Launched in May 1912 and displacing an impressive gross tonnage of 52,101 tonnes, the German Hapag Liner Imperator was one of a magnificent trio by Albert Ballin, which together with her sisters Bismark and Vaterland were the German solution to the White Star Lines "Big Three". She was laid up during World War One and, afterwards handed to Cunard by means of reparation for loss of Lusitania. In March 1938 she was severley damaged by fire and she was taken to Scottish shipbreakers, a task delayed by World War Two until 1946.