During time of BELLE ÉPOQUE [bɛleˈpɔk] Austria-Hungary´s LLOYD
AUSTRIACO had a Traumschiff on its own. While HAPAG had its PRINZESSIN
VICTORIA LUISE. The first purpose built cruise ship ever. The term "cruise" was not in use in those days, the "cruises" had been called Pleasure Voyages, Gesellschaftsreisen or Vergnügungsreisen. LLOYD AUSTRIACO
wishing to participate in this lucrative and new maritime business, they choose
as many others, the way of reconstructing older liner tonnage into an Austrian
BELLE ÉPOQUE pleasure travel boat. And some still send out their liners to pleasure voyages.
by Earl of Cruise
THALIA in a Norwegian Fjord, by H. Heusser - Source: Wikipedia
After the Franco-Prussian war in 1870
and proclamation of the German Empire in 1871, the 1866 constituated
"lesser Germany" (Kleindeutsche Lösung) had been cemented. This
consolidation made Austro-Hungary finaly a south-east European power,
dominating the Balkan. And after the Vienna Stock Exchange Crash (Wiener
Börsenkrach) in 1873 and the following World wide depression most countries
relaxed more or less after a period. This time called BELLE ÉPOQUE, or Fin de Siècle, was a period characterized by optimism, regional peace, economic
prosperity, an apex of colonial empires and technological, scientific and cultural
innovations. In the climate of the period, starting around 1871-73, first in Paris, were arts
flourished. Many masterpieces of literature, music, theater, and visual art
gained recognition. The BELLE ÉPOQUE
was named in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "Golden Age"
or "Gilded Age" in contrast to the horrors of World War I.
This ended when a certain Gavrilo
Princip shot two times at the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Erzherzog (archduke) Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie Chotek, Herzogin von Hohenberg during
their visit in Sarajevo.
When he shot he did not only murder the hope carrier for a liberal and
confederational organised Austria-Hungary, but also 10 million direct war
casualties and further 30 million wounded, mentally disturbed and starved
people, overthrouwn monarchies, a communist revolution with millions dead in
Stalinistic Russia, and a poisoned world
according to the Versailles "Peace Treaty", and in the direct
following WWII, the Holocaust and a divided World in the Cold, sometimes hot
war (Korea!). Korea is the last smoldering wound of these
shots. And that guy is seen to be a hero in Serbia, with a monument!
While especially in Germany the new invented modern "cruise"
(Pleasure Voyage or Journey) was florishing, with pristine KRONPRINZESSIN
VICTORIA LUISE and METEOR - other seafaring nations had their own cruise
operations, where they used "normal liner tonnage", LLOYD AUSTRIACO
considered for its own share in the new world wide business a purpose built
vessel, or at least a purpose reconstruction. At least they choose the combi
liner THALIA of 1886, previously used with sister BOHEMIA as cruise vessel, and
reconstructed her into a full blown luxury cruise vessel based on the sample
HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE has given. And HAPAG back then was attracting a lot of
rich vacationers from Austro-Hungaria. LLOYD AUSTRIACO wanted them and others
as their share in the business.
