas. We were very young, and since my father passed away, we have no first-hand account of our voyage. I had no idea what ship brought us to this country, until recently, and seeing your website, the photos, reading her history - no words can describe how it made us feel. She was a beautiful ship and I am proud to have been part of her
Orson Gregory California "I left Thessaloniki Greece on July 11, 1948 , flew to Athens and stayed there one night then went by train to Piraeus where I had passage on the NEA HELLAS. However when I arrived at the pier the police took me to the station to check my papers. My uncle in the states had enrolled me in college in Mo. and I had problems with my visa. The school was not accredited but I got special permission to attend and it had taken about 3 months to clear things to get my 6 mo. Passport. By the time I was to leave there was only 3 mo. left on it. This was during the civil war so things were difficult. Much to my relief, the police released me and I was allowed to board the ship. We sailed July 12,1948. I was 19 years old.I remember the flying fish in the Mediterranean and many people getting seasick. The ship then stopped in Genoa to pick up passengers (mostly Italian wives of American GIs) Next stop was Lisbon where we were allowed to go ashore for half a day. Myself, and several other passengers almost didn't make it back in time to sail but thank God we did. We passed through the straight of Gibraltar around midnight so I don't have any memory of that. I remember how struck I was by the change in the color of the water once the ship left the Mediterranean for the open Atlantic. It went from blue to green. Because of the food shortages (we were a family of ten children) during WW2 and the civil war, I ate everything I could lay my hands on during the crossing. We arrived in Halifax on July 27th or 28th and it was so cold. The other thing that impressed me was while anchored in Halifax harbor there was an official looking building on shore that had the biggest, greenest lawn I had ever seen.
The ship arrived in New York on July 29, 1948. My uncle was waiting for me but they told him I would not be allowed to come ashore but had to go to Ellis Island until my passport could be renewed since it had less than 3 mo. left on it. My uncle then went to try to renew it in NY but they said it had to be done in Athens and would take about 5 days. He stayed in NYC for 5 days then went home to MO. I was detained on Ellis Island for eighty-one (81) long days until my passport was finally renewed and they called from INS and a guy came and picked me up, took me to NYC where they put me in a holding cell to wait. A short time later a man took me to the INS offices, gave me my passport, and I left on the next train to MO. The one thing that impressed me about NYC was the traffic and the thruways, busy even then. Thanks for having this web site for the NEA HELLAS....my ship to a new life."
Mary Anne Anderson Richmond, VA "In early September of 1949, my Mother, two sisters and I traveled on the Nea Hellas from NY via Gibraltar, Naples and our next port of call was supposed to be Piraeus. There were many Jewish families traveling to Jaffa on that voyage trying to get to the new nation of Israel prior to their high holy days. The ship's Captain asked the passengers destine for Greece if they would mine if we sailed onto Israel and then backtracked to Greece. I guess the answer must have been yes, we arrived in Jaffa mid afternoon on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and the ship had to be unload before sundown. I was 12 at the time and remember the great commotion getting these many families to disembark in time, which the accomplished. As I remember back, we had a marvelous trip on that ship, it had been my first voyage on a liner. My father worked for the US government and my Mom did not like to fly then. We went on to cross the Atlantic many times afterwards."
Gus Stathis, Tampa Florida "Your page on the web, about Nea Hellas brought back memories; My grandson of 15 years searching the web, discovering your page with out knowing that his papou (grandpa) came to America with this boat. But, his curiosity led him to ask me,what boat you arrived in America? He of course handed me the page. Surprised, I told him, that is the boat I came with.
I was aboard on the first voyage, working as an employee, assistant bartender of top deck first class; I recall that we had to care for 4 or 5 passengers only, among them I remembered, the famous Actress " Maria Paxinou". It took thirteen days to reach New York, where my aim was to jump ship and stay in America, which I did; Three months later the War 2 started and I joined the army whereas I became a citizen; By the way, it was through influantial people from the then Greek Government and American Embassy that I got the job, as I was not a seaman by profession. The Ambasandor had asked me if I would be willing to be a watch dog for narcotics among passengers and Crew.. It is a long story and need not to bore you. I came as Konstantinos Stathopoulos, but after the war,I got to be a home builder and my attorney went before the court with a motion change the name to "Gus Stathis". I was successful in achieving the American dream; By the way, I made a gift donation to University of South Florida, for one million dollars. The donation will go for Hellenic Studies and to build the library".
Julie Ray United Kingdom "As a child of 10, I traveled on the 'New York' from America to Southhampton. We were returning to the United Kingdom after two years living in Canada. I can remember the excitement - and seasickness- of my first trip on an ocean liner. I can still remember the dining room, where we -six children- had our photos taken with the Captain. My father has cine film on the ship and photos. I believe my parents were given a tour of the engine room. To my young mind the Captain looked like Edward G. Robinson. Our journey was in 1958, something I've never forgotten. Regards, Julie Ray"
Reinhard Jarschke, Angwin, California "It was wonderful to discover this site. I sailed on the New York, departing Bremerhafen on 12 November 1956 for New York, stopping at LeHavre, Southampton (where I celebrated my 25th birthday), Cobb, and Halifax. The crossing was stormy all the way causing us to arrive in New York 12 days later rather than the eleven that had been scheduled, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The fare was $170 US - cheap enough, even in those days, but I was in a dormitory cabin with twelve other fellows in bunk beds three deep in the forward part of the ship. Most of them were seasick. The dining room was usually pretty empty. About mid ocean I tossed a bottle post overboard. Six months later I get a letter from somebody in Denmark whose relative, in the Faroe Islands, had found my bottle on the beach there. Here is a photo taken of our departure from Bremerhaven taken by a relative
From Jeff Mordos, New York City "My parents, grandmother, and sister (6 mos. old) came to the US on the Nea Hellas in 1951. I was born in NY 6 years later. Ours is a Greek Jewish family who came to the US after having lost everything to the Nazis during their occupation of Greece in WWII. The info on the website you've created is a wonderful historical perspective on the vessel that got us here that I'll be able to pass on to my children (currently aged 9 and 10).
