From September 1939 to November 1940, Wilhelm Gustloff served as a hospital ship, officially designated Lazarettschiff D. Beginning on 20 November 1940, medical equipment was removed from the ship and she was repainted from the hospital ship colors of white with a green stripe to standard naval grey. As a consequence of the Allied blockade of the German coastline, she was used as a barracks ship for approximately 1,000 U-boat trainees of the 2nd Submarine Training Division (2. Unterseeboot-Lehrdivision) in the port of Gdynia, which had been occupied by Germany and renamed Gotenhafen, located near Danzig (Gdańsk). Wilhelm Gustloff sat in dock there for over four years. In 1942, was used as a stand-in for in the German film version of the disaster. Filmed in Gotenhafen, the 2nd Submarine Training Division acted as extras in the movie. Eventually, Wilhelm Gustloff was put back into service transporting civilians and military personnel as part of Operation Hannibal.
From September 1939 to November 1940 Wilhelm Gustloff served as a hospital ship officially designated Lazarettschiff D Beginning on 20 November 1940 medical equipment was removed from the ship and she was repainted from the hospital ship colors of white with a green stripe to standard naval grey As a consequence of the Allied blockade of the German coastline she was used as a barracks ship for approximately 1000 U-boat trainees of the 2nd Submarine Training Division (2 Unterseeboot-Lehrdivision) in the port of Gdynia which had been occupied by Germany and renamed Gotenhafen located near Danzig (Gdańsk) Wilhelm Gustloff sat in dock there for over four years In 1942 was used as a stand-in for in the German film version of the disaster Filmed in Gotenhafen the 2nd Submarine Training Division acted as extras in the movie Eventually Wilhelm Gustloff was put back into service transporting civilians and military personnel as part of Operation Hannibal