High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! RMS Homeric, originally launched as Columbus, was built for Norddeutscher Lloyd and launched in 1913 at the F. Schichau yard in Danzig. Columbus was ceded to Great Britain in 1919 as part of German war reparations. She was sold to White Star Line in 1920, which named her Homeric. Her sister ship Hindenburg retained her German ownership and was re-named Columbus. Homeric was operated by White Star from 1922 to 1935.