Carmen Semler , Mountain View, California "I came to America from the island of Malta in November,1950, with my father and brother. We have recently been told that we arrived aboard The Nea Hellas. We were very young, and since my father passed away, we have no first-hand account of our voyage. I had no idea what ship brought us to this country, until recently, and seeing your website, the photos, reading her history - no words can describe how it made us feel. She was a beautiful ship and I am proud to have been part of her
Orson Gregory California "I left Thessaloniki Greece on July 11, 1948 , flew to Athens and stayed there one night then went by train to Piraeus where I had passage on the NEA HELLAS. However when I arrived at the pier the police took me to the station to check my papers. My uncle in the states had enrolled me in college in Mo. and I had problems with my visa. The school was not accredited but I got special permission to attend and it had taken about 3 months to clear things to get my 6 mo. Passport. By the time I was to leave there was only 3 mo. left on it. This was during the civil war so things were difficult. Much to my relief, the police released me and I was allowed to board the ship. We sailed July 12,1948. I was 19 years old.I remember the flying fish in the Mediterranean and many people getting seasick. The ship then stopped in Genoa to pick up passengers (mostly Italian wives of American GIs) Next stop was Lisbon where we were allowed to go ashore for half a day. Myself, and several other passengers almost didn't make it back in time to sail but thank God we did. We passed through the straight of Gibraltar around midnight so I don't have any memory of that. I remember how struck I was by the change in the color of the water once the ship left the Mediterranean for the open Atlantic. It went from blue to green. Because of the food shortages (we were a family of ten children) during WW2 and the civil war, I ate everything I could lay my hands on during the crossing. We arrived in Halifax on July 27th or 28th and it was so cold. The other thing that impressed me was while anchored in Halifax harbor there was an official looking building on shore that had the biggest, greenest lawn I had ever seen.
The ship arrived in New York on July 29, 1948. My uncle was waiting for me but they told him I would not be allowed to come ashore but had to go to Ellis Island until my passport could be renewed since it had less than 3 mo. left on it. My uncle then went to try to renew it in NY but they said it had to be done in Athens and would take about 5 days. He stayed in NYC for 5 days then went home to MO. I was detained on Ellis Island for eighty-one (81) long days until my passport was finally renewed and they called from INS and a guy came and picked me up, took me to NYC where they put me in a holding cell to wait. A short time later a man took me to the INS offices, gave me my passport, and I left on the next train to MO. The one thing that impressed me about NYC was the traffic and the thruways, busy even then. Thanks for having this web site for the NEA HELLAS....my ship to a new life."
Mary Anne Anderson Richmond, VA "In early September of 1949, my Mother, two sisters and I traveled on the Nea Hellas from NY via Gibraltar, Naples and our next port of call was supposed to be Piraeus. There were many Jewish families traveling to Jaffa on that voyage trying to get to the new nation of Israel prior to their high holy days. The ship's Captain asked the passengers destine for Greece if they would mine if we sailed onto Israel and then backtracked to Greece. I guess the answer must have been yes, we arrived in Jaffa mid afternoon on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and the ship had to be unload before sundown. I was 12 at the time and remember the great commotion getting these many families to disembark in time, which the accomplished. As I remember back, we had a marvelous trip on that ship, it had been my first voyage on a liner. My father worked for the US government and my Mom did not like to fly then. We went on to cross the Atlantic many times afterwards."
Gus Stathis, Tampa Florida "Your page on the web, about Nea Hellas brought back memories; My grandson of 15 years searching the web, discovering your page with out knowing that his papou (grandpa) came to America with this boat. But, his curiosity led him to ask me,what boat you arrived in America? He of course handed me the page. Surprised, I told him, that is the boat I came with.
I was aboard on the first voyage, working as an employee, assistant bartender of top deck first class; I recall that we had to care for 4 or 5 passengers only, among them I remembered, the famous Actress " Maria Paxinou". It took thirteen days to reach New York, where my aim was to jump ship and stay in America, which I did; Three months later the War 2 started and I joined the army whereas I became a citizen; By the way, it was through influantial people from the then Greek Government and American Embassy that I got the job, as I was not a seaman by profession. The Ambasandor had asked me if I would be willing to be a watch dog for narcotics among passengers and Crew.. It is a long story and need not to bore you. I came as Konstantinos Stathopoulos, but after the war,I got to be a home builder and my attorney went before the court with a motion change the name to "Gus Stathis". I was successful in achieving the American dream; By the way, I made a gift donation to University of South Florida, for one million dollars. The donation will go for Hellenic Studies and to build the library".
Julie Ray United Kingdom "As a child of 10, I traveled on the 'New York' from America to Southhampton. We were returning to the United Kingdom after two years living in Canada. I can remember the excitement - and seasickness- of my first trip on an ocean liner. I can still remember the dining room, where we -six children- had our photos taken with the Captain. My father has cine film on the ship and photos. I believe my parents were given a tour of the engine room. To my young mind the Captain looked like Edward G. Robinson. Our journey was in 1958, something I've never forgotten. Regards, Julie Ray"
Reinhard Jarschke, Angwin, California "It was wonderful to discover this site. I sailed on the New York, departing Bremerhafen on 12 November 1956 for New York, stopping at LeHavre, Southampton (where I celebrated my 25th birthday), Cobb, and Halifax. The crossing was stormy all the way causing us to arrive in New York 12 days later rather than the eleven that had been scheduled, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The fare was $170 US - cheap enough, even in those days, but I was in a dormitory cabin with twelve other fellows in bunk beds three deep in the forward part of the ship. Most of them were seasick. The dining room was usually pretty empty. About mid ocean I tossed a bottle post overboard. Six months later I get a letter from somebody in Denmark whose relative, in the Faroe Islands, had found my bottle on the beach there. Here is a photo taken of our departure from Bremerhaven taken by a relative
Joseph Cohen Brooklyn, NY "I was 4 years old and together with my 2 year old brother, my Father and Mother, left the port of Tel Aviv, which was in Palestine in 1939. We sailed to Piraeus and were on the Aug 1939 sailing to New York. The family moved to Philadelphia, PA.. DELIGHTED ! to see this website."
Kitty Knight, Virginia Beach, Va " I was eleven yrs old...I left Southampton, England in Sept. 1957 for a nine day transatlantic crossing to NY with my Parents and Grandmother...Stopped at Cork, Ireland to pick up passengers....hit the tail end of a hurricane a few days from NY causing the death of an elderly man...he was buried at sea. She was a beautiful ship."
Geoffrey Payne Kenton, Tennessee "Photos of the TSS New York brought back many happy memories of my trip as an immigrant to the USA in June 1955. I sailed from Southampton and arrived New York aboard the grand ship on June 22, 1955. These photos are invaluable as I put together a scrapbook for my grandchildren. Thanks a million times a million."
Ken Roberts Thatcham in Berkshire England "Hi, Thank you for a wonderful site! The Nea Hellas is very special to me and I don't know why, it was rather a hairy time at sea in those days it was also my first big ship and I made a lot of buddys on there never to be seen again. I am now 75 years young and my wife and I spend most of our holidays cruising. Although she was big for her day no comparison with today's liners. I was 17 years old at that time but had been at sea since I was 15 and half. I finished with the sea when we were married in 1952. 50 years this year! We live in a small town close to Greenham Common which was a U.S. missile base during the cold war."