THALIA, the Austrian Traumschiff, after rebuilding the combi liner into LLOYD AUSTRIACO´s pleasure yacht in 1907 - © Dr. Tamás Balogh
The name THALIA has diferent meanings, or origins
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Thalia (Grace) (Θάλεια, "Thaleia"), one of the three Graces
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Thalia (Muse) (Θάλεια, "Thaleia"), the Muse of comedy and idyllic
poetry *
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Thalia (Nereid) (Θάλεια, "Thaleia"), a Nereid, one of the 50 daugthers of Nereus
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Thalia (mother of the Palikoi), also Aitne (Mythologie) or Aitna, the sicilian lover of Zeus
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Thalia (Mänade), a Mänade
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THALIA as cruisevessel since 1907 - Source: Wikipedia
Flag
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Other names
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Dalia (1922)
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passengership
(Umbau)
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ÖSTERRICHISCH-UNGARISCHER LLOYD, II, III (1886)
LLOYD TRIESTINO (1919) Tripcovich S.A.N. (1922) |
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Number
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314
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5. Juli 1886
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Commissioning
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1886
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Decommissioning
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1926
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Verbleib
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Abwrackung III/1926
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97,3 m (Loa)
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11,4 m
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max. 8,5 m
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3500 t (als Kreuzfahrtschiff)
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Machine
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Triple Expansion Steam Engine
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Power
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2.554 PS (1.878 kW)
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Speed
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14 kts (26 km/h)
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Passenger Capacity
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1907 166 (1913: 163) Beds as cruise
vessel
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THALIA as built in 1886, as it
was common those days, she had supporting sails - Source: Wikipedia
At the Molo in the port of
Trieste - © Giuseppino - Source: Wikipedia
THALIA as built in 1886 - © Dr. Tamás Balogh
The steel built steam ship THALIA
is named after the Greek mythological muse of comedy and idyllic poetry *. Her
launch and christening was July 5th, 1886 at William Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton,
Scotland, and had the builders number 314. The vessel had two rigged masts had
a measurement of 2,371 GT, her machines delivered 2,554 hp. THALIA´s passenger
capacity as combi liner was 70 passengers in First Clas and 24 in Second Class.
The since 1872 named ÖSTERREICHISCH-UNGARISCHER LLOYD
commissioned THALIA after the final outfitting in 1886.
When 1891 HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE
and genius Albert Ballin inaugurated the modern cruising with the first modern
day cruise with AUGUSTA VICTORIA into the Orient, other lines look at
suspicious. Even NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD who had chartered its KAISER WILHELM II of
1889/90 to aristocrats and burgeois high society members which wanted to
follow the German emporer on his anual trip to Norway onboard his yacht
HOHENZOLLERN.
This idea of luxurious pleasure voyages was copied by LLOYD AUSTRIACO in 1906, when
they used fleetmate BOHEMIA of 1896 for these voyages. The success for LLOYD was
tremendous and they started thinking about a purpose built vessel. Finally
they reconstructed in 1907 THALIA into a luxurious pleasure voyage (cruise) vessel.
BOHEMIA of 1896, which sailed prior to THALIA as "Pleasure Voyager" of ÖSTERREICHISCHER LLOYD / LLOYD AUSTRIACO in 1906 - Source: Wikipedia
THALIA was after reconstruction
the first "white ship" of LLOYD AUSTRIACO. It had 4 decks and was
configured as First Class only. It had 3,188 GT and could achieve 14 kts.
Another significant change was the funnel colour - yellow.
According to the BAEDEKER
of 1909, THALIA was in line with GROSSER KURFÜRST of
NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD, METEOR and
MOLTKE of HAPAG among
the elegant pleasure steamers in the Mediterranean.
On Boatdeck, Deck A, had been the Social Rooms and a Lounge, which was too the Bar, further a Verandah. In the forecastle on Boatdeck had been the quarters for the Captain and those for the First to Third officer, as well the Radio Room (a Marconi Station). Above was the Bridgedeck and midship the 6 lifeboats, one motor boat and a steam launch.
On Promenadedeck, Deck B, was the Musik Salon, were a life band played, and the Smoking Room. At the end was a glass enclosed Verandah, which was decorated with palms and other exotic plants. Aft had been the 4 top luxury accomodations, then named Staatszimmer, luxurious suites. In those days suites had been consisting of a number of rooms, not as we find it today, one room filled with bed, sofa, stools and other items.
Schlafraum einer Luxuskabine
(1910) - Source: Wikipedia
Beispiel für eine
Kabinenpreisliste (1913) - Source: Wikipedia
The passengers could choose 4 different categories:
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4 Luxury cabins with Salon, Bedroom
and separte entrance to a bathroom
( since 1913: 2 Luxury cabins
including bath)
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Single Cabin with adjoining
bathroom
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Cabins with 2 beds
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Cabins with single bed
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Originaly the 4 luxury cabins had
2 bathrooms. Since 1913 one bath room for cabins No. 5 and 6. The other luxury
cabins had been rebuild in 2 two bed rooms and two single bed rooms with the
remaining bathroom.
