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Germany and HAPAG - A Journey through History

HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHEPACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT - HAPAG or HAMBURG AMERICA LINE is reflecting, as Germany, the LLOYD of Bremen, two times of rsing and two times of devasting downfall and a third rise.
HAPAG
BORUSSIA, 1856, First Day Cover 1956 of Deutsche Bundespost - own collection

Once Germany´s biggest shipping line HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT-LLOYD, merged with it former old Hanseatic rival NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD in 1970, to now HAPAG-LLOYD, had its peaks and downs, but rose each time on its own to new hights, without any state subsidies. As German mail subsidiaries did never cover the costs for purchasing or mainting the vessels ordered for the specific German mail lines. 
by Earl of Cruise
In this article I used most German Wikipedia links, as they proved to be mostly of better research quality, and surprisinf to me, some English lines and liners have only German written articles, for the others, English Wiki links are to find in the left manouver link side. 
Germany Takes Hold of Maritime Power against Odds
Frigate FRIEDRICH WILHELM ZU PFERDE - Source: Histarmar
Unlike the British deep sea navigation, which had grown in a steady progress, the German mercantile shipping was subdued to a change of up and down. In this connection it seems worth mentioning, that Germany had been nothing more than a geographical and lingual but no national term since the late Middle Ages. The beginning of a sea trade from ports of the North and the Baltic Sea can be traced back to the early 12th century. A boom developed after the founding of Lübeck by Herzog Heinrich der Löwe, of Saxonia and Bavaria. Lübeck, emidiately developed into a boomtown and German tradesmen from the whole Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation (Holy Roman Empire) joined together to form the HANSE, which developed by the time into the mightiest and most successful trade federation, foremost because tradesmen from other European countries joined this union. At first this union was formed to secure the trades and routes of these merchands. Somehow that trade union, that UK wanted the EU to be, except of the military engagements.
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Lübeck, the Queen of the Hanse - own collection
In the same degree as the British and other merchant fleets had gained on influence, the HANSE lost importance. Especially since the rediscovering of the Two Americas.
It was Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg coming to the throne in 1640, who felt again the need of a merchant fleet and protecting navy. He entered in a trade and navigation agreement with England and put up the ORIENTALISCHE HANDLUNGS-COMPANIE (PDF in _German). The small and poor dutchy Brandenburg even gathered a colony in Africa at the Goldcoast, now Ghana, and founded the fortress Groß Friedrichsburg. Brandenburg-Preussen and joined in the lucrative slave trade. But when the country has become a kingdom in 1701, the interest in navigation declined again, leaving a moderate coastal and Baltic Sea business. They sold their interests to the Dutch in 1717/20.
The German deep sea navigation had fallen to an absolute low point.
Except for the former HANSE cities, Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck. Especially Hamburg´s and Bremen´s importance grew the more the HANSE lost it and other powers in the German territories did no longer engage in deap sea trading. Securing their merchant fleets these cities invested in navy vessels, Konvoischiffe, battleships, like the WAPPEN VON HAMBURG 1669. and successors WAPPEN VON HAMBURG II 1686 and WAPPEN VON HAMBURG III 1722.
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WAPPEN VON HAMBURG, 1669, Konvoi Frigate of the Admirality of Hamburg - own collection
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Arrival of Adriaen Pauw at Münster. 1646 or later, 100 × 161,5 cm. Münster, Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte - Source: Wikipedia
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After 30 years of devastating war of European powers on German soil, the Peace of Westphalia, Westfaelischer Friede in Muenster (Gerard Terborch 1648) - Source: Wikipedia
Since the Peace of Westphalia - Westfälischer Frieden, ending the devastating European war that lasted 30 years on German territory, was the first international peace treaty, and a common agreement of power balance in Europe, signed in Osnabrück for the Lutheran parties and Münster for the Catholic parties, Germany was splitt up into a multitude of most diferent small and smaller sovereign countries with no international recognition or even power. Therefore the economies grew very unbalanced and different in these countries. Prussia had the luck having the Ruhrgebiet in its western part of its realm, which developed the country since the mid 19th century in its western realm, Westphalia - Ruhrgebiet, into an industrial powerhouse.
A report of a voyage over the Atlantic in the year 1837 has been delivered by the traveling journalist Friedrich Gerstecker:

"Now I will do my pains to describe you the between deck as exactly as anyhow possibly. Imagine a room of 11 paces in length and 9 paces in breadth, 8 feet high and on each side fitted with sleeping places for 10 men in every bunk to lay in, 5 above and 5 below. Imagine now this space (...), in which are also piled up the boxes and trunks of the emigrants, even along the bunks. Imagine only, that in this space at bad weather 110 to 115 emigrants are being locked in, imagine their transpiration, their laughter, running, vomit, wailing, children screaming (...) and you will get rather an idea of this room."
Economic hardness, caused by draughts, summers that turned out be winters and causing a European wide famine, and political and religious oppression, the outcome ot the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, had been for many Germans a reason to start a new life overseas. The destinations had been North America and Brazil.
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Deutscher Bund, German Federation 1815 - 1866 - Source: Wikipedia
1815 saw the restauration of a splitt up German teritory into sovereign small countries, with taxes for import and transit transporting goods at each border, most different laws, measurings and currencies instead of a united nation, which was the wish of those nationalist in the wars against Napoléon, that had been wearing black uniforms with red collars, cuffs and golden coloured buttons - the origin of our flag (black - red - gold; yellow is in heraldic terms for gold!).
Further during the Napoléonic wars Britain had set up a blockade around Europe to prevent any trade with Napoléon, France, and his "allies". This was "international" legalized by the British Navigatin Act, till 1849 in place, that made, intended, free trade possible only for Britain. Britain monopolized trade and shipping, and surpressed any other developments and with that any competition.
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Polititian Robert Blum speaking to the Nationalversammlung in the Frankfurter Paulskirche, drawing by Ludwig von Elliott, 1848 - copy from my history book, own collection
After the failed revolution of 1848/49, emigration had been the sole way for participants to escape from persecution and imprisonment. America promised a life in freedom, prosperity and safety. A very prominent refugee, 1852, one of the Fourty-eighters, has been Carl Schurz, who was engaged in the US Civil War leading contingents of German soldiers against the South, first German born Senator, ambassdor to Spain, and later became Secretary of the Interior. Others had been e.g. Friedrich Hecker or  Franz Siegel which are today a part in US history ... as a certain Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Baron von Steuben (!funny? ... no English Wiki!), not to forget the French aristocrat Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette. This aristocrat was the one NORMANDIE was named after, when the Navy had its clutch on. And for the Prussian aristocrat New York is organizing each year  a celebration parade ...

