the ss "koenigstein" and the ss "caribia" were a pair of german steamboats that were used to carry about 300 jewish refugees from europe to venezuela between february and march 1939. the "koenigstein", with eighty-six jews on board, left germany in january 1939 for the british colony of trinidad, but when it arrived, the british refused to accept the passengers because of a recent prohibition on the admission of refugees. as result, the "koenigstein" sailed to honduras, but again the passengers were denied entry. with nowhere else to go, the "koenigstein" then sailed for venezuela, and arrived on february 17, 1939. the ss "caribia", carrying 165 jews, went through a very similar ordeal. after sailing to british guiana, georgetown authorities refused to allow the passengers to land, and so the "caribia" sailed to venezuela, arriving on march 16, 1939.