Mein Roman »Das Totenschiff«

by B. Traven

"Mein Roman »Das Totenschiff«" by B. Traven is a novel published in 1926. When American seaman Gales misses his ship in Antwerp and loses his identity papers, he discovers the terrifying reality of existing without documentation. Rejected by consulates and shuttled across borders, he becomes stateless—a living ghost. His desperate circumstances force him aboard the Yorikke, a decrepit vessel crewed entirely by paperless men. These forgotten souls, trapped in an endless voyage, face exploitation and danger on what sailors call a "death ship."