From 1938 to 1940 , the four Lloyd Triestino ships brought a number of Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria to Shanghai . Nazi persecution intensified especially after '' Kristallnacht '' on November 9 , 1938 . Then the number of the refugees increased dramatically as the ships became their lifeboats . Ultimately , 17,000 Jewish refugees came to Shanghai on the Lloyd Triestino ’s ships . The refugee route via the ships was closed on June 10 , 1940 , when Italy joined the war . The liners ’ operation was suspended indefinitely , and the '' Conte Verde '' was confined to Shanghai
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
SS Conte Verde