The bark was launched in 1921 at the shipyard of Germaniawerft which belonged to a famous concern of Friedrich Krupp. The Magdalena Winnen II/ the Sedov is not the oldest surviving vessel of the shipyard but she is still underway. Moreover, she is in excellent technical condition. No doubt, this is the most historical vessel ever built by Germaniawerft.
The capitulation of Germany found the ship in Flensburg. In August 1945 the barque was towed to Hamburg under the command of the British. In January 1946, the Commodore Johnson was transferred to the USSR according to the reparation agreement. 12 January 1946 is a historical date that is considered to be the third birthday of the sailing vessel. She got a new name Sedov and a flag of the Soviet Navy. She was named in honour of Georgy Sedov – a Russian mariner and an Arctic Explorer.
In 1982 the vessel participated in the celebrations devoted to the 300th anniversary of Vitus Bering in Denmark. The cadets from Leningrad and Tallinn naval schools were having practice on her board. In 1986 the Sedov got her first experience of international tall ships race. In 1989 she entered Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest training sailing ship in service. The Sedov came in first in 1991 at Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Races. She duplicated this success in 1995. In 2011 the Sedov celebrated her 90th anniversary. In 2012-2013 the vessel made her first circumnavigation. The campaign was timed to celebrate the 1150th anniversary of Russian statehood. The Sedov visited the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian oceans, called in more than 30 ports in Europe, South and North America, Asia and Africa. During her voyage, the sailing vessel crossed the equator three times and sailed by Cape Horn. In 2015 the tall ship made an expedition dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic war by calling in different European ports.
On the eve of a huge event vessel's hull was painted white in order to give the ship her historical look.