On her maiden voyage to New York in 1929, the 51,650-ton German liner, Bremen, captured the coveted Blue Riband speed trophy from the Cunard veteran Mauretania, which had held it for 22 years.

The ship met fog after leaving Cherbourg, but in the North Atlantic weather conditions improved. Speed rose steadily until the liner was steaming at 27.8 knots, resulting in her reaching New York in four days 17 hours, compared with Mauretania's best time of five days three hours.

Tremendous interest was taken in Bremen, especially because of her speed potential and well-appointed interior which reflected Germany's maritime recovery after the First World War.

While the ship was in New York after her first crossing, more than 70,000 visitors were shown over the vessel. Among the first official callers was the master of Mauretania offering the German captain congratulations on a wonderful speed run.

Bremen called at Southampton for the last time in August, 1939. When war broke out she was on her way home but to avoid Royal Navy patrols she sailed north of Iceland and sought the security of a neutral port, Murmansk.

After a three-month stay she moved to Bremer-haven, where she caught fire during an air raid and was burnt out. Soon afterwards she was broken up.