Yesterday, on October 17, 2024, in honor of the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the passenger steamship Baron Gautsch and European Heritage Day, the official opening of the exhibition Baron Gautsch 1908–1914 took place at the San Giovanni Battery (Aquarium Pula). The exhibition, curated by Katarina Pocedić, senior curator of the Maritime and Historical Museum of Istria, showcases original artifacts from the museum’s collection. We extend our heartfelt thanks to her for her collaboration.

This exhibition was inspired by our longtime friend and diver, Christian Harzhauser from Vienna, an enthusiast of this sunken vessel, who generously shared his video material. Along with Christian, we commissioned a scale model of the Baron Gautsch in its original form from the well-known Pula modeler Richard Peršić. Additionally, we showcased a 3D model of the shipwreck, crafted by Holger Buss from Germany, whose presence at the opening was a true delight.

The exhibition also includes a reprinted catalog, Baron Gautsch 1914, authored by Katarina Pocedić. We’ve also acquired Hermann Pfeiffer’s book Hold on Tight and Hurry! in its original German for sale. The exhibit is further enriched with a multimedia display of Adriatic shipwrecks from The Sunken Treasures of the Adriatic by Danijel Frka, which we personally installed, alongside historical photographs, video clips, and audio testimonies from surviving passengers.