In 1868, he was elected to the United States Senate from Missouri, becoming the first German American in that body. He earned a reputation for his speeches, which advocated fiscal responsibility, anti-imperialism, and integrity in government. During this period, he broke with the Grant administration, starting the Liberal Republican movement in Missouri, which in 1870 elected B. Gratz Brown governor.
After Fessenden's death, Schurz was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs where Schurz opposed Grant's Southern policy as well as his bid to annex Santo Domingo. Schurz was identified with the committee's investigation of arms sales to and cartridge manufacture for the French army by the United States government during the Franco-Prussian War.
In 1869, he became the first U.S. Senator to offer a Civil Service Reform bill to Congress. During Reconstruction, Schurz was opposed to federal military enforcement and protection of African American civil rights, and held nineteenth century ideas of European superiority and fears of miscegenation.
In 1870, Schurz helped form the Liberal Republican Party, which opposed President Ulysses S. Grant's annexation of Santo Domingo, and his use of the military to destroy the Ku Klux Klan in the South under the Enforcement Acts. Schurz lost the 1874 Senatorial election to Democratic Party challenger and former Confederate Francis Cockrell. After leaving office, he worked as an editor for various newspapers. In 1875, he assisted in the successful campaign of Rutherford B. Hayes to regain the office of Governor of Ohio. In 1877, Schurz was appointed Secretary of the Interior by Hayes, who had been by then been elected President of the United States. Although Schurz honestly attempted to reduce the effects of racism toward Native Americans and was partially successful at cleaning up corruption, his solutions towards American Indians "in light of late twentieth-century developments", were repressive. Indians were forced to move into low quality reservation lands that were unsuitable for tribal economic and cultural advancement. Promises made to Indian chiefs at White House meetings with President Rutherford B. Hayes and Schurz were not always kept.
In 1876, he supported Hayes for President, and Hayes named him Secretary of the Interior, following much of his advice in other cabinet appointments and in his inaugural address. In this department, Schurz put in force his theories in regard to merit in the Civil Service, permitting no removals except for cause, and requiring competitive examinations for candidates for clerkships. His efforts to remove political patronage met with only limited success, however. As an early conservationist, he prosecuted land thieves and attracted public attention to the necessity of forest preservation.
Source: Wikipedia
After the devastating failure of the revolutionaries of the 1848 March Revolution and its parliament in Frankfurt, many of the persecuted, as well as the economically and religiously desperate, left the dazed German lands. Most went for the USA, then the praized land of vast opportubities. By 1854, the emigration from Germany had reached with 252,000 persons a climax and got increased by other tens of thousands from Eastern Europe. Their reason to leave their homelands hand been very similar to those from Germany - religious, social and economic oppression. Most emigrants depended on British and American ships, but also German ship-owners realized the opportunity to enter this business.
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ps WASHINGTON, 1847, of OCEAN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY - copy from National Maritime Museum, own collection
In first place these refugees had to take the sailing packets across the North Atlantic.
In 1850, Robert Miles Sloman, whose father with British roots had initiated a service with sailing ships between Hamburg and American ports, opened, a steamship route with the small but well-appointed iron-built screw-steamer HELENA SLOMAN of 800 tons. She took 22 days for a westward crossing and 18 days eastwards, berthing 74 cabin passengers and 236 emigrants.
On her 3rd Atlantic crossing she got holed in a storm and drifted steerless towards the Newfoundland Coast. In last minute the shipwrecked were salvaged through a passing sailing ship, except 9 passengers who drowned when their lifeboat capsized. This was the rapid end of a promising enterprise. Sloman relied thereafter only on his cargo business.
Earlier in 1847 the French Cie. GÉNERALE des PAQUEBOTS TRANSATLANTIQUES was the very first shipping line transporting emmigrants to the USA on their steamer UNION. The company ended operations a year later in 1848. The shipping line was relying on the emigrant trade only, and could not cover the maintenance costs.
The emigrant trade by steamship is therefore, Sloman and PAQUEBOTS TRANSATLANTIQUES, not a British invention, but only a reaction on the irish potatoe famine. The bancrupcy of the French shipping line showed too, relying only on emigrant transport won´t bring the needed revenues.
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HELENE SOLMAN on her first departure for New York, 1850 - Source: Deutsches Museum MunichHAPAG
BORUSSIA of 1856, HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT, painting by Chr. Rave (old card, coll. WS) 
HAMBURG AMERIKA LlINIE's Rise to the Peak
On 27 May 1847, a new company was established in Hamburg under the management of Senator Adolph Godeffroy to initiate a mail and passenger service to North America with, very conservative, four sailing ships: the HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT, later mostly abbreviated to HAPAG or HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE - HAMBURG AMERICA LINE. 
When since 1848 the stream of emigrants called for more tonnage, HAMBURG AMERIKA LlINIE decided for steamers. While the sailing vessel took six or more weeks depending on the winds and currents for a westward passage, the steamship could do it in a third of time and within a regular schedule. This time they decided for state of the art technology - screw driven steamers.
Hapag
HAMMONIA, 1855, sister vessel of BORUSSIA - own collection
In 1855 the HAPAG took delivery from the British CAIRD Shipyard of two steamships, the HAMMONIA, the latin expression for Hamburg, of 2,026 tons and the BORUSSIA, the latin expression for Prussia, of 2,131 tons, to operate at a speed of 10 knots, berthing 200 cabin passengers, in First and Second Class, and 310 emigrants in the between deck. In their appearance they looked like sailing ships dismissing a lot of black smoke. Before they could take up their service in 1856, they had been chartered for troop transports in the Crimean War. In 1857, two somewhat bigger ships, AUSTRIA and SAXONIA of 2,684 tons each, joined the small fleet forming the starting point for a unique story of success.
HAPAG
AUSTRIA inferno made the front page of the 9 October 1858 issue of Harper’s Weekly
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Austria inferno - own collection
But only a year later, a catastrophe overshadowed the bright scene, when on the AUSTRIA fire broke out and 449 persons lost their lives. As a result of the increasing traffic, HAMBURG-AMERIKA LINIE took delivery of two other ships, the BAVARIA (2,405 tons) and the GERMANIA (2,123 tons), and after the sale of the aging HAMMONIA, the ALEMANNIA (2,665 tons) went on her maiden voyage to New York in 1865 while the BAVARIA (list of emigrants), renamed PETROPOLIS, changed onto the Central American and Brazil trade, owned by the forerunning company of HAMBURG SÜD / HAMBURG SÜDAMERIKANISCHE DAMPFSCHIFFAHRTSGESELLSCHAFT. At the same time, Baltimore and New Orleans got new terminals, the latter suspended in 1874 for disappointing results.
HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT had increased its passenger fleet by 13 other ships of 2,110 to 3,600 tons which provided good service but could not match the contemporary British and French liners of more than 5,000 tons. Its competitors have been from Bremen, the LLOYD and only this Hanseatic rivalry was in the sight of the board of directors.
And once again HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE was afflicted by a sad loss: On her way home from New York in August 1869, the GERMANIA ran aground at Cape Race. But gladly passengers and crew could be salvaged.
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Germania - own collection
All over Germany, in each of its seperate sovereign countries grew the wish for a united Germany and becomming a nation. All these countries had a common language, a common heritage but no nation. Otto von Bismarck, the primeminister of Prussia, having a gut feeling for trends and tendencies, took this commonly fealt wish for his new political goal - Germany united under a dominating and leading Prussia. First Prussia did occupy Hannover, with no reaction from UK, then he "divorced" from Austro-Hungary in a short and victorious war, throwing Austro-Hungary out of the Deutscher Bund. Then he caused with the Emser Depesche a diplomatic coup, the reason was the vacant throne of Spain. He changed words in the document that lead to the declaration of war of the French Empire against Prussia. In a blink of an eye the German countries sided Prussia against France, still in the feeling that France was the same as when Napoléon I. was occupying and opressing Germany and Europe. Under Napoléon I. France became the German archenemy ... till WWII ...
With German politicians biggest fault, they declared the Empire of the German in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, after their victory over France.
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Deutscher Bund, North German Federation - Source: Wikipedia
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The Empire of the German, Kaiserreich der Deutschen - Source: Wikipedia
Often wrong cited, it has been the German Empire, by law or as of the proclamation in Versailles. Wilhlem, King of Prussia, became Emporer of the German, not of Germany ... This had to be for the southern Kingdoms that joined the federation of Germany after 1870/71. The Emporer was only a nearly absolute ruler in Prussia, but never in Germany. The Empire was a constitual monarchy.
The war contribution for France was the equivalent of 25% of its GDP in 1869. This money fueled the German industrial revolution, new bank houses, new infrastructure and universities. But the amount of money was to high in the Gründerjahre (Founders´ Period/Years). Too muuch money in the system is going to be speculated with ... and in 1873 we had the Gründerkrach when the Stock Exchange in Vienna collapsed and like domino stones the other stock exchanges in Europe and the USA.
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Panic of 1873 in New York - Source: Wikipedia
In those days London was still the leading stock exchange market, but in the years after the Franco-Prussian War it was Vienna and Berlin ... Nowadays since WWII it the Wall Street.
The crash did lead to a depression all over the world, where some economies suffered more than others ... Germany, France and USA reemerged very soon, but Austro-Hungary and especially UK, till 1895!, suffered longer. In Britain it became the Great Depression.
The early mid 1870s were marked by a decline of passengers which made 13 steamers emptier than expected or used to be, and / or unemployed. The reason was a price dumping started by ADLER LINIE as a reaction to the Wiener Börsenkrach. This stock exchange crash was even swapping into the USA. The takeover of the competing ADLER LINIE brought however fresh blood into the HAPAG fleet. The overhanging tonnage was sold to French companies, the US Navy and to the Russian Volontary Fleet. From 1871 onwards all ships were thoroughly modernized and re-engined. But not any new contracted vessel.
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FRISIA, a typical Transatlantic steamer of 1870 to 1880 - own collection
Soon, further bad blows hit the company. In 1878 the POMMERANIA (3,382 tons) sank after collision with a British bark in the English Channel claiming 55 victims and then CIMBRIA (3,025 tons) got lost when the British steamer SULTAN collided with CIMBRIA shortly before reaching her homeport Bremerhaven, originally Geestemünde, off Borkum island after returning from New York in 1883, taking 437 down with her.
Incidentally in 1880 the the continental European and world economic situation turned into an upward trend and necessitated finally the addition of new tonnage. A first order was placed for the HAMMONIA, the third to bear that name, but she was only an evolution of the "standard liners" that had been in the HAPAG fleet.
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HAMMONIA 3 from the 1880s, she was a half hearted answer to the FLÜSSE Class of the Hanseatic rival LLOYD, she was "only" a bigger version of the FRISIA type vessels, with an aditional superstructure and a fake second funnel, imaging a modern vessel - own collection
Orders for two nearly revolutionairy liners were placed, and for the first time with German shipbuilders: The contract for RUGIA (3,409 tons) went to the VULCAN of Stettin and that for the other, RAETIA (3,553 tons), to the Reihersteg Werft of Hamburg, taking up service in 1882 resp. 1894, the RUGIA departing from Stettin. Even in good conditions and economical surrounding this decision is to be named "adventurous" as the board of directors was of the most conservative side, reflected by the existing fleet.
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The initial steamer of LLOYD´s FLÜSSE Class, ELBE - own collection
The positive trend continued over the 1880s. While in 1879 25,000 emigrants had left Hamburg, their number rose by 1881 onto 123,000. A big part in this emigration was dealt by the family owned business, Auswandereragentur Morris & Co, of AlbertBallin. The lack of direct connections to American ports forced the most emigrants and travelers to change ships in English ports. To remedy this inconvenience, a trampship-owner, Edward Carr, persuaded by Albert Ballin, took the chance and fitted six of his cargo steamers for passenger conveyance. The HAPAG board was startled to the bones and answered, ill consulted, with a price battle for the lowest fares.

