Yugoslav Navy Yacht Galeb
Encyclopedia
Yugoslav Navy (JRM) Yacht Galeb, also known as The Peace Ship Galeb (Brod Mira), was used by the late President of the Yugoslav Republic Marshal
Josip Broz Tito
on his numerous foreign trips and to entertain heads of state, as well as other persons of worldwide renown. The ship attained an iconic status among the peoples of Yugoslavia, as well as among the many diverse nations and members of the Non-Aligned Movement
. "Galeb" is Serbo-Croatian
for "seagull" (the Laridae family).
, where it was built as a banana-boat Ramb III
. After the armistice in 1943, it was taken over by the Germans and they turned it into an auxiliary cruiser under the name Kiebitz. While she was in Rijeka, it was sunk on 25 November 1944 by allied aircraft. Brodospas (SHIPSAVING) from Split, raised Kiebitz in 1948, after which it was taken to the Pula ship building company Uljanik
where in 1952 it was reconstructed as a school ship of the Yugoslav Navy
under the new name Galeb. Tito for the first time embarked on it in 1952 year in Podgora where he conducted an inspection of the boats in the YWN from the deck of the ship. In the next 27 years Galeb was in Tito’s service for a total of 549 days, of which for 318 day the Marshal was on the ship, sailing 86.062 nautical miles (159.4 km) over the Adriatic and other seas on political missions. Until Tito’s death, 102 world statesmen stayed on Galeb.
Galeb was 117 meters long and 15 m wide with a displacement of 5.754 tonnes. With the speed of 17 knots (33.3 km/h) it was powered by two Fiat
diesel engines of 7,200 horsepower in total. The Italians, at one point, offered to SFRJ to remove them and exhibit them in the Fiat museum in Torino. In return, they offered to build an entirely new, modern, school ship, but the Yugoslavs declined.
The yacht first came to international attention in 1953 when Tito sailed up the Thames to meet Winston Churchill
on the first visit to Britain
of a communist head of state
. He was greeted on board by the Duke of Edinburgh
. During the trip, the ship was to dock at Malta, but was prevented from doing so by the nation's governor.
Tito loved the glamour the 384 ft (117 m) yacht conferred on his regime. He used it for parties, foreign visits and diplomacy. World leaders entertained there included Nikita Khrushchev
, Gaddafi
and Indira Gandhi
. Tito was particularly excited to welcome Elizabeth Taylor
and Richard Burton
, who played Tito in the 1973 war epic Sutjeska
.
Galeb belonged to Marshall Tito from 1948 till his death in 1980 when the yacht became the property of the Montenegrin government
following the nation's breakup in 1991. It was sold to John Paul Papanicolaou
, the same Greek yachtsman who owns the yacht Christina O
. It is currently moored on the quayside of the Viktor Lenac shipyard in Kostrena
, a suburb of Rijeka
. The Croatian authorities have made a preservation order on the ship and hope to turn it into a museum if they secure ownership at the auction. In September 2008 the boat partially sank on its right side after a leak developed in its hull.
On 22 May 2009, the ship was sold to city of Rijeka
for $150.000. The City of Rijeka plans to use the ship as a museum
.
On 30 October 2009, the High Mercantile Court of Croatia confirmed the verdict of the Regional Mercantile Court in which the ownership of Galeb was awarded to the City of Rijeka.
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
on his numerous foreign trips and to entertain heads of state, as well as other persons of worldwide renown. The ship attained an iconic status among the peoples of Yugoslavia, as well as among the many diverse nations and members of the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
. "Galeb" is Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
for "seagull" (the Laridae family).
History
Galeb started its tumultuous career in 1938 in GenoaGenoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, where it was built as a banana-boat Ramb III
Italian ship Ramb III
The Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb III was built at Genoa by Ansaldo in 1938.Ramb III was the third of four sister ships all built to the same design. The other ships were the , the , and the . The four ships were built for the Royal Banana Monopoly Business...