Robert Doerr, Pan American World Airways, Retired Pilot
"I appreciated reading about the Greek Ship, T.S.S. New York! I sailed aboard her in 1955 under her name, T.S.S. New York on two Atlantic Crossings from New York City To Germany and return with my parents and Sister. I was (10) years old at the time now I am (62) years of age. My Father was (38), my Mother was (28) and my Sister was 12 years of age. It was a nice ship and at (62) years of age now, I still remember it well to a certain extent. Most of the Crew was German and it took a long time to cross the Atlantic in those days. After leaving New York City, we arrived in Boston to pick up additional passengers then on to Ireland then to Germany. I spent (6) months in Germany on that trip and returned to New York City on the same vessel, the T.S.S. New York."
Joseph Abela, California
Greetings, I was very happy to see your web page on the Nea Hellas. This was the very ship that my parents came to America on, in the year 1950, the month of September. They got married on the little Island of Malta in the Mediterranean sea, south of Sicily in the year 1950 and left the Island to immigrate to America with the hopes of a better life there. Their route started from Malta to Catania, Sicily, spent a couple nights at the Mira Mar Hotel for their honeymoon. From there they took the ferry boat to Naples, Italy. There they started their journey on the Beautiful ship named the " Nea Hellas" the Greek Ocean liner. The food they recall was great and the service was equally as good. My Dad remembers during their voyage on the Atlantic Ocean that there was a very big storm and the waves were over the ship. They were under the control of the sea so strongly, that the ship never gained movement for 9 hours. My Father was a strong Christian and believed that if he put a piece of his holy scapular of Monte Carmel onto the Ocean Liner window that the ocean would calm down after a short while. And to his great pleasure, after he had done this faithful act, the Ocean calmed down in a very short time. My parents were at the time 22 years and 23 years old. Their total travel time spent on the Nea Hellas was from September 24th to October 9th. When they arrived in America they were so Happy to see the Statue of Liberty early in the dawn of the morning. What a beautiful sight that was to see for them, representing their new life in this great free country! They have been living in America most of their life in California. My Dad worked for TWA Airlines, 32 years before retiring. They have 3 Children and 4 Grandchildren. Their grandson served in the navy on an aircraft carrier. Their granddaughter served in the foreign reserves. My parents have enjoy being a homeowner in this great country, all thanks for the safe travel on the Nea Hellas! Thank you for you letting me contribute this information to your web page .
Frank Nanni, Montreal,Canada
Thank you! My emotions overwhelm me, I (my eyes) have been dripping tears for the last hour. That is about all I am able to muster at this time. While on a business trip this week, I visited the Halifax museum, memories rushed & emotions rose; I decided to pursue the issue on my computer ...what a surprise. Congratulations on your wonderful effort. Aug.1953 - Naples/Halifax. (10yrs old)
Sonja Fetting
What a surprise to find this web site, it is so interesting to read everyone's story. I would very much like to make contact with fellow passengers,on board and making the same journey as my parents and I. We left Hamburg to board the "New York" in Bremerhaven on April 5, 1957, arriving in Canada on April 15th. (We docked briefly in Rotterdam and Le'Havre). I recall boarding the huge ship and looking down to watch a live band perform as was we left the dock, I was 8 years old. The following day, April 6th, was my 9th birthday. Our waiter surprised me with a beautiful birthday cake, I was very impressed! I remember the dining room tables covered with crisp white table cloths, being served excellent meals and sitting next to a family from Berlin. Our experience on the New York was very positive. We had a nice cabin, there was a large children's playroom where I entertained myself, a movie theatre and a bar, where my Dad enjoyed his beer. One day we had a very rough storm with many passengers, including my Mom, becoming seasick. My Dad and I had a great time though, he took me to the outside door to show me the enormous waves,(the size of mountains) all the while holding onto me very tightly. By morning the weather had settled, with the storm leaving a blanket of snow on deck. It was another interesting day, we saw an iceberg and a school of Porpoises. Thanking you for the trip down memory lane! It would be wonderful to make contact with someone who was on the same journey as my family. [email protected]
Leonidas Raptakis Rhode Island State Senator
My father was on board the Nea Hellas as an employee. The time frame was around October or November 1940. When the ship arrived in New York during a voyage that fall or early winter 1940, he embarked in New York. I will provide more details.
Anne Andrianos Bulcher
I was a passenger on the New Hellas in July 1951. At the time I was 8 years old and traveling with my parents to Dayton, Ohio where we lived for almost 50 years. This year, will be my 55th anniversary of coming to America. Recently, I met a lady who was on the Nea Hellas in July,1951, I suspect we were on the same ship at the same time.
Paul Kakouris Sacramento California
I was born in 1936 in a very Greek home in New York City's Inwood between Dyckman St. and 207th St. My parents spoke only Greek and the conversations always led back to Greece and how wonderful it was. It was a very close neighborhood with many Greek families and my aunt uncle and cousins all on the same street a block away. I remember the fascination I developed for Greece after hearing so many wonderful stories about the history, the customs, traditions, celebrations and the of course the food. After WWII in 1949 my father made his first trip back to Greece on the Nea Hellas after 29 years of living in the US.
We were very excited to hear about his trip upon his return and soon after my mother made plans for her trip and to take me with her. I was thrilled and began counting the months weeks and days to day we were to leave. Finally after several months of my mothers preparation of packing trunks with used clothing to take to our families who were in a bad way after the WWII and the civil war in Greece which followed.
It was a freezing cold day in Hoboken, New Jersey as I remember getting out of the car on the dock in front of the enormously appearing Nea Hellas. It was February 9. 1951 and I was 14 years old. We got on board and were taken to our cabin in 2nd class, which I shared with my mother. I was happy to see we had a porthole in our cabin. I was very excited to say the least. What an adventure! Soon we were underway with several blasts from the ships whistle as we left the berth. It was wonderful to see people waving goodbye on the dock as we moved farther and farther away out into the Hudson River.
We were assigned to a fire drill station number and a dining room table and a waiter who served us for the entire trip. We shared our table with 6 other passengers during the trip. Soon we went to the dining room for our first meal and met our traveling dining partners. Mostly Greeks and a few Serbians, and sadly some Greek soldiers who were seriously injured in Korea. All very nice people and the meals were always delicious with some things I had never eaten before and one that I will never forget is the Baked Alaska.
