Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1946
Passenger lists for 1946 represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection primarily covers North American and European ports and ports in Australia and South Africa.
Our collection contains samples of passenger lists produced and printed by the steamship lines. These lists are often used to illustrate family history books for immigrants from this period.
Coveted by collectors and genealogists, souvenir passenger lists often offered beautiful graphical covers and information not found in official manifests because they focused on the journey rather than the destination.
1946-06-18 SS Gripsholm Passenger List
- Steamship Line: Swenska Amerika Linien / Swedish American Line
- Class of Passengers: First and Tourist Class Passengers
- Date of Departure: 18 June 1946
- Route: Gothenburg to New York via Liverpool
- Commander: Captain S. Ericsson
1946-07-09 SS Drottningholm Passenger List
- Steamship Line: Swenska Amerika Linien / Swedish American Line
- Class of Passengers: Cabin
- Date of Departure: 9 July 1946
- Route: Gothenburg to Saint Johns NF and New York via Liverpool
- Commander: Captain J. Nordlander
Please help us make our passenger list collection more complete. We would appreciate a digital copy if you have an 1946 souvenir passenger list. Please email us at history@ggarchives.com.
Recap & Summary of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists – 1946
The 1946 passenger lists mark the resumption of civilian ocean travel after World War II, as ships once used for troop transport and wartime service returned to commercial operations. This year represents a transitional period where ocean liners began carrying post-war migrants, refugees, and individuals displaced by the war, many of whom sought a new life in North America, Australia, and South Africa.
The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1946 primarily contain souvenir passenger lists, which were designed as keepsakes for travelers and often featured elegant covers and personalized voyage details. These are now highly valuable to collectors and genealogists, as they document the journeys of those rebuilding their lives in the post-war world.
Interesting Highlights from the 1946 Passenger Lists
1. The Return of the Swedish American Line
Two of the notable voyages in this collection are:
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SS Gripsholm – Departed June 18, 1946
- Route: Gothenburg → Liverpool → New York
- Passengers: First and Tourist Class
- Commander: Captain S. Ericsson
- Significance:
- One of the first passenger voyages of the Swedish American Line after the war.
- Sweden remained neutral during WWII, making its ships among the first to resume civilian ocean crossings.
- This voyage likely carried war refugees, repatriates, and returning expatriates.
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SS Drottningholm – Departed July 9, 1946
- Route: Gothenburg → Liverpool → Saint John’s (Newfoundland) → New York
- Passengers: Cabin Class
- Commander: Captain J. Nordlander
- Significance:
- Another Swedish American Line voyage helping transport post-war passengers.
- Saint John’s, Newfoundland, was an important stopover for transatlantic ships, as it was one of the first North American ports for migrants and returning Allied personnel.
Most Interesting Voyages of 1946
- SS Gripsholm (June 18, 1946) – Early Post-War Resettlement Voyage
- One of the first peace-time transatlantic voyages after WWII.
- Likely carried a mix of returning expatriates, displaced persons, and immigrants.
- SS Drottningholm (July 9, 1946) – Connecting War-Torn Europe to North America
- The stop in Liverpool reflects Britain’s role as a major transit hub for post-war travel.
- Many European migrants, particularly from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, sought new lives in Canada and the U.S..
World Events That Affected Ocean Travel in 1946
1. The Aftermath of World War II
- Millions of people were displaced, including Holocaust survivors, former prisoners of war, and refugees from bombed cities.
- Passenger liners that had served as troop transports were gradually returning to civilian service, but voyages were often overbooked and chaotic.
2. The Beginning of Post-War Migration Waves
- Transatlantic ships were filled with immigrants seeking to rebuild their lives in Canada, the U.S., and South America.
- Swedish ships like the Gripsholm and Drottningholm played a key role in this early migration.
3. Sweden’s Neutrality and Role in Post-War Repatriation
- Sweden had remained neutral during WWII, allowing its merchant fleet to continue operations.
- The Swedish American Line was among the first to resume safe transatlantic crossings.
4. The Expansion of Air Travel
- While ocean liners remained dominant, the rise of commercial air travel started making transatlantic flights more accessible.
- However, ships were still the primary way for mass migration, as air travel was expensive and limited.
Conclusion
The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1946 provide a valuable snapshot of post-war maritime history, documenting some of the earliest resettlement and repatriation voyages.
- Swedish ships like SS Gripsholm and SS Drottningholm played a major role in transporting displaced people and returning expatriates.
- Ocean travel had shifted from luxury and tourism to necessity, as millions sought new homes and opportunities in North America.
- This period marked the beginning of a new era of global migration, setting the stage for the post-war economic boom and the resurgence of international passenger travel.
Wartime Repatriations
Wartime repatriations during and after World War II involved the return of millions of displaced individuals, including prisoners of war (POWs), forced laborers, and civilians, to their home countries. These efforts were complex and often fraught with political and humanitarian challenges.
Displaced Persons and Repatriation Efforts
The war displaced approximately 65 million people in Europe alone, encompassing former forced laborers, ex-POWs, and civilians whose homes had been destroyed or who had fled advancing armies. The immediate post-war period saw extensive efforts to repatriate these individuals to their countries of origin. iwm.org.uk
Agreements Facilitating Repatriation
At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the Allied powers agreed on the immediate repatriation of civilians and POWs. A subsequent agreement in May 1945 reinforced this commitment, establishing exchange points and prioritizing the return of Allied citizens. nationalww2museum.org
Operation Keelhaul
Between 1946 and 1947, Operation Keelhaul was conducted by British and American forces, resulting in the forced repatriation of Soviet citizens and members of the Soviet Army to the Soviet Union. This operation also included individuals who had fled Russia before the end of the Russian Civil War and were not Soviet citizens. Many of those repatriated faced persecution upon their return. en.wikipedia.org
Repatriation of American POWs and Civilians
Approximately 130,000 American POWs were held during World War II, with over 27,000 detained by Japan. Additionally, around 19,000 American civilians were interned, primarily by Japanese forces. After the war, efforts were made to repatriate these individuals, though many faced significant hardships during their captivity. history.navy.mil
Further Reading
For more in-depth information on wartime repatriations, the following resources are recommended:
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"What Happened To People Displaced By The Second World War?" – Imperial War Museums. iwm.org.uk
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"The Last Million: Eastern European Displaced Persons in Postwar Germany" – The National WWII Museum. nationalww2museum.org
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"Operation Keelhaul" – Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
These articles provide comprehensive insights into the complexities and human experiences associated with wartime repatriations.