. After the armistice in 1943, it was taken over by the Germans and they turned it into an auxiliary cruiser under the name Kiebitz. While she was in Rijeka, it was sunk on 25 November 1944 by allied aircraft. Brodospas (SHIPSAVING) from Split, raised Kiebitz in 1948, after which it was taken to the Pula ship building company Uljanik
Uljanik
Uljanik is a shipbuilding company and shipyard located in Pula, Croatia.It was named after an islet on which there used to grow olive trees but then they were all cut down to make room for steel and hull fabrication workshops.- See also :* Shipyards:...
where in 1952 it was reconstructed as a school ship of the Yugoslav Navy
Yugoslav Navy
The Yugoslav Navy was the navy of Yugoslavia. It was essentially a coastal defense force with the mission of preventing enemy landings along the Yugoslavia's rugged 4,000- kilometer shoreline or coastal islands, and contesting an enemy blockade or control of the strategic Strait of Otranto...
under the new name Galeb. Tito for the first time embarked on it in 1952 year in Podgora where he conducted an inspection of the boats in the YWN from the deck of the ship. In the next 27 years Galeb was in Tito’s service for a total of 549 days, of which for 318 day the Marshal was on the ship, sailing 86.062 nautical miles (159.4 km) over the Adriatic and other seas on political missions. Until Tito’s death, 102 world statesmen stayed on Galeb.
Galeb was 117 meters long and 15 m wide with a displacement of 5.754 tonnes. With the speed of 17 knots (33.3 km/h) it was powered by two Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
diesel engines of 7,200 horsepower in total. The Italians, at one point, offered to SFRJ to remove them and exhibit them in the Fiat museum in Torino. In return, they offered to build an entirely new, modern, school ship, but the Yugoslavs declined.
The yacht first came to international attention in 1953 when Tito sailed up the Thames to meet Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
on the first visit to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
of a communist head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. He was greeted on board by the Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
. During the trip, the ship was to dock at Malta, but was prevented from doing so by the nation's governor.
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
and Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
. Tito was particularly excited to welcome Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
and Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
, who played Tito in the 1973 war epic Sutjeska
Sutjeska
Sutjeska can refer to:* Sutjeska , a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina* Sutjeska National Park, a national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina* Sutjeska , a village in Serbia* Battle of Sutjeska, a second world war battle in Yugoslavia...
.
Galeb belonged to Marshall Tito from 1948 till his death in 1980 when the yacht became the property of the Montenegrin government
Government of Montenegro
The Government of Montenegro is the executive branch of state authority in Montenegro. It is headed by the prime minister. It comprises the prime minister, the deputy prime ministers as well as ministers....
following the nation's breakup in 1991. It was sold to John Paul Papanicolaou
John Paul Papanicolaou
John Paul Papanicolaou was a Greek businessman active in the shipping industry. A family friend of the Onassis family, he is best known for his purchase and restoration of the Onassis family yacht, now known as the Christina O, which he operated as a charter yacht...
, the same Greek yachtsman who owns the yacht Christina O
Christina O
Christina O is one of the world's longest private motor yachts at 325 feet 3 inches . She was originally a Canadian called HMCS Stormont and was launched in 1943. She served as a convoy escort during the Battle of the Atlantic and was present at the D-Day landings...
. It is currently moored on the quayside of the Viktor Lenac shipyard in Kostrena
Kostrena
Kostrena is a Croatian municipality east of Rijeka on the Kvarner Bay. It is famous for its beaches and a long tradition of seafaring and seamanship. Because of its beautiful rocky beaches and a walkway that goes along the shoreline it is very popular for recreation and sports. A scenic hill walk...
, a suburb of Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
. The Croatian authorities have made a preservation order on the ship and hope to turn it into a museum if they secure ownership at the auction. In September 2008 the boat partially sank on its right side after a leak developed in its hull.
On 22 May 2009, the ship was sold to city of Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
for $150.000. The City of Rijeka plans to use the ship as a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
.
On 30 October 2009, the High Mercantile Court of Croatia confirmed the verdict of the Regional Mercantile Court in which the ownership of Galeb was awarded to the City of Rijeka.
List of (guest) heads of state
The following heads of state have been entertained on the Galeb:- Prime Minister Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
- India - President Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
- EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... - Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
- UK - Secretary General Nikita Sergeyevich KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
- USSR - Secretary General Leonid BrezhnevLeonid BrezhnevLeonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
- USSR - Emperor Haille Selassie - EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
- UN Secretary General and President Kurt WaldheimKurt WaldheimKurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
- AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... - President Nicolae CeauşescuNicolae CeausescuNicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
- RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... - Colonel Muammar al-GaddafiMuammar al-GaddafiMuammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
- LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... - Prime Minister Indira GandhiIndira GandhiIndira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
- India
List of (guest) famous people
The following people have been entertained on the Galeb:- Kirk DouglasKirk DouglasKirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
- Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
- Sophia LorenSophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
- Elizabeth TaylorElizabeth TaylorDame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...