▁have ▁inspired ▁film , ▁opera , ▁and ▁fiction . ▁ ▁Background ▁St . ▁Louis ▁was ▁a ▁dies el - power ed ▁passenger ▁ship ▁properly ▁referred ▁to ▁with ▁the ▁prefix ▁MS ▁or ▁M V , ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁Bre mer ▁V ul kan ▁ship y ards ▁in ▁Bre men ▁for ▁H AP AG , ▁better ▁known ▁in ▁English ▁as ▁the ▁Hamburg ▁America ▁Line . ▁ ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri . ▁ ▁Her ▁sister ▁ship , ▁, ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁dies el ▁power ed ▁motor ▁vessel ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Hamburg ▁America ▁Line . ▁St . ▁Louis ▁regularly ▁sa iled ▁the ▁trans - At l antic ▁route ▁from ▁Hamburg ▁to ▁Hal if ax , ▁Nova ▁Scot ia , ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁and ▁made ▁cru ises ▁to ▁the ▁Can ary ▁Islands , ▁Made ira , ▁Spain ; ▁and ▁Mor oc co . ▁St . ▁Louis ▁was ▁built ▁for ▁both ▁trans at l antic ▁l iner ▁service ▁and ▁for ▁le is ure ▁cru ises . ▁ ▁The ▁" V oy age ▁of ▁the ▁Dam ned " ▁The ▁St . ▁Louis ▁vessel ▁set ▁ ▁sail ▁from ▁Hamburg ▁to ▁Cuba ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁under ▁command ▁of ▁Captain ▁Gustav ▁Sch r öder , ▁carrying ▁ 9 3 7 ▁passengers , ▁most ▁of ▁them ▁Jewish ▁refuge es ▁seeking ▁as yl um ▁from ▁Naz i ▁per sec ution ▁in ▁Germany . ▁▁▁▁ ▁Captain ▁Sch r öder ▁was ▁a ▁German ▁who ▁went ▁to ▁great ▁lengths