THALIA deckplan (inlay of a sales/promotion broshure produced by LLOYD AUSTRIACO for the pleasure voyages of THALIA in the the first half of 1914 - Source: Wikipedia
These luxury cabins had been "a
bit" more expensive than the average accomodations - e.g. 4,000 Kronen
(today € 20,000) including the bathroom, except "only" 3,600 Kronen (
today € 18,000) for the voyage out of Trieste via Maroc to the Canary Isles and
back via Genoa. Varying for the decks the single bed cabins did cost 940 to
1,700 Kronen (today € 4,700 to 8,500) and the double bed cabins ranged from
1,440 to 3,000 Kronen (today € 7,200 to 15,000). And for the own servant, you
had to pay 480 Kronen (today € 2,400) per bed ... so one still had the pleasure
to be served by his own entourage.
The above discribed change of the
luxuy accomodations had been done for the 1913 voyage season, a sign for hope
in the future. The Gesellschaftsraum (Society Hall), on Boatdeck, had primarily
two big couches/sofas that would be changed into 6 seperate sitting
arrangements. The Tour Guide cabin on the Main Deck was changed into a
Kommisärsbureau (Commissioner's office)
and Cook Tour Guide cabin without bed. the Marconi Station was transfered from
the Boatdeck to the forecastle near the Verandah.
THALIA was labeld by LLOYD AUSTRIACO as
"Yacht for Pleasure Voyages" / "Yacht für
Vergnügungsreisen" - the term "cruise" for this kind of pleasure
had jet not been invented. THALIA made her inaugural or test voyage from March
12th till 14th 1907 from Trieste to Venice, Lussin,
Fiume and Abbazia to Trieste under captain Karl Borromäus Freiherr von Bretfeld.
After this first voyage followed anually 9 to
11 pleasure voyages through the Mediterranean, the North Sea, including the
Norwegian Sea, and Baltic Sea. Till the shots of Sarajevo THALIA made 81
successful voyages from 1907 till summer 1914, and sailed 250,000 nm.
With outbreak of WWI THALIA searched refugee
in Amsterdam.
THALIA at Molo San Carlo in Trieste (podtcard of 1909) - own collection
As an example for THALIA´s
voyages following a list from the broshure for 1909. From October 6th till 24th
1909 THALIA made an 11th voyage from Trieste to Corfu, Malta and Tunis, ending
in Trieste.
No.
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Destination
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Dates in
1909
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I
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Two
short vooyages along the Dalmatian Coast.
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February
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II
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Voyage
to Palestine and Egypt
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March (about 24 Days)
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III
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Sicily, Greece,
Dalmatia.
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Easter on the Sea (about 16 Days)
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IV
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Spain
and Canary Islands
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April till May (about 30 Days)
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V
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Tunis,
Sicily, Sardinia and Genoa
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Rentecost (whitsun) at Sea (about 15
Days)
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VI
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Triest to
Bremerhaven.
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June till July (about 23 Days)
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VII
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Nordland
voyages to Scotland, Schweden and Norway, Spitzbergen and the eternal ice.
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Juli till August
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VIII
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Baths
voyage to fashionablel Seabaths of the Atlantic Ocean, Spian and Algier.
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September (about 27 Days)
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IX
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Italy and
Northern Africa.
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Ende of September till mid October (about
17 Days)
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X
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Dalmatian
voyage as in February
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Late Autumn
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Speisekarte for the diner of Sept.
15th, 1912, cover by Hans Printz (122 × 220 mm) - own collection, copy from my book SPEISEKARTEN, Essen auf Hoher See
LLYOD AUSTRIACO was renowned for its
extraordinary cuisine onboard its ships, for which rich styled menue cards had
been created by the Sektion 3, the print house of LLOYD. these two- and
three-part folding cards had been added with aditional advertisings of e.g. Charles Heidsieck and Louis Roederer champagne, but with "Hunyadi
János Wasser", a laxative mentioned in Thomas Mann´s "Buddenbrocks". The austrian painter Hans Printz (1865–1925) did
draft the cards after historical motifs.