Emigrant numbers form Hamburg during the "Carr Crisis" in the mid 1880s - Source: Wikipedia
In 1886 CARR LINIE associated with the UNION LINIE which entered finally in a pool contract with the HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE the same year. Combined with the contract was the appointment of the travel agent, or emigrant expedient, Albert Ballin as Administrative Manager of the HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE for Passagen (sales). The fatal and unfruitfull price battle was at an imediate end.
Thus, the 1st of May 1886 became one of the most memorable dates in HAPAG's history. This young managing talent, Albert Ballin, developed the third-class, and only half hearted answering on developments, enterprise into the mightiest shipping company in the world.
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COLUMBIA of HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT, French ad (coll. Juergen Klein)
Between 1889 and 1891 two new ships joined the HAMBURG AMERIKA LINE fleet, initiated by Albert Ballin, which took advantage of a number of technical innovations, as the triple and quadruple expansion compound engine, steel construction instead of iron, and above all, the double screw propulsion as an element of more safety. The new vessels had been Albert Ballins attempt attracting more of the international travellers, especially the North American rich.
While the LLOYD made the first step towards "Palaces at Sea" with its FLÜSSE Class, INMAN LINES with CITY OF NEW YORK and CITY OF PARIS and HAPAG with its AUGUSTA VICTORIA Class created the first real "Palaces at Sea".
The LLOYD stuck on its FLÜSSE Class, single screw vessels, but the later ones in steel. In the end it was a fleet of nearly similar, but all in different size, eleven express liners. The largest number of one specific ship model till the advent of modern day cruise vessels and their modular construction.
For the first time also German shipyards had been included in the programme. As the first, HAPAG received in April 1889 from VULCAN of Stettin the 7,661-ton liner AUGUSTA VICTORIA (later put correct to AUGUSTE VICTORIA), followed shortly after by the COLUMBIA (7,576 tons) from LAIRD BROTHERS, in May 1890 by the NORMANIA (8,716 tons (8,716 tons) from FAIRFIELD and in 1891 by the FÜRST BISMARCK (8,874 tons) again from Vulcan.
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FÜRST BISMARCK the last of the AUGUSTA VICTORIA Class vessels, and HAPAG´s first Greyhounds - Source: The Marine En gineer, google Didgitzation
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AUGUSTA VICTORIA was the third double-screw express-liner after Inman's CITY OF NEW YORK and CITY OF PARIS. HAPAG offered the fastest and best-organized North Atlantic service of the time and with regard of popularity, it took the top position. This was a dethroning of LLOYD, who was it till then ... Despite the domminace of British liners on the North Attlantic. Managing 19,75 knots, the new HAPAG ships were hard on the heels of INMANLINE's record holders with 20 knots.
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NORMANIA steaming into sunset, artist unkown - copy from a book in my library, own collection
During the winter season several HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE liners served for some time the Genoa - New York route. AUGUSTA VICTORIA went in 1891 on an Orient cruise, Orient Gesellschaftsreise and was chartered in 1895 by the Government for the opening ceremony of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal connecting the North with the Baltic Sea. Instead of the given word by Kaiser Wilhelm II., the palace burocracy put the international press on board, which in the end was the best they ever did for HAPAG and Albert Ballin, instead of insulting him for his Jewish belief. This discrediting went on till the Nazi dictatorship. These press people praised afterwards the excellent and over the top service and food quality they had been experiencing.
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Menue Card cover AUGUSTA VICTORIA - Source: NY Public Library
In 1904 AUGUSTA VICTORIA was sold to the Russian navy, followed by FÜRST BISMARCK in 1909, while the NORMANNIA went to Spain in 1898 as an auxilliary cruiser in the Spanish.-American War, after which USA was definitely a colonial power.
HAPAG's further rise was abruptly stopped by the outbreak of a severe cholera epidemic in 1892 which brought all shipping activities in Hamburg to a sudden standstill for about a year. The disease had been probably brought in by emigrants from Eastern Europe. Of the 144,383 emigrants having departed from Hamburg in 1891, 76,791 came from impoverished and therefore poorly civilized regions.
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 Above and below, Ballin Stadt, emigration center in Hamburg initiated by Albert Ballin after the Cholera epedemic in the 1890s - Source: BallinStadt-Auswanderermuseum
The reaction of Albert Ballin was to errect an "emigrant city", now called BALLIN STADT in Hamburg centralizing the emigrants, instead of  spreading them "uncontrolled" over Hamburg. Improved medical and hygienic care in the established and separated emigrant district extinguished further epedemics.Worth a visit when travelling to Hamburg!
The epidemic further was fought by errading the oldest part of Hamburg, back then it has turned into a slum, suspecting this area as another possible center of the epedemic, and errecting a then modern business district, which was the first tax free storing possibility in Germany and Europe - the Speicherstadt, now a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE. Within you will find today the Eisenbahn Miniaturwunderland, the world biggest 1:87 model train installment and the Internationale Maritime Museum Hamburg, a donation to Hamburg by Peter Tamm.
With the revival of business, HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT felt the necessity to replace older steamers of the 1870s by ships of a new pattern, the P-Class, so designated because of their names with "P" as initial letter. Out of the 9 ships, six of 5,800 to 6,700-tonners were placed onto the North Atlantic route in 1894/95. The other three of about 13,000 tons, the "Big Ps", followed between 1896 and 1899. These simple styled steamers for an operational speed of 12 to 13 knots, marked by two funnels and three masts accommodated 200 to 340 cabin passengers and 2,300 emigrants in changeable (freight/steerage) between decks. The revived travelling, emigration and epecially the cargo business helped HAPAG becoming the greatest shipping enterprise in the world, owning a total of 440,000 registered tons.
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PENNSYLVANIA, 1897, first of the P Class freight and passenger liners - Source: Wikipedia
1897
13023 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1898
Pretoria
13023 BRT
Blohm & Voss
28. Februar 1898 Jungfernfahrt nach New York, 24. März 1919 an USA ausgeliefert und als Truppentransporter im Einsatz, ab 1920 in britischem Dienst, 1921 zum Abbruch verkauft
1899
Graf Waldersee
13023 BRT
Blohm & Voss
ursprünglich als Pavia geplant, 2. April 1899 Jungfernreise nach New York, 23. März 1919 an USA ausgeliefert und als Truppentransporter im Einsatz, ab 1920 in britischem Dienst, 1921 zum Abbruch verkauft
1899
13023 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
7. Juni 1899 Jungfernreise nach New York, 22. März 1919 an USA ausgeliefert und als Truppentransporter im Einsatz, ab 1920 in britischem Dienst, 1921 abgebrochen
The construction programme of 1893 comprised 16 steamers of 5,300 to 6,500 tons, designated as "A" -Class and 5 of the bigger "B"-Class of about 10,000 tons, managing 12 knots. Except of well-furnished First and Second Class cabins, they provided mainly accommodation for emigrants and got assigned onto the routes to Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Montreal. One can hardly claim any aspect of grace for these four-mast single-funnel ships. Nonetheless they formed the bread-and-butter base for HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE 's North Atlantic business.
 PRETORIA, 1898, second of the P Class freight and passenger liners - Source: Wikipedia
1898
Brasilia (I)
10326 BRT
Harland & Wolff
Februar 1899 zurück an Bauwerft, April 1899 an Dominion Line als Norseman (II), 22. Januar 1916 vor griechischer Küste durch U 39 torpediert und auf Strand gesetzt, 1920 verschrottet
1898
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1914 in Baltimore aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1899
Belgravia (I)
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
ähnliche Dienste wie Bulgaria, 31. Mai 1905 nach Russland verkauft als Riga, ab 1906 Heimathafen Odessa, 1920 umbenannt in Transbalt (Lazarettschiff), ab 1924 Frachter mit Wladiwostok als Heimathafen, auf einer Fahrt von Seattle nach Wladiwostok mit Passagieren und 9800 ts Ladung am 13. Juni 1945 durch das amerikanische U-Boot USS Spadefish irrtümlich in der La-Pérouse-Straße versenkt, von 1906 bis zur Versenkung das größte russische/ sowjetische Handelsschiff
1899
Batavia
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
27. Juli 1900 als Truppentransporter mit 2307 Mann und Material nach China (bei ihrer Verabschiedung hielt Kaiser Wilhelm II. die sog. Hunnenrede), dann ähnliche Dienste wie Bulgaria, 1913 als Polonia im Triest-Kanada Dienst, 1914 in Hamburg aufgelegt, 1917 als größter Transporter bei der Landung auf Oesel im Einsatz, nach Kriegsende Gefangenentransportschiff, Februar 1919 an Frankreich, 1924 abgebrochen
(1899)
Belgia (I)
11585 BRT
Harland & Wolff
vor Fertigstellung verkauft, als Frachter Michigan für Atlantic Transport Line in Dienst, 1900 an Dominion Line als Irishman (II), 1921 an Leyland Line, 1925 in den Niederlanden verschrottet
1899
Bosnia
9683 BRT
Palmer SB
1899 als Frachter angekauft, 1907 bei Blohm & Voss zum Auswandererschiff umgebaut, 1914 Werkstattschiff der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1920 ausgeliefert, 1924 als Frangestan im Roten Meer ausgebrannt und gesunken
HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE, which owed its success primarily to Ballin's pragmatic policy, seized in 1903 the opportunity to acquire from HARLAND & WOLFF two uncompleted ships of about 18,000 tons predestinated for the emigration business. Commissioned by the British WILSON & FURNESS LEYLAND LINE, their provided names SERVIAN and SCOTIAN had been changed into PRESIDENT LINCOLN and PRESIDENT GRANT
REPUBLIC, ex PRESIDENTGRANT with enlarged superstructure during WWI as US trooper - Source: Wikipedia
PRESIDENT LINCOLN in HAPAG colours, till 1914/18 all "normal" vessels of HAPAG had a black funnel, only the express steamers had a buff-yellow funnelw - Source: Wikipedia
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BULGARIA, 1898, second of the B Class freight and passenger liners, depicted as the USS PHILIPPINE during WWI - Source: Wikipedia
As with many ships of British design their profile was marked by the separation of the bridge from the upperworks with the single funnel upon, but what had been unique was the installation of six masts which brought them in the nickname "The Boehmerwald" (Bohemian Forest). Although lacking of any grace, they made good profits for the company. After taking delivery of the medium-sized two-funnel liners MOLTKE and BLÜCHER of 12,335 tons for 15.5 knots, HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT was keen attracting over and above a highly pretentious clientele.
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BLÜCHER, sister vessel of MOLTKE, each enhanced BARBAROSSA Class vessels, which originally had been developed for LLOYD - Source: Wikipedia
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HAPAG piers in Hoboken, 1900. (The ship on the right is AUGUSTE VICTORIA, rebuilt and renamed correct, to the left is PRINZESSIN VICTORIA LUISE - the vessel which introduced the modern cruise and the first purpose built cruise vessel ever) - own collection
To keep pace with WHITE STAR LINE's CELTIC and CEDRIC, a double-screw liner of 22,225 tons was commissioned with HARLAND & WOLFF and named AMERIKA. When she went on her maiden voyage to New York on 11 October 1905, the international press was full of praise for her extraordinary comfort. AMERIKA was the first liner offering an extra dining venue, with extra charge, for the First Class passengers - The Ritz-Carlton Restaurant
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AMERIKA, 1905, with the increasing pace for bigger ships, she was for short, the biggest vessel in the world, but for sure lasting: the first liner with an extra dining venue on board, the RITZ-CARLTON Restaurant for its First Class clientele - own collection
It was an immediate success, and became a standard on board HAPAG´s liners. Quite a similar liner, the KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA of 24,581 tons, constructed at VULCAN of Stettin, took up service in May 1906. Each of the two ships was for some time the largest one in the world. Although operating at a speed of only 17.5 knots and taking 2 days more for an Atlantic crossing against the express liners, they proved being a great success and confirmed Ballin's strategy. In spite of their more on tonnage, they consumed only half the quantity of coal. As a welcome innovation was adopted the introduction of a Third cabin class, provided especially for emigrant families being prepared to pay a slight supplement.
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KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA passing CLEVELAND by Fred Pansing - copy from Arnold Kludas Die Geschichte der Deutschen Passagierschiffahrt
Although Ballin was not fond of the racing for the Blue Riband, he consented into the intention of the HAPAG Board to take part in order not to lose on image. In July 1900, the elegant DEUTSCHLAND of 16,502 tons from VULCAN of Stettin, in her appearance quite similar to NDL's KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE, came fully up to HAPAG´s expectations. DEUTSCHLAND was the second of five of the German Greyhounds of the Kaiser Class.
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DEUTSCHLAND, 1900, at her pier in New York - courtsey coloring by Daryl LeBlanc
Already on her maiden voyage on 4 July 1900 she won the Blue Riband, peaking 22,42 knots. HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT's triumph was however soon spoilt. Unlike her rival of Bremen, the DEUTSCHLAND suffered terribly from vibrations to such an extent, that she caught the nickname "The Cocktail-Shaker". But it came still worse: In April 1902, on her return from New York, she lost her rudder with a part of her stern. Because no means could be found to eliminate the failure. Finally the ship was sent in 1910 to Vulcan to be converted into a de-luxe cruise ship for First Class passengers only - VICTORIA LUISE.
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Massively reconstructed re-emergec DEUTSCHLAND as the top notch luxury cruise vessel VICTORIA LUISE - own collection
Ballin, who has never favoured the maritime express liners, restored his former policy when new tonnage was needed. In 1909 HAPAG took delivery of a medium-sized twin pair, the CINCINNATI and the CLEVELAND of about 17,000 tons. Following the generally raised standard of living, also the emigrant accommodations presented improvements (in 1919 CLEVELAND had to be handed over to the U.S. Shipping Board and sailed thereafter as MOBILE for the U.S. Army and Navy. After some further changes of ownership and names, she finished her days under her prior name as a single class ship at Hamburg. CINCINNATI, after being confiscated by the U.S. authorities, was torpedoed by a German submarine and got lost).
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CLEVELAND, depicted as USS MOBILE, during WWI - Source: Wikipedia
Superliners
When in 1907 CUNARD's Blue Riband winners LUSITANIA and MAURETANIA finished the "decade of the Germans", with the massive help of British subsidies, and WHITE STAR, backed by IMMC, was going to commission a trio of super liners, 50 percent bigger than those speedsters and double the size of HAPAG's last acquisitions, Ballin got worried about the company's leading position.