After a restful sleep I got up very early to get out on deck. It was cold and windy and my first time at sea. I loved it and couldn't free myself to get below for breakfast. The sea and the waves mesmerized me as never before. I vowed then and there I would become a seaman soon as I was old enough. After breakfast I began my exploration of the ship. I went everywhere except up to First Class. I was told it was off limits to passengers in the lower classes. I heard it was very beautiful up there so I was disappointed. I soon found the chart showing the ships daily progress across the Atlantic so that became my first order of business in the morning.
The days passed with few other young people but I had a very good time in the library, movie theater and down in the Kafenio in 3rd Class. There were 2 Greek musicians on board. One played accordion and the other the Zither. It was the time when the Third Man Theme was popular. I also remember a few of the Greek hits of that year. I loved the ship with it smells from the steel, paint, oil, kitchen and the sea. At 14 everything was new and adventurous.
After 15 days we arrived in Piraeus. Along the way we stopped in Lisbon, Malta and Naples. I was up very early on those mornings of arrival to be on the forecastle to watch the harbor getting closer and closer. On our return trip in May we had a ship full of young immigrants going to Halifax and New York City. It was more fun on the return trip because of them. The ship was buzzing with activity and I made many friends which I will always remember although i never saw them again. The Nea Hellas was one the most wonderful experiences of my life and It given me countless hours of memories. My deepest thanks for remembering and building this fantastic website.
Antonio Domenico Caravaggio (Tony) Toronto
"I was nine years old when I made the great voyage across the ocean on the Nea Hellas in October 1953 from Naples to Halifax with my mother Ginevra, 15-year-old brother Renato and my twin sister Teresa. On the light side, I'll always remember the jokes the town locals playfully made on the name of the ship. In our town, Rocca San Giovanni in Abruzzo Italy, "nea e las" translates "drown you and leave you"; after awhile I was getting concerned!
The trip by bus to the port of Naples was fun; much story-telling and speculating on what awaited us. As the bus wound its way down the mountain and the ships came inro view, anxiety started to take over. The mood turned to somber as we waved our goodbyes from the ship to relatives on the dock, already separated by water. On our brief stop at Gibraltar, we were greeted by a small navy of peddlers in small boats that swarmed the Nea Hellas to sell their merchandise, without coming on board.
Once we left the Straight and headed to open waters, "the voyage had begun". I spent my days walking the deck, watching the waves around us, large fish jumping loops, crew scrabling to deal with waves washing over the deck. One night I woke up flat on our cabin floor. Some how, I had managed to roll over my brother and fall from the top bunk as I slept. We ate our meals at our allotted times, in long rows of tables,with one hand clinging to the dish to ensure there were no spillage.
We landed in Halifax's Pier 21 and ended our journey with a two-day train trip to Toronto. The Nea Hellas will bob up and down in my mind for the rest of my life."
Marcello Tanzini Toronto Canada
"Thank you so much for your wonderful sight. I know my mom will be ecstatic when she sees the pictures of the Nea Hellas this Christmas. My family came to Halifax via Naples in 1951 to start a new life in Canada. Mom would always mention that the crossing was very rough but that she enjoyed being on the ship. I was less than 2 years old, so I have no memories of the journey. Dad would remind us that he had to borrow the money in order to purchase the tickets. My aunt Agatha came with us, so the total for the four of us was $630 US. A huge sum in those day. Thanks again"
Father Anthony & Presvytera Sophronia Tomaras Gig Harbor, Washington
"Greetings, We were delighted to find your website, for which we thank you!
Shortly after our marriage in Chicago on March 1, 1956, we had our honeymoon voyage on the Nea Hellas. Somewhere we still have some menus and a copy of that passenger list, along with photographs. When we find those items, we will contact you as to what might be done with them.
Needless to say, it was a glorious trip for us, and something we have treasured during each of the almost fifty years since that honeymoon voyage on the Nea Hellas! We returned to the States in 1959 after Father Anthony finished his studies in theology at the University of Athens. Upon our return, he was ordained to the priesthood and we then moved to the West Coast where he served as an assistant in Oakland. Following that, he served as the priest at St. Nicholas Church in Tacoma, Washington for 19 years and then as Executive Director of the Northwest Orthodox Foundation until his retirement in 1990. Thank you again for the website and for the memories it evoked of our glorious voyage to Greece!."
Tony Constantouros Lafayette, California
"My parents and I came to U.S. on the Nea Ellas in May 1951. The 1940's was a tragic decade and my parents sought a better life. My father tells me that the route of the Nea Ellas was: Pireaus, Naples, Malta, Lisbon, Halifax (Canada), and New York. I have tried, unsuccessfully. to obtain information from the National Archives in New York. Apparently, they have some historical information on ships entering the New York Port Authority, but are only willing to seach only one specific date. I understand that they may have such data as shipping manifests and passenger lists. Thanks again for saving some pieces of our past."
Michael J. Frangos Baltimore, Maryland/Pigadia, Karpathos, Greece " I am very excited to have found your site! I have been looking for photos of this great ocean liner and now I have found them. I too, crossed the Atlantic for my first entry to the United States on the Nea Ellas. I was only 15 years old, then, and traveled along with my two older sisters, Sophie and Fannie. We left Pireaus on or about the 17th of October, 1954. The trip took 17 days arriving in New York on November 2, 1954, as the Queen Mary was sailing out. Our first stop was Valetta, Malta, where we took in passengers. I met a young and beautiful Maltese girl and we struck up a quick friendship. Then we made a brief stop at Catania, Sicily, Naples, Lisbon, Portugal and Halifax Nova Scotia. The voyage was great until we left Lisbon. Then things changed. The ocean was angry, with high winds and mountainous waves. I have a memorable event. I was almost swept overboard, from around the stern. As the ship was sitting back, the ocean waters fill the area, and I grasped the railing. For a few moments I watched the water emptying back into the ocean like a cataract. Then quickly I disappeared inside, for the rest of the voyage. I also remember the photos taken by the ship's photographer, and were displayed on board with waves so very high. Thanks for making my day, half a century later."
Tamara Yelland Melbourne Australia
The attached picture is of all the children on board the Nea Hellas in January 1949 on the way to Australia , berthing at Port Melbourne on the 23rd February 1949 . I am the girl first row standing ,holding another girl in a dark dress , I think her name was Olga ? .My Name was Tamara Bulatovas , My married name is now Yelland . My parents George & Lydia Bulatovas went to Bonegilla and then settled in Adelaide . I now live in Melbourne. I would be most interested to hear from any one else on that voyage who might be in the photo , My email is [email protected]."