Advertising of travel agency Kapitän Bades Söhne (travel agency and tour operator), in Wismar, promoting Polar and other voyages with THALIA in 1907 - Source: Meyers Reisebücher Mittelmeer 1907 Anhang (appendix), own collection
Postcard with THALIA in the Lofoten,
stamped in Tromsø July 25th, 1912 (135 × 87 mm - Sujet: Themistokles von Eckenbrecher - own collection
The tour operator Kapitän Bades Söhne (a pioneer of Northland and Arctic cruises) of Wismar chartered THALIA in the first year as "Yacht für
Vergnügungsreisen" for two 4 week sailings into the Norwegian Sea,
Spitzbergen and the North Sea.
The first journey was only a 14
day trip to Trondheim. The second journey was then 4
weeks from July 20th till August 17th, 1907. This voyage went to Spitzbergen,
but was plagued with hard ice conditions,
beside Isfjord,
the Smeerenburgfjord and the camp of Walter Wellmans at Danskøya was
visited, where in August 1907 the US American explorer was waiting for fair
weather for his air ship voyage to the North Pole.
THALIA sailed along the sea icefrontier at 80° 15′ North and
turned to Sassenfjord where the guests of THALIA had the chance for hunting ... On this voyage had
been among other guests Carl Fraenkel of Halle, WaltherKausch of Berlin, as well the major of Freiberg later First Major of Dresden
Bernhard Blüher.
During the following years LLOYD
AUSTRIACO organised its own "North Land Voyages" in July and August -
the only time possible back then. during these voyages towards the North Pole the
passengers experienced the "White Nights".
When living far south of the
North Pole and you are experiencing this "White Night" phenomenon
... it is fascinating, new and perhaps extreme. Late in the night the sun is
still to be seen at the horizon. I had the chance experiencing this onboard
late ANDREA, now SERENISSIMA, of defunct ELGANT CRUISES & TOURS of
Port Washington.
White Night in the sea of Botnia, photo taken by myself onboard ANDREA of ELEGANT CRUISES & TOURS
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On the August 1908 voyage of
THALIA, with the polar explorer Theodor Lerner on board, on his voyage home, aquainted his later wife.
THALIA made too special interest
voyages, so not a new theme for todays cruises.
Letter of Dr. George Wege, passenger onboard, during the 2nd "Doctors Voayage" November 20th, 1909 from Luxor (145 ×
111 mm) - Source: Österreichisches Staatsarchiv
From October 6th till 8th, 1907
LLOYD AUSTRIACO organized a first doctors voyage, where the general director
(today CEO) Albert Frankfurter was on board. 100 invited doctors from Austria,
Hungary, Italy and media members had been on board this journey from Trieste
via Abbazia, Lussinpiccolo,
Zara and Pola which was
intended to be a promotional tour (today named FAM Trip) for the healing
influence of sea travels. the medal designer Ludwig Hujer designed a memorial
medal, which displayed the Greek goddess of health Hygieia. He
displayed her supporting a sick man while on a beach, both looking at the sea
with the the bow of THALIA.The physicians association of Praha, [ˈpraɦa] (listen) / Prague, chartered THALIA from November 4th till December 4th, 1908 for a voyage via Greece up to Assuan, the journey back was along the Dalmatian coast to Trieste. From November 5th till 6th, 1911 the LLOYD again invited physicians for a Mediterranean voyage.
In June/July 1909 the Schubertbund including the chief of the choir Adolf Kirchl and Prof. Hans Wagner made a Northland (Northcape) voyage, starting
in Swinemünde
where the clubmembers went to with a special train. the journey ended in
Hamburg July 3rd, where another special train startet back to Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof.
This voyage was connected with a
trip of 1905 onboard LLOYD vessels where the Wiener Klangkörper
made a concert tour and in March/April 1905 when Wiener Männergesang-Verein made a
concert tour to Egypt on board the GALICIA.The XIV. International Pressecongress, May 18th till 23rd, 1910 was held on board THALIA, international media and reporters had been hosted.