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IMPERATOR advertising, poster art, ART DÉCO is calling - own collection
A project of a 30,000-ton ship with Harland & Wolff was not carried on. The Administration Board consented eventually to three ships which should clearly surpass those of WHITE STAR. HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT's order for its first superliner went to the Vulcan which had erected a new shipyard at Hamburg, because the installations on the mouth of the Oder at Stettin could not keep pace with the rapid growing of ship sizes.


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IMPERATOR- courtsey, coloured by Steve Walker
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 IMPERATOR longitudinal cut - own collection
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IMPERATOR B Deck - own collection
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IMPERATOR C Deck - own collection
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IMPERATOR D Deck - own collection
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IMPERATOR E Deck - own collection
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IMPERATOR F Deck - own collection
IMPERATOR, Ritz-Carlton Restaurant, view from the Palmengarten / Wintergarden - own collection
In 1912, 6 weeks after the TITANIC catastrophe, HAPAG's first superliner was launched and has been baptized by the German Emperor on the name IMPERATOR. Originally Ballin had "AMERIKA" as name in mind, but Kaiser Wilhelm II. insisted on "IMPERATOR", with this naming the in German "normal" female ship name went for this ship into the male form "der IMPERATOR". With 52,117 tons IMPERATOR started as the largest ship of the time. This performance is in so far remarkable as it has been achieved - unlike with CUNARD's record breakers - without a government support. The IMPERATOR set complete new standards in passenger appointments. She presented not simply a bigger conventional ocean liner, but realized the impression of a floating town of dimensions and luxury never seen before, surpassing even that of many of the finest hotels.
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The swimmingpool, First Class, of IMPERATOR, recalling a Pompeian bath, the interior architect Chales Mewes took its own work for the ROYAL AUTOMIBILE CLUB in London as sample for. Instead of confining the room to one deck only, he enlarged its hight to two decks
Floorplan of IMPERATOR´s swimmingpool and sauna - own collection
The interior design was done by French architect Charles Mewes, who was contracted by Albert Ballin exclusive for HAPAG. No question that also the technical equipment took full advantage of the last developments. The lifeboat arragements (to be seen above and below in the coloured photographs)  had been redesigned after the TITANIC catastrophe, IMPERATOR´s partly lower positioned lifeboats became SOLAS requirement for all ships constructed today. Triple expansion steam turbines, developing 84,000 shaft-h.p., drove four propellers and helped the giant managing 24 knots, only slightly below CUNARD's record. Three high funnels and well-balanced proportions marked Germany's new pride at sea. Except of much praise from the international press, the IMPERATOR received also critical comments.
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IMPERATOR listing to starboard. As IMPERATOR was listing severly even in calm waters, New York tug crews and harbor workers nicknamed him "Listerator". "Listing" is a nauticla term and has nothing to do with limping, ships have no legs. The severe listing was caused by too much weight above the point of gravity. It was solved during IMPERATOR´s garantee drydocking, by shortening the funnels by 3 meters, removing marbel from First Class bathrooms and heavy paneling wood, as changing furniture to less weighing ones.
Apart from the extravagant luxury it aimed especially at her unusual figurehead, showing a relief globe surrounded by a corona of rays and a huge eagle figure upon, who´s eyes, like dead, had been looking angry into the world. In terms of the one or other improper phrase of the Kaiser, the representation had been interpreted as an expression of German imperialism. Imperialism was a desease in those days of which all European nations did suffer, espercially that nation which blamed the German imperialism at most ...
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IMPERATOR´s figurehead, some argue it was added to stress Germany´s imperialism, some others tend to the argument of added length, to surpass the coming AQUITANIA - own collection, scanned from a book in my library
Albert Ballin, although being a personal friend of the Kaiser, can hardly be supposed of that. His and his company's leading principle ("Mein Feld ist die Welt - The World is my/our Field") It was in no terms ostentatious, it meant nothing more as every economically orientated enterprise strives for: to expand its operational field and making good profits. Anyhow, the figurehead seemed being unnecessary and did not really contribute, in my view, to the grace of the ship. In the end the argument was solved by nature when the object under dispute was destroyed in a storm. But IMPERATOR had another costructive problem, the vessel was top heavy and tended to longer lasting listings to port or starport, which got IMPERATOR the nickname "Listerator".
The dismantled figurehead of IMPERATOR after destruction by a severe storm - own collection, copy from an article in the political magazine DER SPEIGEL

The IMPERATOR disposed upon a berth capacity of 908 First, 972 Second, 934 Third and 1,772 Tourist Class passengers. To improve the ship's lacking stability, most of the overweight by marble and heavy wooden furniture was removed from the upper decks and the funnels were shortened by 3 meters. She started her maiden voyage on 20 June 1913 from Cuxhaven to New York. The port of Cuxhaven at the esturay of the Elbe was connected since 1889 by special "boat trains" from Hamburg for HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE. Three years after her maiden voyage, the IMPERATOR was laid up at Hamburg for the period of World War I and was thereafter handed over to the CUNARD LINE via the Shipping Controller. Thoroughly modernized and renamed BERENGARIA, she operated from 1921 between Liverpool and New York as flagship of Great Britain's merchant navy. Damaged by fire at New York harbour she was scrapped in 1938.
IMPERATOR interior, left restyled Main Hall and staircase on BERENGARIA, right top on IMPRATOR, the restyled room lost of its grandeur ... right below, the Main Lounge - own collection
HAPAG's second superliner surpassed its forerunner by about 2,000 tons. This time the order was placed with Blohm & Voss of Hamburg. Launched on 3 April 1913 and measuring 54,284 tons the ship was baptized by the Crown Prince of Bavaria on the name of VATERLAND (originally planned as "EUROPA"). Her maiden voyage took place on 1st May 1914 as partner of IMPERATOR. In her principle outlines she followed IMPERATOR in general, but featured some technical and architectural improvements.
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IMPERATOR First Class Main Dining Room, Table d´hôte - own collection, copy from Hauser, Die Deutschen Passagierschiffe 1816-1990
To provide an unhindered passage through the saloons, the smoke diversion to the funnels was laid at the sides. A structural feature that was originally planned at first for AMERIKA by Mewes, and KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA. With the later it was to late for changes, but HARLAND &  WOLLFF did not want to change the "usual design", as they named it "impracticable".
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 VATERLAND, later Leviathan, based on IMPERATOR design ideas, but a new class of ship - own collection
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VATERLAND longitudinal - own collection
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VATERLAND leaving its builder BLOHM&VOSS - own collection
The raised engine power of  VATERLAND to 90,400 h.p. enabled her to a speed of 25.5 knots. HAPAG's pride however did not last for long.
After her maiden voyage and three other Atlantic crossings, World War I broke out and VATERLAND was laid up at New York harbour. When the USA had declared war on Germany in 1917, the ship was confiscated and served as LEVIATHAN for the Navy during the period of the war. Extensively modernized and enlarged to 60,000 tons, she started a new life as the largest ship ever sailing under the Stars and Stripes. In spite of her high comfort, the LEVIATHAN operated not very successfully on her Southampton - New York route, considered as a following of the Prohibition Law of the United States. This prohibition only made the Mafia grow, and get more US citizens boozed than ever ... And everything prohibited or reare is lusted after! During her time with UNITED STATES LINES LEVIATHAN was laid up several times as LEVIATHAN was unattractive for the international and especially the American clientele. Another not often mentioned point was the "American Service" ... In 1938 she was sold for scrapping in Rosyth, Scotland.
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 LEVIATHAN, ex VATERLAND, after reconstruction, after new plans made by William Francis Gibbs - own collection
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LEVIATHAN, ex VATERLAND interiors - photos, own collection

