SS Vaderland (Sister Ship was the Zeeland) Jirik Zubalik (age 27) and son Anton (Tony) boarded the SS Vaderland in Antwerp, Belgium, sailing to America via New York. Their place of residence was listed as Vienna, Austria- Hungary. They arrived on October 30, 1905. The story goes that Jirik was asked by the captain to stay on board as an employee to help with translating because he knew several languages (including Czech and German). He said he couldn’t because he had to take care of his son (Tony who was 2 years old). Unknown to him, the ship had child care. Ruzena Frola Zubalik (age 32) emigrated in 1906 from Antwerp on the SS Zeeland (sister ship to the Vaderland). She traveled with Josef Frank, 1 ½ years old, an infant Rosa, 3 months, and Stanislava (Stella), 5 years old. Their place of residence was listed as “Uragnova.” Notes on the SS Vaderland The ship was built in 1900, maiden voyage was December 8, 1900. She sailed on the Red Star Steamship Line under the Belgian flag from May 16, 1903 to December 25, 1914. In 1915, the Dutch name “Vaderland” was changed to “Southland” so it wouldn’t be confused with the German ship, “Vaterland”. At that time, she sailed under the White Dominion Line to serve as troop transport. She was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and repaired in 1915. All but 40 of the 1400 men on board were rescued from lifeboats by other ships. On June 4, 1917, she was torpedoed by a German U-70 and sank near Tory Island, off the Irish coast. A painting, The Sinking of the Southland was commissioned and painted by Fred Leist in September 1917. Statistics She was an ocean liner, 560’ long, 60’2” beam; steam-powered; speed 15 knots (28 km) per hour; 2 funnels and 4 masts. Passenger capacity was 342 first class, 194 second class, 626 third class (steerage), and 121 crew. SS Zeeland The SS Zeeland was the sister ship of the Vaderland. It too was classed as an ocean liner that sailed under the British and Belgian flags. Her maiden voyage was April 13, 1901, from Antwerp to New York. Like the Vaderland, the name “Zeeland” was changed in 1915 to SS Northland so not to sound German. As the HMT Northland, she was requisitioned as a troop ship under the British flag. After the War ended, her name reverted back to SS Zeeland under the Belgian flag. In 1923 the SS Zeeland’s passenger capacity was modified to first class cabins and third class accommodations only. Again in 1927, she was renamed the SS Minnesota sailing as a tourist ocean liner with the Atlantic Transport Line. Her final voyage was in September 1929. .