THE ÖSTERREICHISCHE FLOTTENVEREIN organised member journeys on board THALIA as in July 1912 into the Western Mediterranean. This voyage was accompanied by the historian Hans Widmann, who published about. The 4th journey of the ÖSTERREICHISCHE FLOTTENVEREIN on board THALIA took place in July 1913 from Amsterdam to St.Petersburg. A special night train took the tour members to a sightseeing of/in Moskwa. The voyage back was via Denmark, København, Sweden, Götegorg, for a visit of the Trollhättan Falls, Helgoland to Hamburg. At the main station the journey back via train started.
The Austrian composer Bernhard Kaempfner, of Jewish belief, created
the THALIA-March, which would be played often by the onboard musicians, which
had been conducted for some time by Giuseppe Bamboschek. This
piece of musik was also listed to be performed during the Captains Diner, see
menue card of April 5th, 1909.
The shore excursions had been organized by THOMAS COOK & Son, with whom LLOYD AUSTRIACO had signed an agreement, for which THOMAS COOK had an office on board THALIA.
For messages, letters, etc. from the passengers to their loved ones at home, or for business matters, they could use the radio station on board. Tese messages then had been send to the office in Trieste, from where these messages were send as postcards or telegrams to depostited adresses.
THALIA was captained by Karl
Borromäus von Bretfeld zu Kronenburg from 1907 till his death during THALIA´s lay
up during WWI in Amsterdam March 1915. Bretfeld was born September 24th, 1855.
He is buried on the cemetary Buitenveldert
in the Netherlands.
The typical Captains Diner, as we
know it from the one or the other film or TV show, was a permanent part of each
THALIA cruise, includingg a special music program, and a special created menue.
It was and is a high light during a cruise, or then during a crossing, most at
the end.
THALIA was unluckily not free of mishaps ... THALIA was on her voyage back during her 2nd Northland Cruise in 1908, when she run agound August 24th, 60 km south of Tromsø. The Norwegian pilot did not see a buoy because of the bad lightfire arragments (Leuchtfeuerreglements). An evacuation of passengers was considered, but tug could free THALIA by removing the sand under her keel. With no hull damage she sailed on to the next destination. This causa was great news in the Austrian media, and Emil von Hofmannsthal wrote an essay about, "Die Strandung der THALIA", in PRAGER TAGBLATT.
THALIA was on her VIII. Pleasure Journey, and second NORTHLAND JOURNEY, August 1st, 1914 in Amsterdam, a neutral port, while the hostilities of WWI broke off, after the fatal shooting of Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip ...
Passengerlist of the XI Pleasure
Journey 1912 (119 × 181 mm) - Source: Österreichisches Staatsarchiv
Passengerlists had created as a
piece of information for the fellow passengers, who is as well on board and may
be interesting to be aqauinted with. It was too thought as souvenier for the
passengers, and had most been well designed and elaborated printed.
These lists contained the
location of the listed persons and the information with whom their are on board
- daugther, son, husband, nice, nephew, etc. And often there could be found the
names of prominent persons - VIP´s. The interested passenger could find too the
list of the nautical crew, as captain and officers, as well the heads of
service. THALIA was unluckily not free of mishaps ... THALIA was on her voyage back during her 2nd Northland Cruise in 1908, when she run agound August 24th, 60 km south of Tromsø. The Norwegian pilot did not see a buoy because of the bad lightfire arragments (Leuchtfeuerreglements). An evacuation of passengers was considered, but tug could free THALIA by removing the sand under her keel. With no hull damage she sailed on to the next destination. This causa was great news in the Austrian media, and Emil von Hofmannsthal wrote an essay about, "Die Strandung der THALIA", in PRAGER TAGBLATT.
THALIA was on her VIII. Pleasure Journey, and second NORTHLAND JOURNEY, August 1st, 1914 in Amsterdam, a neutral port, while the hostilities of WWI broke off, after the fatal shooting of Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip ...
