At the beginning of 1945, Germany is a defeated nation. Its armies in the east are in full retreat. Due to the rapid advance of the Soviet Red Army, the German-held port of Gdynia (Gotenhafen) is threatened with encirclement. The German command decides to use the port in order to evacuate wounded soldiers and thousands of fleeing civilians from Courland, East Prussia, and Danzig-West Prussia. Two major transport and hospital ships are selected for the mission dubbed Operation Hannibal. One is the Hansa and the other is the Gustloff. Young Maria Reiser is a newly wed whose husband left for the Eastern Front, shortly after their wedding. However, Maria falls in love with Hans Schott, a naval officer assigned to the hospital-ship 'Wilhelm Gustloff'. They have a baby together since Maria is convinced that her husband will never return from the front. However, her husband returns home wounded. With thousands of civilians and wounded soldiers scrambling to board passage on the evacuation ships, Maria takes pity on her wounded husband and asks her lover, Hans Schott, to arrange passage on the 'Wilhelm Gustloff' for herself, her newborn baby and her wounded husband. Moved by her plea, Hans speaks to his superior officer on the Gustloff and brings Maria and her family aboard the ship. On January 30th, 1945, the Hansa and the Gustloff sail from Gdynia (Gotenhafen) toward Kiel. There are roughly over 9,000 souls on board the Gustloff, out of which 5,000 are children. The Gustloff's captain is frustrated with the fact that the Admiralty only provided him with two escort torpedo boats instead of three. Moreover, there are reports of enemy submarines in the Baltic Sea. Part through the crossing, the Hansa and a torpedo boat develop mechanical problems and are forced to turn back. The Gustloff and a torpedo boat continue their voyage alone.