The contract for HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE's third superliner went again to Blohm & Voss. It surpassed VATERLAND once again by 2,000 tons. Launch and baptism ceremony was made again a national event in presence of the Kaiser. Countess Hannah von Bismarck baptized the ship on the name of the founder of the united Germany, BISMARCK. With outbreak of WWI the equipment works were stopped.
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MAJESTIC cut-away, it was produced by White Star Lines and a promotional advertising and souvenir. During the golden age of the North Atlantic passenger liners these cut-away views where quite popular with the public and were produced for just about every liner owned by the major shipping companies. Intended to impress the public with the technical marvels that these ships were the drawings also illustrated the finer and luxurious appointments that each vessel possessed - own collection
After the end of hostilities, the ship was completed under British supervision and went as MAJESTIC to the White Star Line in 1922, having never sailed under German flag. This task was done under material shortage and a raging inflation in Germany, which started during WWI and was fueld up by the French Ruhr Occupation and the resistance against it. Financing the resistance the central bank of Germany put the money printers to work ... It was the time when wallets turned to shopping bags, and the shopping bags turned into wallets to get purchases home ...
By negotiating a special treaty with UK, at VULCAN the unfinished HINDENBURG could finally built as COLUMBUS, which set sail in 1924 after establishing a new currency - Rentenmark, which ended the inflation.
For the shipping lines from the Allied countries Armistice and the Versailles Treaty was a more than positive gain in two ways - first: they got most new vessels of 6 to 8 year old in average, with advanced technology, sturdy built and second: they got rid of a fierce competitor, that was able to compete without any state subsidiaries ...
Until the advent of the QUEEN MARY, MAJESTIC took the place as flagship of the British merchant fleet. CUNARD and WHITE STAR both bought BISMARCK and IMPERATOR together, so each company shared 50% for 10 years of the two liners.
With the advent of QUEEN MARY and because of the Depression that followed the Wall Street crash of 1929 - it had been the similar reasons as in 1873, MAJESTIC was put up for sale ... finally to the breakers, as OLYMPIC and uncountable other liners that became obsolete because of the traffic decline world wide. The British Royal Navy bought the vessel from the breaker and converted MAJESTIC, renamed CALEDONIA, into a stationary training ship in 1936, she burnt out and halfway sank in 1939 and was broken up a year later. 
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HAPAG lines around the world - own collection
From WWI to WWII
Before WW I had broken out, Germany owned a merchant fleet of 2,090 vessels totaling 5.1 million tons, ranking second in the world behind Great Britain with a total of 20.5 million tons, but ahead of the USA with 2 million tons. War losses had Germany's merchant fleet diminished to a mere of circa 600,000 tons.
In accordance to the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, all ships of more than 1,600 tons including those under construction had to be handed over to the Allied Shipping Controller Board. Port facilities and docks abroad had been expropriated. The defeated Germany had a revolution, sweaping away the different dynasties of the federal organized Empire of the German, became a republic. The Kaiser left the country and Albert Ballin, who could not bear the ruin of his life-work, died tragically. He took on the day of armistice an overdose of sleeping pills. Albert Ballin was by the way personally engaged to avoid the comming clash - the first devastating catastrophy of Europe.
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HANSA, ex VICTORIA LUISE the most luxurious cruise vessel, ex DEUTSCHLAND the Cocktail Shaker and Blue Riband winner, depicting in tis appearance the situation of HAPAG and Germany, a shadow of former glory days - own collection
To the HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE, once the greatest shipping enterprise in the world, only a volume of 82,000 tons had been left. The only ocean-going passenger ship to remain was the late de-luxe cruise ship VICTORIA LUISE, the former Blue Riband-winner DEUTSCHLAND. Her bad condition rescued her from delivery. Rebuilt to a Third-Class only ship renamed HANSA and with two of her 4 funnels removed, she resumed HAMBURG AMERIKA LINIE's New York service in 1921, but was laid up in 1924 for scrapping. The former glorious liner and luxury cruise vessel had been in too bad condition, when the USA closed itself against imigration, therefore a rebuilding was out of question.
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ALBERT BALLIN postcard published 1922 - own collection
The first German ship that docked after the war at New York was HAPAG's BAYERN, more likely a passenger/cargo steamer of 9,014 tons, put in operation in 1921. Managing only 12 knots, she was no match for the competitors of other nations.
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UNITED AMERICAN LINES of HARRIMAN GROUP and HAPAG advertising - own colletion
Nevertheless the Americans gave her a hearty welcome. To the same general design, three other steamers were put in service in 1923/24: WÜRTEMBERG (8,900 tons), THURINGIA (11,343 tons) and WESTPHALIA (11,343 tons). They operated only for a short time on the North Atlantic and were transferred to the La Plata route. HAPAG's effort to regain a noteworthy position in the North Atlantic business did however never slow down. To overcome the lack of tonnage, the company reacquired two of its 20,000 ton liners of 1914. These most elegant three-funnel liners, named WILLIAM O' SWALD and JOHANN HEINRICH BURCHARD, originally intended for the La Plata route, could never take up this service by outbreak of war. The one, still completed at the Tecklenborg Yard, and the seconed unfinished liner, was sold in 1916 to the KONINGLIJKE HOLLANDSCHE LLOYD of Amsterdam.