Kitty Knight, Virginia Beach, Va " I was eleven yrs old...I left Southampton, England in Sept. 1957 for a nine day transatlantic crossing to NY with my Parents and Grandmother...Stopped at Cork, Ireland to pick up passengers....hit the tail end of a hurricane a few days from NY causing the death of an elderly man...he was buried at sea. She was a beautiful ship."
Geoffrey Payne Kenton, Tennessee "Photos of the TSS New York brought back many happy memories of my trip as an immigrant to the USA in June 1955. I sailed from Southampton and arrived New York aboard the grand ship on June 22, 1955. These photos are invaluable as I put together a scrapbook for my grandchildren. Thanks a million times a million."
Ken Roberts Thatcham in Berkshire England "Hi, Thank you for a wonderful site! The Nea Hellas is very special to me and I don't know why, it was rather a hairy time at sea in those days it was also my first big ship and I made a lot of buddys on there never to be seen again. I am now 75 years young and my wife and I spend most of our holidays cruising. Although she was big for her day no comparison with today's liners. I was 17 years old at that time but had been at sea since I was 15 and half. I finished with the sea when we were married in 1952. 50 years this year! We live in a small town close to Greenham Common which was a U.S. missile base during the cold war."
Robert Doerr, Pan American World Airways, Retired Pilot
"I appreciated reading about the Greek Ship, T.S.S. New York! I sailed aboard her in 1955 under her name, T.S.S. New York on two Atlantic Crossings from New York City To Germany and return with my parents and Sister. I was (10) years old at the time now I am (62) years of age. My Father was (38), my Mother was (28) and my Sister was 12 years of age. It was a nice ship and at (62) years of age now, I still remember it well to a certain extent. Most of the Crew was German and it took a long time to cross the Atlantic in those days. After leaving New York City, we arrived in Boston to pick up additional passengers then on to Ireland then to Germany. I spent (6) months in Germany on that trip and returned to New York City on the same vessel, the T.S.S. New York."
Joseph Abela, California
Greetings, I was very happy to see your web page on the Nea Hellas. This was the very ship that my parents came to America on, in the year 1950, the month of September. They got married on the little Island of Malta in the Mediterranean sea, south of Sicily in the year 1950 and left the Island to immigrate to America with the hopes of a better life there. Their route started from Malta to Catania, Sicily, spent a couple nights at the Mira Mar Hotel for their honeymoon. From there they took the ferry boat to Naples, Italy. There they started their journey on the Beautiful ship named the " Nea Hellas" the Greek Ocean liner. The food they recall was great and the service was equally as good. My Dad remembers during their voyage on the Atlantic Ocean that there was a very big storm and the waves were over the ship. They were under the control of the sea so strongly, that the ship never gained movement for 9 hours. My Father was a strong Christian and believed that if he put a piece of his holy scapular of Monte Carmel onto the Ocean Liner window that the ocean would calm down after a short while. And to his great pleasure, after he had done this faithful act, the Ocean calmed down in a very short time. My parents were at the time 22 years and 23 years old. Their total travel time spent on the Nea Hellas was from September 24th to October 9th. When they arrived in America they were so Happy to see the Statue of Liberty early in the dawn of the morning. What a beautiful sight that was to see for them, representing their new life in this great free country! They have been living in America most of their life in California. My Dad worked for TWA Airlines, 32 years before retiring. They have 3 Children and 4 Grandchildren. Their grandson served in the navy on an aircraft carrier. Their granddaughter served in the foreign reserves. My parents have enjoy being a homeowner in this great country, all thanks for the safe travel on the Nea Hellas! Thank you for you letting me contribute this information to your web page .
Frank Nanni, Montreal,Canada
Thank you! My emotions overwhelm me, I (my eyes) have been dripping tears for the last hour. That is about all I am able to muster at this time. While on a business trip this week, I visited the Halifax museum, memories rushed & emotions rose; I decided to pursue the issue on my computer ...what a surprise. Congratulations on your wonderful effort. Aug.1953 - Naples/Halifax. (10yrs old)
Sonja Fetting
What a surprise to find this web site, it is so interesting to read everyone's story. I would very much like to make contact with fellow passengers,on board and making the same journey as my parents and I. We left Hamburg to board the "New York" in Bremerhaven on April 5, 1957, arriving in Canada on April 15th. (We docked briefly in Rotterdam and Le'Havre). I recall boarding the huge ship and looking down to watch a live band perform as was we left the dock, I was 8 years old. The following day, April 6th, was my 9th birthday. Our waiter surprised me with a beautiful birthday cake, I was very impressed! I remember the dining room tables covered with crisp white table cloths, being served excellent meals and sitting next to a family from Berlin. Our experience on the New York was very positive. We had a nice cabin, there was a large children's playroom where I entertained myself, a movie theatre and a bar, where my Dad enjoyed his beer. One day we had a very rough storm with many passengers, including my Mom, becoming seasick. My Dad and I had a great time though, he took me to the outside door to show me the enormous waves,(the size of mountains) all the while holding onto me very tightly. By morning the weather had settled, with the storm leaving a blanket of snow on deck. It was another interesting day, we saw an iceberg and a school of Porpoises. Thanking you for the trip down memory lane! It would be wonderful to make contact with someone who was on the same journey as my family. [email protected]
Leonidas Raptakis Rhode Island State Senator
My father was on board the Nea Hellas as an employee. The time frame was around October or November 1940. When the ship arrived in New York during a voyage that fall or early winter 1940, he embarked in New York. I will provide more details.
Anne Andrianos Bulcher
I was a passenger on the New Hellas in July 1951. At the time I was 8 years old and traveling with my parents to Dayton, Ohio where we lived for almost 50 years. This year, will be my 55th anniversary of coming to America. Recently, I met a lady who was on the Nea Hellas in July,1951, I suspect we were on the same ship at the same time.
Paul Kakouris Sacramento California
I was born in 1936 in a very Greek home in New York City's Inwood between Dyckman St. and 207th St. My parents spoke only Greek and the conversations always led back to Greece and how wonderful it was. It was a very close neighborhood with many Greek families and my aunt uncle and cousins all on the same street a block away. I remember the fascination I developed for Greece after hearing so many wonderful stories about the history, the customs, traditions, celebrations and the of course the food. After WWII in 1949 my father made his first trip back to Greece on the Nea Hellas after 29 years of living in the US.
We were very excited to hear about his trip upon his return and soon after my mother made plans for her trip and to take me with her. I was thrilled and began counting the months weeks and days to day we were to leave. Finally after several months of my mothers preparation of packing trunks with used clothing to take to our families who were in a bad way after the WWII and the civil war in Greece which followed.