THALIA finally was not harmed by
the war, but detoriated somehow. An eyewittness wrote an sarticle for the
FREMDEN BLATT in April 1915, where he discribed the neglected and detoriating
THALIA. Her motor tender was already sold to a Dutch fisherman. And in October
1918 Paul Zifferer wrote about THALIA in NFP, that she was no longer a
delightful sigth to see. In the meantime her luxury cabins and the sun deck had
been destroyed.
In 1919 LLOYD TRIESTINO took possession of THALIA and used her for cruises, but sold the vessel in 1922 to TRIPCOVICH S.A.N. Rimorchi Salvataggi and was renamed to the Italian name DALIA. Her once white hull was painted black to cover damages. Most of her superstructure was gone in her last days. TRIPCOVITCH sold her in autumn 1926 for demolition.
Broshure for THALIA VERGNÜGUNGSFAHRTEN (Pleasure Journeys) in 1909
The picutre "View on Trieste" was painted by G. Zangrando and used for the cover (115x175 mm) - collection of my late uncle
While LLOYD AUSTRIACO / ÖSTERREICHISCHER LLOYD produced advertising materila for its Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean, Far and Near East and East Asia services produced no ship specific broshures, he invested in those for THALIA, also in different languages, where the life onboard, the routing, and destinations had been in focus. THALIA was promoted too in the other broshures and advertisings of LLOYD AUSTRIACO.
LLOYD AUSTRIACO not only published its own produced broshure, and used postcards for promotion, they designed too adverts for advertisings in print media, as Die Muskete.
Postcard of Hammerfest, stamped August 9th, 1909, with blue TAHLIA-stamp, Camp-Wellman tour operator stamp, with post office stamping - Source: Österreichisches Staatsarchiv
Post office stamp THALIA, November 18th, 1909 on a 5 Heller (the name originates from the Celtic Hallstadt culture!) regular stamp
The elegant THALIA was depicted most with sea views of port vies on postcards, which had been created by the print house of LLOYD AUSTRIACO, which in later years became a subsidiary of the steam ship line. Among the artist who worked for LLOYD AUSTRIACO was HarryHeusser. He drafted too a full page printed picture of THALIA for the 75 years commemorative of LLOYD AUSTRIACO.
Postcard of THALIA in Venezia, painted by Harry Heusser - own collection
THALIA leaving a bay, painting by Harry Heusser, postcard - own collection
Literatur
- Autorenkollektiv: Der LLOYD in Triest gestern – heute – morgen. Vom ÖSTERREICHISCHEN LLOYD zu LLOYD TTRIESTINO. LLOYD TRIES di Navigazione, Triest 1987
- Gregor Gatscher-Riedl: Alt-Österreich auf hoher See. Das Flottenalbum des ÖSTERREICHISCHEN LLOYD. Bilder und Verkehrsgeschichte aus Österreichs maritimer Vergangenheit. Kral-Verlag, Berndorf 2017, ISBN 3-990-24682-8
- Miroslav Hubert: Do světa s parníky Rakouského LLOYDu. Mare-Czech, Praha 2010 (Hinaus in die Welt mit Dampfern des ÖSTERREICHISCHEN LLOYD)
- Horst Friedrich Mayer, Dieter Winkler: In allen Häfen war Österreich – Die Österreichisch-Ungarische Handelsmarine. Edition S, Verlag der ÖSTERREICHISCHEN Staatsdruckerei, Wien 1987, ISBN 3-7046-0079-2
- Georg Pawlik, Dieter Winkler (Hrsg.): Österreichischer LLOYD. Die Dampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft 1836–1918. Weishaupt Verlag, Graz 1986
- Publizistisches Bureau des ÖSTERREICHISCHEN LLOYD (Hrsg.): Fünfundsiebzig Jahre Österreichischer LLOYD 1836–1911. Österreichischer LLOYD, Triest 1911.
- Oskar Stark: Eine versunkene Welt: Die Geschichte des ÖSTERREICHISCHEN LLOYD, Fahrten und Ende seiner 62 Schiffe. R.M. Rohrer, Wien und Wiesbaden 1959
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