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Painting of RESOLUTE, finally in HAPAG colours as intended when ordered - artist unknown
According to the reparation regulations, the deal was not acknowledged by the victorious powers. Through a trick the Germans succeeded to get the ship through the British control to Amsterdam. Her sister followed after completion in February 1920. They were introduced by the Dutch on the Buenos Aires route, but proved too large for that market in those days. The world economy was still not recovered after WWI. Both liners were sold, reportedly in order to avoid diplomatic complications with the British government to the UNITED AMERICAN LINES, which was part of the HARRIMAN GROUP. Introduced them as RELIANCE and RESOLUTE both liners took over the service between Hamburg and New York. HAPAG entered into a contract with the UAL for an operational association. In 1926 the ships returned without changing names into the full ownership of HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT. From 1927 they carried the company's new funnel colours of yellow with top rims in the ancient national colours of black, white and red.
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ALBERT BALLIN, promotional postcard - own collection
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DEUTSCHLAND, clearly to be seen the FRAM Anti Rolling Tanks which cause the bulge in the hull above the waterline - own collection
Thanks to their sound comfort and their good keeping at sea, both ships won the favour of the traveling public. A machinery utilizing a combination of 2 triple expansion engines combined with an exhaust-turbine between, working on three screws, helped the ships to manage 18 knots. In 1928 they were exclusively refitted for de-luxe cruises. Becoming known as HAMBURG AMERIKA LINES's White Ladies and earned special fame for the 123-days round the-world-tours starting from New York and finishing at San Francisco after visiting 29 countries. In 1935 the RESOLUTE was sold to the Italian government. Renamed LOMBARDIA and registered with Flotte Riunite Italia, she was used as a troopship in the Ethiopian War. In 1943 she was sunk by an Allied air attack on Naples harbour. Her sister, damaged by a fire at Hamburg in 1938, was sent for scrapping to Bremerhaven in 1941.
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LOMBARDIA, ex RESOLUTE - own collection
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RELIANCE ablaze, during her outfitting for a further cruise she caught fire, which was investigated for sabotage - copy from a newspaper, own collection
Back to the days of Albert Ballin, he thought already during the war about the company´s policy for the time after. Considering the expected decline of revenues and incomes, the possibly highest degree of economy should be made the guiding principle, but impression of austerity should prevail. That means a reasonable luxury for the First, solid comfort for the Second and a good standard for the Third Class.
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RELIANCE and RESOLUTE got well reputated amoung cruisers during the wars, the World Circumnavigation cruises on board these vessels became a hit - own collection, copy from Helmut Cauer, Weltreisen auf Schiffsplakaten
First of a commissioned quartet, launched at Blohm & Voss in 1923, was baptized on the name of HAPAG's Great Man, ALBERT BALLIN, and placed on the North Atlantic route the following year. The turbine-powered twin-screw 20,815-ton-ship managed 16 knots at an extraordinarily low fuel consumption and accommodated 204 First, 340 Second and 960 Third Class passengers in a tasteful up-to-date comfort. Her outer appearance was characterized by high but short upperworks carrying two straight funnels and four masts. In 1934, after a call at Bremerhaven, she struck a harbour tug which sank with 4 crew hands. Later, twice rebuilt and equipped with more powerful turbines, her tonnage had increased by first lengthening by constructing a new bow section, to 21,121 and her speed to 19 knots. In consequence of the anti-Semitic laws of the Nazi-government, HAPAG was forced to rename the ship into HANSA in 1935.
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ALBERT BALLIN, renamed under the pressure of the Nazi´s into HANSA - Source: Wikipedia
During WW II she was used as a housing ship for the navy and was at last employed in the evacuation action of Prussia from the approach of the Red Army. In one of these operations she struck a mine. After disembarkation of the refugees she capsized near Warnemuende. Repaired by 1955, she served as SOVIETSKY SOYUS for Sovtorgflot at Vladivostok and was eventually scrapped after a career of 58 years.
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ALBERT BALLIN, Cuxhaven in 1923 (DB Verkehrsarchiv) - Source: Wikipedia
HAPAG, having been a promoter of the motor ship, entered into contracts for the construction of two 17,000 ton diesel-powered liners, the St.LOUIS with the Vulcan of Bremen-Veegesack and the MILWAUKEE with Blohm & Voss of Hamburg, each powered by 4 diesel engines on two screwshafts enabling them to manage 16 knots. Greatest acknowledgement they acquired on cruises, which went especially for the MILWAUKEE. For that usage she was equipped in 1935 as a First-Class ship in white livery. She survived the war as a housing ship and sailed thereafter as EMPIRE WAVENEY under CUNRAD mangement. After a fire-damage she was scrapped in 1946.
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MILWAUKEE in cruise livree, she was well reputated amoung international cruisers, and offered luxury cruises for KdF, for those who had been more equal in Nazi Germany - own collection, copy of a postcard
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St.LOUIS in front of the Malécon 1939 in Havana with 937 Jewish refugees on board, this journey was a well set fraud by Goebbels and his entourage - own collection
Much appreciation received the St.LOUIS by her courageous Captain Schroeder when she had left Hamburg 1939 with 937 Jewish asylum seekers on board for Cuba. Although in possession of immigration papers, neither this country nor the United States gave permission for embarkation. After an odyssey over five weeks in the course of which Schroeder contacted several countries, finally the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Great Britain gave asylum to the desperate Jews. Had Captain Schroeder returned to Germany as the Nazis had him expected, they would have been sent to a concentration camp with poor chance to survive. Only those refugees in Britain survived unharmed the war. By using the survival rates for Jews in various countries, Thomas and Morgan-Witts, the authors of "Voyage of the Damned", estimated that 180 of the St. Louis refugees in France, 152 of those in Belgium, and 60 of those in the Netherlands survived the Holocaust. Including the passengers who landed in England, of the original 936 refugees (one man died during the voyage), roughly 709 survived the war and 227 did not.
Thanks to the worldwide attention being paid to the affair, Captain Schroeder was only displaced from his post. After the war he was honoured by the government of Israel as Righteous among the Nations. St.LOUIS was used as a hulk during the war. She was hit by a bomb during the Hamburg bomb raids and burnt, partly restored St.LOUIS was used a hotel ship thereafter in Hamburg. In 1950 she was broken up at Bremerhaven.
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The Verandah on board DEUTSCHLAND, a pedigree to all HAPAG mid wars liners - own collection
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St.LOUIS in Havana 1939, detail of the photograph from above ... in the center above the promenade is the HAPAG pedigree Verandah - own collection
The End
Despite the world economic situation the Third Reich forced German shipping lines constructing vessels to be present with representative vessels on all shipping lines of importance. Since 1935 HAPAG, as LLOYD, was under the control of the goverment. That was leading to new built program with vessels that not really have been neccessary. The building program enforced by the Nazi´s was too a "Keynes investment program".
All North Atlantic liners, including the unfinished VATERLAND, had been transferred in 1941 to DEUTSCHE NORDATLANTIK LINE (NORDA), which was state owned. The Nazi goverment believed that such a service, after winning WWII, should be in the interest of the nation, and to be done by.
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Model of VATERLAND, the intended first of a new trio of liners for the Northatlantic - copy from a broshure of the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte und Kunstgeschichte
Below model of VATERLAND in the museum
HapagHapagHapagSource of the three pictures above: Kruiznik.ru
As for the general economic situation the Nazi gouverment of Germany forced the rivals of Bremen and Hamburg to form a joint company that would handle the North Atlantic business where LLOYD and HAPAG sell the passages to the international travellers in their "old names" but into one account. Internal quarrels between the Hanseatic rivals about the different "qualities" of the vessels had been forced down by the Nazi Transport department.
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 The Yourkevitch design for HAPAG´s new trio, resembled quite a few NORMANDIE design items
Although the number of passengers had declined by more than 50 percent since 1929, every year new tonnage produced an overcapacity in the passenger business. Then theere was the boycott against Nazi Germany, that was of no real interest to the international travellers -  even US American Jews booked a passage on Nazi German ships or used them for cruising - e.g. COLUMBUS, on his last cruise in 1939 was a great number of people with Jewish belief!
Towards the late 1930s it became nonetheless evident that HAPAG needed new ships to keep pace with its competitors. To provide an optimal passenger service, the policy of a mixed pure passenger/cargo operation should not be retained. Top-liners like the QUEEN MARY (80,774 ts, 29 knots) of CUNARD, NORMANDIE of Cie. Gle. TRANSATLANTIQUE (79,280 ts, 29 knots), BREMEN (51,656 ts, 28 knots), EUROPA (49,746 ts, 28knots) of NDL and REX of ITALIA (51,062 ts, 28 knots) were to figure not simply as means of communication between the continents. Over and above they represented their countries abroad. Therefore governmental support became more and more indispensable. HAPAG planned to introduce three 41,000-ton liners. This time, for the first and last, the newbuilts had been financed by the goverment.
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The uncompleted second VATERLAND, ready to be launched - own collection
By interference of war only one could be launched at the Blohm & Voss yard in 1940, the contracts for the other ones had to be cancelled. The design by Yourkevitch had provided a ship of extraordinary grace, perfectly proportioned, sporting a clipper bow and two slightly inclined short funnels in HAPAG 's house colours, and laid out as for liner service as for cruises, accommodating either 297 First, 456 Second and 467 Third Class passengers or 500 single class when going on round-the-world-travels - that would have been really luxurious, as the ships could offer ample deckspace and with only slightly reduced crew an over the top HAPAG service!, or 1000 for short trips. Two turbo-electric power units driving two propellers should have enabled to keep 23.5 knots at economic operation costs and a maximum of 25.5 knots. Not the name DEUTSCHLAND (II), as presumed by some sources, but VATERLAND (III) was chosen. The outbreak of World War II forced to stop the construction work. On 25 July 1943 the torso was set on fire at BLOHM & VOSS in Hamburg, during an air attack, Operation Gomorrah  and led to its breaking up, despite a feasable reconstruction, in 1948, ordered by the British occupation forces.
The burned out hulk of VATERLAND after Operation Gomorrah 1943 - own collection
VATERLAND in this stage was nicknamed by the people of Hamburg as the "Großmaul" ... meaning the Austrian wallpainter
The massive bombardment of German cities did not destroy the moral in Germany. If Churchill and Bomber Harries had been looking clsoer into the reactions of British people during the Battle over England, they would have come to other logic conclusions ... and in Germany we did not have a Royal Family giving mental support ...
The LLOYD himself was in the planing stage for two new fast (planed as Blue Riband winners) and bigger Transatlantic liners - AMERIKA and VICTORIA.
With the formed NORDA it would have been the first and only time when the German government would have been subsidising the Northatlantic trade. Subsidiaries have never been paid prior or after.
AMERIKA and VICTORIA the planed successors for BREMEN and EUROPA of LLOYD - copy from Arnold Kludas, Die Geschichte der Deutschen Passagierschffahrt
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IMPERATOR at Steubenhöft in Cuxhaven - Source: Cuxhavener Nachrichten
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Steubenhöft in the early 1920s, left the HAPAG HALLEN with the train station, at the pier THÜRINGEN - own collection
ALBERT BALLIN Class liner at Steubenhöft - copy from a postcard, own collection
HAPAG HALLEN at the Steubenhöft which includes a trainstation
Cuxhaven Steubenhoeft, empty in 1982 - own collection
Today a cruise hub, the Steubenhöft with new life, including an exhibition about Transatlantic traffic - Source: Wikipedia
Hamburg, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski - Source: Wikipedia
With the sad end of this uncompleted liner, HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT's regular passenger services on the North Atlantic have gone for ever. After WWII HAPAG reorganized its fleet as a freight liner service, with freighters that could take up to max. 12 passengers. HAPAG and LLOYD had been split up by the British Zone´s occupation goverment.

Only the trio of the HAMBURG Class accomodated 80 First Class passengers. A similar trio was build for LLOYD and served in their combined East Asia liner service. These Hamburg Class vessels offered the old pre WWII typical HAPAG service on board while sailing to East Asia.
Hapag
Together with LLOYD HAPAG each ordered a trio of fast combined freight and passenger liners for their service to Far East - copy of a postcard, own collection
Hapag
Salon of the Hamburg Class liners, which carried only 80 passengers in First Class - own collection
Hamburg
17. Dez 1953
25. März 1954
831
5141146
1967 Oriental Warrior, Maschinenraumexplosion am 25. Mai 1972 auf einer Reise von New York nach Hong Kong und rund 40 Seemeilen nordöstlich Dayton Beach auf Grund gesetzt, zwei Tage später im Schlepp nach Jacksonville und dort erneut auf Grund gesetzt, am 25. September nach See geschleppt und versenkt
Frankfurt
29. Mai 1954
12. Juli 1954
834
5120104
1967 Oriental Hero, am 28. Dezember 1977 in Hongkong aufgelegt und ab Januar 1978 bei Lung Fa Steel & Iron in Kaohsiung verschrottet
Hannover
25. November 1954
10. März 1955
840
5141861
November 1966 Oriental Inventor, am 25. Dezember 1978 zum Abbruch bei Nang Eng Steel Enterprise in Kaohsiung eingetroffen
HAPAG once the inventor of modern day cruises and top service provider on its passenger liners, made one unsteady, half hearted step back into the cruise business - HAPAG bought the Swedish SAGA, rebuilt her and send the vessel as ARIADNE on cruises. As every new buisiness, and in the time setting back then, it was new, it took time to become a success, but HAPAG was too much driven by imidiate results and sold the ARIADNE very soon. It was a German product aimed at the German upper class members, but they had been more interested in rebuilding their businesses (Wirtschaftswunder).
Hapag
ARIADNE, HAPAG´s short lived cruise engagement in the late 1950s - own collection

Today the Steubenhoeft terminal at Cuxhaven, the port of Hamburg and the 5star Hotel ATLANRIC in Hamburg are memorials of the era when Hamburg and HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT were the symbols of the way from Germany, especially the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, to the New World.