It was a freezing cold day in Hoboken, New Jersey as I remember getting out of the car on the dock in front of the enormously appearing Nea Hellas. It was February 9. 1951 and I was 14 years old. We got on board and were taken to our cabin in 2nd class, which I shared with my mother. I was happy to see we had a porthole in our cabin. I was very excited to say the least. What an adventure! Soon we were underway with several blasts from the ships whistle as we left the berth. It was wonderful to see people waving goodbye on the dock as we moved farther and farther away out into the Hudson River.
We were assigned to a fire drill station number and a dining room table and a waiter who served us for the entire trip. We shared our table with 6 other passengers during the trip. Soon we went to the dining room for our first meal and met our traveling dining partners. Mostly Greeks and a few Serbians, and sadly some Greek soldiers who were seriously injured in Korea. All very nice people and the meals were always delicious with some things I had never eaten before and one that I will never forget is the Baked Alaska.
After a restful sleep I got up very early to get out on deck. It was cold and windy and my first time at sea. I loved it and couldn't free myself to get below for breakfast. The sea and the waves mesmerized me as never before. I vowed then and there I would become a seaman soon as I was old enough. After breakfast I began my exploration of the ship. I went everywhere except up to First Class. I was told it was off limits to passengers in the lower classes. I heard it was very beautiful up there so I was disappointed. I soon found the chart showing the ships daily progress across the Atlantic so that became my first order of business in the morning.
The days passed with few other young people but I had a very good time in the library, movie theater and down in the Kafenio in 3rd Class. There were 2 Greek musicians on board. One played accordion and the other the Zither. It was the time when the Third Man Theme was popular. I also remember a few of the Greek hits of that year. I loved the ship with it smells from the steel, paint, oil, kitchen and the sea. At 14 everything was new and adventurous.
After 15 days we arrived in Piraeus. Along the way we stopped in Lisbon, Malta and Naples. I was up very early on those mornings of arrival to be on the forecastle to watch the harbor getting closer and closer. On our return trip in May we had a ship full of young immigrants going to Halifax and New York City. It was more fun on the return trip because of them. The ship was buzzing with activity and I made many friends which I will always remember although i never saw them again. The Nea Hellas was one the most wonderful experiences of my life and It given me countless hours of memories. My deepest thanks for remembering and building this fantastic website.
Antonio Domenico Caravaggio (Tony) Toronto
"I was nine years old when I made the great voyage across the ocean on the Nea Hellas in October 1953 from Naples to Halifax with my mother Ginevra, 15-year-old brother Renato and my twin sister Teresa. On the light side, I'll always remember the jokes the town locals playfully made on the name of the ship. In our town, Rocca San Giovanni in Abruzzo Italy, "nea e las" translates "drown you and leave you"; after awhile I was getting concerned!
The trip by bus to the port of Naples was fun; much story-telling and speculating on what awaited us. As the bus wound its way down the mountain and the ships came inro view, anxiety started to take over. The mood turned to somber as we waved our goodbyes from the ship to relatives on the dock, already separated by water. On our brief stop at Gibraltar, we were greeted by a small navy of peddlers in small boats that swarmed the Nea Hellas to sell their merchandise, without coming on board.
Once we left the Straight and headed to open waters, "the voyage had begun". I spent my days walking the deck, watching the waves around us, large fish jumping loops, crew scrabling to deal with waves washing over the deck. One night I woke up flat on our cabin floor. Some how, I had managed to roll over my brother and fall from the top bunk as I slept. We ate our meals at our allotted times, in long rows of tables,with one hand clinging to the dish to ensure there were no spillage.
We landed in Halifax's Pier 21 and ended our journey with a two-day train trip to Toronto. The Nea Hellas will bob up and down in my mind for the rest of my life."
Marcello Tanzini Toronto Canada
"Thank you so much for your wonderful sight. I know my mom will be ecstatic when she sees the pictures of the Nea Hellas this Christmas. My family came to Halifax via Naples in 1951 to start a new life in Canada. Mom would always mention that the crossing was very rough but that she enjoyed being on the ship. I was less than 2 years old, so I have no memories of the journey. Dad would remind us that he had to borrow the money in order to purchase the tickets. My aunt Agatha came with us, so the total for the four of us was $630 US. A huge sum in those day. Thanks again"
Father Anthony & Presvytera Sophronia Tomaras Gig Harbor, Washington
"Greetings, We were delighted to find your website, for which we thank you!
Shortly after our marriage in Chicago on March 1, 1956, we had our honeymoon voyage on the Nea Hellas. Somewhere we still have some menus and a copy of that passenger list, along with photographs. When we find those items, we will contact you as to what might be done with them.
Needless to say, it was a glorious trip for us, and something we have treasured during each of the almost fifty years since that honeymoon voyage on the Nea Hellas! We returned to the States in 1959 after Father Anthony finished his studies in theology at the University of Athens. Upon our return, he was ordained to the priesthood and we then moved to the West Coast where he served as an assistant in Oakland. Following that, he served as the priest at St. Nicholas Church in Tacoma, Washington for 19 years and then as Executive Director of the Northwest Orthodox Foundation until his retirement in 1990. Thank you again for the website and for the memories it evoked of our glorious voyage to Greece!."
Tony Constantouros Lafayette, California
"My parents and I came to U.S. on the Nea Ellas in May 1951. The 1940's was a tragic decade and my parents sought a better life. My father tells me that the route of the Nea Ellas was: Pireaus, Naples, Malta, Lisbon, Halifax (Canada), and New York. I have tried, unsuccessfully. to obtain information from the National Archives in New York. Apparently, they have some historical information on ships entering the New York Port Authority, but are only willing to seach only one specific date. I understand that they may have such data as shipping manifests and passenger lists. Thanks again for saving some pieces of our past."
Michael J. Frangos Baltimore, Maryland/Pigadia, Karpathos, Greece " I am very excited to have found your site! I have been looking for photos of this great ocean liner and now I have found them. I too, crossed the Atlantic for my first entry to the United States on the Nea Ellas. I was only 15 years old, then, and traveled along with my two older sisters, Sophie and Fannie. We left Pireaus on or about the 17th of October, 1954. The trip took 17 days arriving in New York on November 2, 1954, as the Queen Mary was sailing out. Our first stop was Valetta, Malta, where we took in passengers. I met a young and beautiful Maltese girl and we struck up a quick friendship. Then we made a brief stop at Catania, Sicily, Naples, Lisbon, Portugal and Halifax Nova Scotia. The voyage was great until we left Lisbon. Then things changed. The ocean was angry, with high winds and mountainous waves. I have a memorable event. I was almost swept overboard, from around the stern. As the ship was sitting back, the ocean waters fill the area, and I grasped the railing. For a few moments I watched the water emptying back into the ocean like a cataract. Then quickly I disappeared inside, for the rest of the voyage. I also remember the photos taken by the ship's photographer, and were displayed on board with waves so very high. Thanks for making my day, half a century later."
