"Albatros" was built at Capelle aan den IJssel in the Netherlands in 1899 as a "Noordzee Klipper" (North Sea cutter) or "Galliot". Her first captain was Johannes Muller of Middelharnis, South Holland, who used her to transport cargo between the Netherlands and the Baltic states. In 1920, "Albatros" was sold to Captain Lolk from Svendborg, Denmark, who installed an 80 hp engine in 1933. In 1941, Lolk sold her to Captain Rasmussen from Hobro. During the Second World War, "Albatros" was used to smuggle Jews and political dissidents from Nazi-occupied Denmark to neutral Sweden. Weapons for the Danish resistance were also smuggled back into Denmark on the return journey.