The port of Hamburg changed dramatically with the advent of the container, no longer the bustling, noisy and steaming port, into a modern day technology port. The Steubenhöft in Cuxhaven turned into a ferry and cruise terminal, but the railway stimm is connected with the HAPAG HALLE, and Hamburg got its third cruise terminal, as Hamburg´s passenger traffic is resurfacing as port of destination and cruise hub for cruise lines.

Finally in the late 1960s negotiations of a merger between LLOYD and HAPAG had reached its final point, and in 1970 the old Hanseatic rivals merged into HAPAG LLOYD ... with crucial consequenses for Bremen and Bremerhaven, all business was transferred in the next two decades into the Hamburg office at Ballindamm.
Hapag
EUROPA 3, ex KUNGSHOLM 3 ashore of Taormina - Source: Wikipedia

The shipping company left only EUROPA 4, ex KUNGSHOLM, in its fleet and put her on cruises as a 5star cruise vessel. BREMEN, ex PASTEUR was sold to CHANDRIS and sailed only brief as REGINA MAGNA. EUROPA 4 was replaced by a new EUROPA in 1981. She again was sold when the actual "yacht" EUROPA 6 waas intoduced in 1999 ... since then she is steadily winning the top scores from BERLITZ CRUISE GUIDE.
Hapag
The actual EUROPA of HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES built in Finland in 1999 - Source: Wikipdia
In the 1990s the steel giant PREUSSAG bought HAPAG-LLOYD and its touristic interests, they still owned TUI, and seperated steadily the cruise business from the container business. This did lead to selling the majority of the HAPAG-LLOYD CONTAINER to a German consortium, but made over the time HAPAG-LLOYD KREUZFAHRTEN, now renamed international compatible HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES, a luxury product within a mainly mass market oriented touristic corporation - frations and misunderstandings, of what luxury really is, included.

The new HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES is only babbling of its old cruise history and tradition, as the new CEOs and COOs have any real understanding of the heritage and luxury.

If Albert Ballin woulf know ... he would rotate in his grave ...


List of passenger ships of HAMBURG AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT in chronological order 1848 till 1970, merger with LLOYD - Source Wikipedia

