Discussion Resources
Discussion Resources
More Died On This WWII Ship Than On The Titanic And Lusitania Combined
Listen to Ruta’s interview on NPR, describing the conditions on the Wilhelm Gustloff, which was sunk by three Russian torpedoes in January 1945.
Discussion Resources
An Educator’s Guide to Ruta Sepetys
Connecting History to Ourselves Through Young Adult Literature
The activities in this guide align with Common Core State Standards and fit into the curriculum for grades 7-10.
A Discussion Guide to Salt to the Sea
by Dr. Rose Brock
This discussion guide for Salt to the Sea was created by Dr. Rose Brock, an assistant professor in the Library Science Department in the College of Education at Sam Houston State University. Dr. Brock holds a Ph.D. in Library Science, specializing in children’s and young adult literature.
The Wilhelm Gustloff Museum
A tremendous online collection of information, documentation, and artifacts.The museum and curator provided indispensable assistance in my research for Salt to the Sea.
Death in the Baltic: The World War II Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff
by Cathryn J. Prince
One of the research sources used by Ruta and a brilliant non-fiction companion for Salt to the Sea.
TED Ed Lesson: What Does it Mean to Be a Refugee?
with Benedetta Berti & Evelien Borgman
Five minute video, discussion questions, and resources for further study of refugees and displacement.
The Damned Don’t Drown: The Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff
by A.V. Sellwood
Packed with 6,500 refugees, one of Germany’s most celebrated cruiseliners left the Gulf of Danzig in January 1945. Shortly after, the ship was hit by torpedoes twelve miles offshore and more than 6,000 passengers were lost. Author Arthur V. Sellwood draws on interviews with some of the survivors and official documents in this authentic account of the greatest sea disaster ever recorded.
The Cruelest Night: The Untold Story of One of the Greatest Maritime Tragedies of World War II.
by Christopher Dobson, John Miller, and Ronald Payne
The full story of the worst of all sea tragedies, the sinking of the German ocean liner Wilhelm Gustloff in the Baltic Sea by a Russian submarine.
The M.S. Wilhelm Gustloff: Maiden Voyage
by Edward Petruskevich
For the first time ever, the Wilhelm Gustloff Museum opened up its archives to publish a first-hand account of what it was like to sail on the maiden voyage of the KdF flagship in 1938. The highlight is an 18-page journal written onboard by passenger Elisabeth Dietrich printed in both English and German. The book also includes original letters, newspaper articles, and daily agendas and menus for the voyage along with photographs of passengers onboard and the original tickets used for the trip.