Tamara Yelland Melbourne Australia
The attached picture is of all the children on board the Nea Hellas in January 1949 on the way to Australia , berthing at Port Melbourne on the 23rd February 1949 . I am the girl first row standing ,holding another girl in a dark dress , I think her name was Olga ? .My Name was Tamara Bulatovas , My married name is now Yelland . My parents George & Lydia Bulatovas went to Bonegilla and then settled in Adelaide . I now live in Melbourne. I would be most interested to hear from any one else on that voyage who might be in the photo , My email is [email protected]."
George Naudi Kitchener, Ontario
"What a wonderful discovery and talk about memories, I was particularly taken with the video of the ship. My dad (Charles) mother (Muriel) and my youngest sister Iris immigrated from Malta to Massena N.Y. - USA on the Nea Hellas back in April of 1954. I was 11 and my sister was around 9. Since then, both our parents have passed away. I now reside in Kitchener - Ontario / Canada and my youngest sister had returned to Malta around 1959 where she still is today. My most remembered memories of the voyage were that of how sea sick my dad & I were from the rough seas. My mother and sister enjoyed every moment of the experience. As a young boy, I was really impressed with the spread that the dining room presented for our meals. Years later I accidentally stumbled into another Maltese person (Maurice) in Kitchener that was on the same boat with us. It was unbelievable because his original destination was Montreal - Canada. Thank you for providing these very fond memories of our past. Regards" Chris Wellwood, Ontario, Canada "My mother and I traveled on the Hea Hellas from Grenock Scotland, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18 April, 1945. We were traveling to Canada ahead of my father who was still on the continent fighting in World War II. My mother wrote in a diary every day on board and was amazed with the menu as we had just come from Birghton England where food was rationed. I was only 18 months old and had my first ice cream and bananas while on board. We were escorted by destroyers and a submarine part of the way to Halifax and later by two Canadian corvettes. We were at sea for three days before we were told the name of the ship...security reasons." Alfred Weber Grass Valley, CA "Hello, I came with the Nea Hellas to New York in November 1949. According to the info on my visa I crossed into Austria by train on Nov.13, 1949, traveled to Genoa where I boarded the Nea Hellas - stopped in Lisbon and arrived in NY on November 29, 1949." |
Liz Bradford Cunningham Albuquerque, NM "In June of 1959, I was a 16 year old teen age girl traveling with a group of high school students from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our group was headed for a two month tour of Europe. My maiden name was Elizabeth Bradford. There were about 22 of us in our group. 17 girls and 5 boys, all between the age of 14 to 17. We were all from three different high schools. There were two groups of us. One group had about 25 students. My group had 22. The group leaders were high school teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Stumpff.
We left Albuquerque by Greyhound bus and traveled non stop to New York City. We spent two nights and one day in New York. I think the date we boarded The T.S.S. New York was around the 10th of June The name of our travel group was called simply A Pre College Study Tour Of Europe. I think it was connected with a Dutch tour company in Rotterdam and was called the Council of International Studies.
For our formal dress, we had to wear (girls ) Fiesta Dresses, a native dress of New Mexico of Spanish - Mexican design and brightly colored. ( Funny we never wore them much at home ) The boys were required to look like a cowboy with western shirts and blue jeans. This is what we wore to the captains dinner instead of formal wear. It was the thing to do I guess. We were certainly noticed. (stuck out like a sore thumb we thought) This is what were wore to most formal functions in Europe as well.
When in Europe we traveled to Paris, down to Rome, then up to Austria and Germany. It was in Austria and Germany we stayed in Youth Hostels. We met a number of German Students and even some from East Germany. ( East Germany was at that time under the Iron Curtain .) Most of these German Teenagers had the idea that all American teenagers were like the ones they had seen in American Movies, always partying ...We did indeed get a cold shoulder sometimes, but we never left a place until we convinced them that the American teenagers were not like that at all. Most of us are hard working and went to school to study hard as well. We were at a young age excellent diplomats I think.....I hope we left good impressions. After Germany we went to Holland and Belgium, crossed the English Channel to England. After England we again boarded the ship at Southampton for our return crossing.
I was suppose to bring home with me the images of the old churches, etc. of the Old World, instead I brought home with me the memories of all the people I met along the way. Even though we spoke different languages and some of our customs were different, and after we got to know one another, we found that we did have a lot in common. That was great and worth more than gold or silver.
Life aboard the T.S.S New York
We boarded the T.S.S. New York in New York City. I was very excited, but a bit nervous as well. We were greeted warmly as we boarded the ship, and escorted to our room. Our room was located in the front of the ship and on the bottom deck. There were 8 of us girls in one room with bunk beds. The bathroom and showers were down the hall and around the corner. This was not a luxury liner for sure. I was worried about how 8 girls will fit in one room. I was also worried that the ship was too small to cross such a big ocean. We were only allowed one suitcase for the two- month trip. This would be an experience for sure. After we left our one suitcase in our room, we went out on the deck to depart and waved goodbye to people we did not know. We sailed in an hour into the open ocean and I took a deep breath and said "OK here we go.
The very next thing we had to do was to go to a lifeboat drill. Why did we have to do this? Was there or will there be something wrong? Do they think this little ship will have trouble crossing the big Atlantic? But then we met Peter. He was our lifeboat instructor. He was so handsome and we were in awe of him. We tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but it was hard. I remember one of us ask him if he would be in the boat with us? He answered "No", it was his duty to see that we all got in safe. It then became one of those moments that you had to be there to appreciate what happened next. We all said " we have no idea how to row a boat, we are from New Mexico and have never been in a rowboat, and we could never leave him behind, he had to go with us....Poor Peter lost his train of thought as we all burst out laughing, including Peter. From that moment on, I began to feel more at ease. I remember our chaperone scolding us for paying more attention to the instructor rather than the instructions.
After the drill we met our bell boys. Peter (another Pete ) and Karl that for some reason we called Charlie. Karl would later be our little alarm clock to see that we got to our dinning room in time. For example, the first two mornings we were late for breakfast. We had first setting and it was early. Our chaperone had told us that we must be on time and that it was rude of us not to be on time. " DON'T BE AN UGLY AMERICAN ", so we convinced Karl to wake us 30 minutes earlier. He would come early in the morning and bang on our door, fling the door open, flip on the light and yell in a military manner " GET UP NOW "...Well you never saw 8 teen age girls move so fast! We ran to the bathroom and showers and ran back to our rooms, dressed and ready when Karl ( Charlie ) came back ringing the bells on the xylophone.
