Formerly the North German Lloyd lines vessel SS Europa and sister of the famous SS Bremen, Liberte was taken as reparations from Germany at the end of the war. First serving with the U.S Navy as a troopship the liner was then transferred to France’s Companie Generale Transatlantique. The liners conversion to peacetime was not a smooth one however and it was not until 1950 that she made her maiden voyage. She was eventually scrapped in 1962.
SS Constitution, seen in the background was a far more modern ship, entering service with the American Export Lines in 1951. She became famous for her use in a number of television programmes and films and was eventually sold to the Atlantic Far East Line in 1974. With the reduction in liner passenger numbers she was again sold, in 1982, to American Hawaii Cruises and cruised the islands until 1997.
In John Stewart’s marine painting, both ships are seen passing Liberty Island having left the Manhattan terminals