Now about the showers- Most of the time the water was warm to cold. When the ship would rock and the bow would rise, there would hardly be any water, then when the bow went down and the stern came up, there would be a blast of water...cold water! The first time it happened we girls screamed so loud that we woke up all the folks that were sleeping on our deck...Again our chaperon had to scold us. We did get use to this and instead of screaming we just laugh out loud. It really got to be where we could time it just right. We later learned if you wanted hot water you
had to get there before 6 AM. A little secret that Karl our bellboy told us.
Our dinner steward was Dieter. He was like a mother hen making sure we ate the right foods and scolded us (in a teasing matter) if we were late. When we were late, he would give us a slice of bread and no butter or sometimes we would just get a slab of butter...All this was done in fun of course, but he did make sure we finally got our meal.
Dieter was 25 years old and very handsome and all of us were in " puppy love" with him. If I remember, on the second day, I was feeling sea sick and missed lunch and teatime. There was a knock at my door and there was Dieter and Karl, instructing that I must go to teatime. I was escorted up the steps to the deck where I was served tea and cookies. Dieter told me the best thing for seasickness was lots of fresh air and food. My stomach was in flip-flops and did not believe him, but I did what I was told and sure enough he was correct, I felt better. After that I was either out on the deck or eating to my hearts content. I must have gained 5 lbs. while on board, but never got seasick after that.
This one I got in trouble...I had to crawl over ropes to get to this place...It is the very front of the ship. After the picture was snapped two crewmembers removed me, explaining that this was very dangerous. At dinner Dieter had heard about it and said in a loud voice " What were you thinking" In the small dining room every one was looking at us, so I answered him by telling him that I was only doing what he told me to do and
that " I was getting fresh air. Another one of those moments you had to be there because of the timing etc. Everyone was laughing, and Dieter vowed to get even with me.
Then there was the talent contest. Dieter an Karl double dared us not to enter, so we made a bet and three of us put together a dance routine as another girl played the ukulele and sung a song as we danced. The routine was so awful and of course we did not win the contest, but we did win the bet.
We were a messy bunch of girls. We were a problem to our sweet Cabin Steward. He did not know what to do with us, so we told him not to worry about our room. I think he was relieved, but he always made sure we had a bunch of clean towels for the whole trip.
Here is where Dieter gets even with me. We were just leaving Ireland. Our ship could not go all the way in to tiny inlet, as it was too shallow, so a smaller boat met our ship to take off passengers getting off at Ireland. As we began to pull away, Dieter picked me up and held me over board, yelling at the passenger boat that they forgot a passenger. I hung on for dear life (and loved every minute of it)!
These are just a few examples of all the tricks and stunts that we played on each other. We had so much fun. It was sad to leave the ship when we landed at LeHavre, but we would return to the same ship in two months for our trip home.
We reboarded the T.S.S, New York in Southampton. It was wonderful to see everyone again. But some of the crew we had met before were not there. They had transferred to another ship. It was then we learned that this was the last Atlantic voyage of this wonderful ship. It was so sad. We also learned that our Grandpa Fritz (our Cabin Steward had died at sea while we were in Europe. I cried for several days.
The weather was not to good on that voyage. Staying out on deck was not fun as it rained most of the time. But I have to tell you Karl and another fellow crewmember Nick made us forget our sorrows. The tricks and pranks started all over again. Then came the issue of the Talent Contest again. We looked for a bet for us to enter again, but one of the crewmembers said that he would give up his month's salary for us not to EVER to that routine again! He said if we did that routine again, he would jump over board, so we backed out. It was then Karl had developed a crush on Kay, my best friend on the trip. There was so much teasing and joking going on. (Read Karl's personal memories on the T.S.S. New York elsewhere on this website).
The crewmembers were always speaking in German. We did not know German well enough to get what they were saying, so we started speaking a form of PIG LATIN...not really pig latin, but something called HOBBLE GOBBLE. If you wanted to say " How are you", it would sound like something like "Ha Ba R Ba Yaboo" Well, close enough anyway. So as they spoke German we did our thing, thus leaving all us in a mass of confusion, which was very funny to say the least. Well to make matters worse, we called our language Span a Ho, a lost language of Spanish and Navajo mixed together. Of course there is no such language, but we did make a lot of folks believe it.
We would often sit out on the deck singing songs to pass the time away. One of those songs was " Tom Dooley". When we got to the part of "Poor boy you are gonna die", we would point to one of the crewmembers. They would hang down their heads and fall over and play dead. (Another moment where you had to be there.).... What is so funny is that Karl E-mailed me that one of his first American Records that he bought was the "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley." As many times as we song that one, one would think that one would have had enough of TOM DOOLEY, but then we were pretty silly back then.
Now I have to tell you that the crew was not supposed to fraternize with the passengers. This was not the LOVE BOAT as seen on TV, but there was a lot of good old fashion harmless fun and a lot of memories too.
They say old sailors never die, they just fade away. Well old ships never fade away either -they just sail away with wonderful memories. Most of us who sailed on her are old and living in our senior moments, but as we hold on to some of these fun times in our lives, this little ship will never be forgotten. That trip was an experience of a lifetime!"
Pictured below our photos from our days on the New York and our crew member friends.
Nick Janetos Chicago, Illinois
"I was so delighted to find your web site, just today on my mothers 76th birthday I asked her the name of the ship she crossed the Atlantic on, and of course it was the Nea Hellas. She crossed and landed in New York, on March 6th 1951. She has often spoken of her crossing some good memories some not so good, I do believe she was sea sick. I think it is just wonderful to view the pictures and read about the ship. I guess it is a feeling like I would not be here today if my mother did not make the crossing on the Nea Hellas. I want to thank you for the web site".
Irene Müller Germany
"Hello, I am 53 years old and live in Germany. In September 1958 my mother and we 5 children between 2 and 14 traveled on board of the TSS New York, Greek Line from Bremerhaven to New York. So I was 8 years old then and I did never forget these 8 or 9 or 10 days on board! (I really dont know the precise no. of days). I just loved the ship and since then I love the ocean! I had a lot of fun, also because of the fact, that my mother and older brother became sea-sick quickly and had to stay in bed, so I could look and walk around everywhere alone. That were the most comfortable and luxurious days in my childhood, that I will never forget. I still remember the ding-dong-melodie, the steward played on his xylophone calling the passengers for the meal-times (also my sister does). I would love to see more pictures of that beautiul ship if there are in the internet? Many greetings and thanks."
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