Jahr
Name
Tonnage
Werft
Status/Schicksal
1855
Hammonia (I)
2131 BRT
1864 verkauft, 1973 gestrandet
1855
2131 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1876 an Dominion Line verkauft, 1879 gesunken
1857
Austria (I)
2684 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1858 im Nord-Atlantik gesunken (471 Tote)
1857
Saxonia (I)
2684 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft, 1895 Abbruch
1858 (1856)
Teutonia (I)
2693 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1856:/1858 an HAPAG, 1877 verkauft, 1894 Abbruch
1858 (1856)
Bavaria (I)
2693 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1856: ex Petropolis/1858 an HAPAG, 1876 verkauft, 1877 ausgebrannt
1863
Germania
2123 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1869 bei Kap Race gestrandet
1865
Allemannia (I)
2695 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1880 verkauft, 1894 gestrandet
1867
Hammonia (II)
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft, 1882 gestrandet
1867
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1883 bei Borkum nach Kollision gesunken (437 Tote)
1868
Holsatia (I)
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft, 1910 außer Dienst
1868
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1887 verkauft, 1901 Abbruch
1869
Silesia
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1887 verkauft, 1899 gestrandet
1870
Thuringia (I)
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft
1872
Frisia (I)
3256 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1888 verkauft, 1902 Abbruch
1871
Vandalia (I)
2810 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1883 verkauft an DDG Hansa Kehrwieder, 1892 wieder angekauft, 1894 umbenannt in Polonia, 1897 Abbruch
1871
Germania (II)
2810 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1876 nahe Bahia gestrandet
1873
Lotharingia
1186 BRT
1882 verschollen
1874
Alsatia
1186 BRT
1874 bei Puerto Rico gestrandet
1873
3382 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1873 bei Folkestone nach Kollision gesunken (55 Tote)
1874
3609 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1896 verkauft, 1898 Abbruch
1874
Franconia
3098 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft, 1905 Abbruch
1874
Rhenania (I)
3098 BRT
Caird & Co. Ltd.
1878 verkauft, 1905 Abbruch
<1875> (1874)
3494 BRT
1874: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG verkauft, vor Übernahme 1875 bei den Scilly-Inseln gestrandet (312 Tote)
1875 (1873)
Goethe
3494 BRT
Robert Napier & Sons
1873: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1876 in der La Plata-Mündung gestrandet
1875 (1873)
Herder
3497 BRT
1873: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1882 bei Kap Race gestrandet
1875 (1874)
Lessing
3497 BRT
A. Stephen & Sons
1874: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1888 verkauft, 1897 Abbruch
1875
Gellert
3497 BRT
A. Stephen & Sons
Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1895 verkauft, 1896 Abbruch
1875
Wieland
3497 BRT
A. Stephen & Sons
1875: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1895 verkauft und ausgebrannt
1875 (1874)
Klopstock
3659 BRT
1875: Adler Linie/1875 an HAPAG, 1876 verkauft, 1907 Abbruch
1881
Rhenania (II)
1867 BRT
1903 verkauft, 1916 durch deutsches U-Boot versenkt
1881
Albingia
1867 BRT
Dobie & Co., Govan
1894 verkauft, 1927 gestrandet
1881
Allemannia (II)
1867 BRT
Dobie & Co., Govan
1903 verkauft, 1937 gestrandet
1881
Bohemia (I)
3678 BRT
1881: ex Bengore Head (I), Ulster Line/1881 an HAPAG, 1899 verkauft, 1905 Abbruch
1883
3678 BRT
A. & J. Inglis Ltd.
1883: ex Bengore Head (II), Ulster Line/1883 an HAPAG, 1899 verkauft und gestrandet
1882
Rugia (I)
3553 BRT
1895 verkauft, 1905 Abbruch
1883
Rhaetia (I)
3553 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1895 verkauft, 1916 gestrandet
1883
Hammonia (III)
3969 BRT
J. & G. Thomson & Co.
1889 verkauft, 1914 Abbruch
1886
Gothia
2423 BRT
aus NL angekaufte Jacatra (1884), 1898 Verkauf an die DLL, 1924 Abbruch
1886
Slavonia
2423 BRT
Dixon & Co.
aus NL angekaufte Macassar (1883), 1898 Verkauf an die DLL, 1906 vor Alderney gestrandet
1888
India
1536 BRT
1881 gebaut, von Carr angekauft, 1894 verkauft, 1901 verschollen
1888
Australia
2208 BRT
Mitchell & Co.
1881 gebaut, von Carr angekauft, 1902 in der Schelde gestrandet und zerbrochen
1888
Polynesia
2208 BRT
Mitchell & Co.
1881 gebaut, von Carr angekauft, 1903 verkauft, 1921 gesunken
1888
Polaria
2690 BRT
Mitchell & Co.
1882 gebaut, von Carr angekauft, 1903 verkauft, 1904 Abbruch
1888
California
2690 BRT
Mitchell & Co.
1883 gebaut, von Carr angekauft, 1897 verkauft, 1910 Abbruch
1889
7661 BRT
AG Vulcan Stettin
1897 Umbau: 8749 BRT, 1904 verkauft, 1907 Abbruch
1889
7661 BRT
1898 verkauft und 1899 Rückkauf, 1904 erneuter Verkauf, 1907 Abbruch
1890
8716 BRT
1898 verkauft, 1906 Abbruch
1891
8716 BRT
AG Vulcan Stettin
1904 verkauft, 1923 Abbruch
1889
Italia
3722 BRT
Armstrong, Newcastle
1899 verkauft an Sloman, 1915 versenkt
1889
Scandia
4379 BRT
AG Vulcan Stettin
1898 verkauft, 1924 ausgebrannt
1889
Dania
4379 BRT
AG Vulcan
1895 verkauft, 1926 Abbruch
1889
Russia
4379 BRT
Laird Brothers
1895 verkauft, 1927 Abbruch
1891
Virginia
2891 BRT
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
1898 an DOAL Sultan, 1913 weiterverkauft, 1933 Abbruch
1891
Venetia
2891 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1900 an Sloman, 1917 durch deutsches U-Boot versenkt
1894
Prussia
5796 BRT
1898 an Dominion Line, Dominion (II), 1922 Abbruch
1894
Persia
5796 BRT
1898 an ATL, Minnewaska (I), 1928 Abbruch
1894
Patria (I)
6761 BRT
AG Vulcan Stettin
1899 im Ärmelkanal ausgebrannt und gesunken
1894
6761 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1905 verkauft, 1937 Abbruch
1895
Palatia
6761 BRT
AG Vulcan
1905 verkauft, 1925 Abbruch
1896
Asturia
5458 BRT
1901 bei Kap Guardafui gestrandet
1896
Adria
5458 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1905 verkauft, 1906 gestrandet
1896
Armenia
5458 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1896
Andalusia
5458 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1914 in Manila aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1925 Abbruch
1897
Ambria
ex Bhandara
5476 BRT
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1915 in Syrakus durch Italien beschlagnahmt, 1918 durch deutsches U-Boot versenkt
1897
Alesia
ex Bangalore
5476 BRT
FSG Flensburg
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1914 in Rangoon durch Großbritannien beschlagnahmt, 1926 Abbruch
1897
Aragonia
ex Burmah
5476 BRT
FSG Flensburg
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1919 an Frankreich ausgeliefert, 1923 Abbruch
1897
Arcadia
5472 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in Newport News aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1927 Abbruch
1897
Arabia
Barcelona
5458 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1899 verkauft, 1906 wieder Hapag als Barcelona, 1915 in Syrakus durch Italien beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1898
Assyria
6581 BRT
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1905 verkauft, 1928 Abbruch
1899
Athesia
5751 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1902 an DDG Kosmos als Uarda, 1932 gesunken.
1894
Hellas
2458 BRT
Richardson, Duck & Co., Stockton on Tees
1901 von A. C. de Freitas übernommen, 1911 verkauft, 31. Oktober 1923 nach Kollision vor Shimonoseki mit der Kasuga Maru gesunken.
1894
Ithaka
2268 BRT
Richardson, Duck & Co., Stockton on Tees
1900 von A. C. de Freitas übernommen, 1911 verkauft, 1. Mai 1916 von U-Boot versenkt.
1895
Lydia
2734 BRT
Richardson, Duck & Co., Stockton on Tees
1900 von A. C. de Freitas übernommen, am 28. September 1910 vor Lam Yit Island gestrandet, am 18. November 1910 gehoben und in der Chananbucht erneut gestrandet und dort gesunken.
1900
Abessinia
5733 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1917 durch Chile beschlagnahmt
1900
Acilia
5733 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1913 bei Feuerland gestrandet und gesunken (52 Tote)
1900
Alexandria
5733 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1919 an Frankreich ausgeliefert, 1936 Abbruch
1901
Artemisia
5733 BRT
Palmers SB
ab 1904 nur Frachter, 1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1930 Abbruch
1897
13023 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1898
Pretoria
13023 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1919 an ausgeliefert, 1921 Abbruch
1899
Graf Waldersee
13023 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1919 an ausgeliefert, 1921 Abbruch
1899
13023 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1919 ausgeliefert, 1921 Abbruch
1898
Brasilia (I)
10326 BRT
Harland & Wolff
nach 11 Monaten zurück an Werft, 1900 als Norseman an Dominion Line, 1916 durch deutsches U-Boot versenkt
1898
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1914 in Baltimore aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1899
Belgravia (I)
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1905 verkauft, 1945 versenkt
1899
Batavia
10326 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1919 an Frankreich ausgeliefert, 1924 Abbruch
(1899)
Belgia (I)
11585 BRT
Harland & Wolff
nicht abgenommen, 1900 an Dominion Line als Irishman
1899
Bosnia
9683 BRT
Palmer SB
1899 als Frachter angekauft, 1907 bei Blohm & Voss zum Auswandererschiff umgebaut, 1914 Werkstattschiff der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1920 ausgeliefert, 1924 als Frangestan im Roten Meer ausgebrannt und gesunken
1899
12481 BRT
nur gechartert bis Oktober 1900 (10 Rundreisen),
1912 nach Frankreich verkauft, 1916 versenkt durch deutsches U-Boot im Mittelmeer
1900
16502 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1911: Victoria Luise/1920: Hansa (I)/1925 außer Dienst
1900
Hamburg (I)
10911 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1916 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1932 Abbruch
1900
10911 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1904 an NDL, Princess Alice, 1933 Abbruch
1900
4419 BRT
Blohm & Voss
Kreuzfahrtschiff, 1906 gestrandet
1901
6598 BRT
FSG Flensburg
1917 in Montevideo durch Uruguay beschlagnahmt, 1938 Abbruch
1901
Lyeemoon
1925 BRT
1890 Richardson,
Newcastle
von der Chinesischen Küstenfahrt-Gesellschaft angekauft , 1917 in Honolulu beschlagnahmt, 1924 abgebrochen
1901
Loongmoon
1971 BRT
1896 Richardson,
Newcastle
von der Chinesischen Küstenfahrt-Gesellschaft angekauft , 1917 in Manila beschlagnahmt, 1918 Verlust durch Strandung
1901
Tsintau
1588 BRT
1891 Blackwood,
Port Glasgow
von Jebsen angekauft ex Santelmo, 1910 verkauft, 1937 versenkt
1901
1738 BRT
Howaldt, Kiel
1917 durch die Vereinigten Staaten beschlagnahmt, 1942 durch U 156 versenkt
1902
6416 BRT
1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1929 Abbruch
1902
12334 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1915 durch Italien beschlagnahmt, 1925 Abbruch
1902
12334 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1919 an Frankreich ausgeliefert, 1929 Abbruch
1902
4689 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1914: in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1956 Abbruch
1902
4689 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1907 bei Jamaika gestrandet
1903
4689 BRT
1914 in Colon aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1958 Abbruch
1903
4780 BRT
FSG Flensburg
1914: in Mittelamerika aufgelegt, 1918 von Besatzung versenkt
1903
4780 BRT
FSG Flensburg
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1933 Abbruch
1903
6030 BRT
1914 in Falmouth durch Großbritannien beschlagnahmt, 1917 versenkt
1903
6030 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1914 in Philadelphia aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1930 Abbruch
1904
Meteor
3613 BRT
Blohm & Voss
Kreuzfahrtschiff, 1919 ausgeliefert, 1945 versenkt
1904
Polynesia (II)
6152 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1917 in Uruguay beschlagnahmt, 1927 Hohenstein, 1935 Tel Aviv, 1938 Abbruch
1905
Thuringia (III)
6152 BRT
Blohm & Voss
ersten 6 Monate als California im Dienst, 1917 in Uruguay beschlagnahmt, 1928 Eberstein, 1947 Abbruch
1905
6152 BRT
FSG Flensburg
1922: Galicia, 1933 Abbruch
1904
Rhenania (III)
6600 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1915 in Neapel durch Italien beschlagnahmt, 1916 als Feltre versenkt
1905
6600 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1933 Abbruch
1905
Rhaetia (II)
6600 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1924 Abbruch
1906
6600 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1919 ausgeliefert, 1921 Rückkauf, jetzt Teutonia (IV), 1933 Abbruch
1906
Hohenstaufen
6600 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1917 durch Brasilien beschlagnahmt, 1964 Abbruch
1905
Dania (II)
3898 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1921 Rückkauf, jetzt Tsad (3927 BRT), 1924 verkauft, 1934 Abbruch
1905
Bavaria (III)
3898 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
1917 von Kuba beschlagnahmt, 1923 Verkauf nach Deutschland, 1934 Abbruch
1905
Borussia (III)
6951 BRT
1907 bei Lissabon beim Kohlebunkern gekentert und gesunken
1905
Admiral von Tirpitz
2007 BRT
Seebeck-Werft, Geestemünde
1912 nach Manila verkauft
1905
Staatssekretär Kraetke
2009 BRT
Howaldt
1917 in Honolulu durch US-Behörden beschlagnahmt, umbenannt in Tacony, 1919 Jamaica, Totalverlust durch Feuer in Bluefields am 30. Oktober 1924
1906
Oceana (II)
7859 BRT
1905 als Scot (1890) von der Union-Castle Line angekauft, Umbau zum Kreuzfahrtschiff, 1911 nach Kanada verkauft, später Alfonso III, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, 1927 abgebrochen
1905
22225 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1958 Abbruch
1905
8688 BRT
Fairfield SB
1914: Friedrichsruh, 1919 an Frankreich ausgeliefert, 1935 Abbruch
1906
8688 BRT
Germaniawerft
1914 in Falmouth durch Großbritannien beschlagnahmt, 1926 Abbruch
1905
1849 BRT
Seebeck-Werft
1917 in San Juan (Puerto Rico) durch US-Behörden beschlagnahmt, USS Kittery
1906
24581 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1931 Abbruch
1906
9462 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1933 Abbruch
1907
9462 BRT
AG Vulcan, Stettin
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1947 Abbruch
1907
18072 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1952 Abbruch
1907
18084 BRT
Harland & Wolff
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1918 durch deutsches U-Boot versenkt
1908
8103 BRT
Germaniawerft
1919 an US Shipping Board ausgeliefert, 1954 Abbruch
1908
8103 BRT
Germaniawerft
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1951 Abbruch
1909
16960 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1919 an die Vereinigten Staaten ausgeliefert/1926 wieder HAPAG, 1933 Abbruch
1909
16339 BRT
Schichau, Danzig
eingesetzt im Nordatlantik und Mittelmeer/ 1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1918 durch U-86 vor der französischen Küste versenkt
1912
Karl Schurz
6001 BRT
als Columbia vom Stapel, 1913 Name korrigiert in Carl Schurz, März 1914 an Elders & Fyffes verkauft, Changuinola, 1933 verschrottet
1913
Emil L. Boas
6014 BRT
Swan Hunter
Kiellegung als Normannia, März 1914 an Elders & Fyffes verkauft, Motagua, 1933 verschrottet
1913
52117 BRT
AG Vulkan, Hamburg
1919 an Shipping Controller, London, ausgeliefert, 1938 Abbruch
1914
54282 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1914 in New York aufgelegt/1917 durch US Shipping Board beschlagnahmt, 1938 Abbruch
56551 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1920 für Shipping Controller, London, fertiggestellt und ausgeliefert
21498 BRT
AG Vulcan Stettin
1920 für Shipping Controller, London, fertiggestellt und ausgeliefert, 1952 Abbruch
1922 (1909)
Hammonia (IV)
7315 BRT
Stephen & Sons, Glasgow
ex Hollandia 1909 KHL, 1922 angekauft und umbenannt, noch im selben Jahr in einem Sturm gesunken, 15 Tote
1922 (1909)
Holsatia (IV)
7315 BRT
ex Frisia 1909 KHL, 1922 angekauft und umbenannt, 1928 zum Abbruch verkauft
1922 (1914)
8106 BRT
Reiherstieg
ex Kigoma DOAL, 1922 angekauft und umbenannt, 1934 zum Abbruch verkauft
1922
Thuringia (IV)
11343 BRT
ab 1930 General San Martin, 1936 an Hamburg Süd übertragen,
1923
Westphalia (III)
11343 BRT
Howaldtswerke, Kiel
ab 1930 General Artigas, 1936 an Hamburg-Süd übertragen,
1922
Tanganjika
8450 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1936 an Deutsche Ost-Afrika-Linie (DOAL) verkauft
1924
8754 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1936 an Deutsche Ost-Afrika-Linie (DOAL) verkauft
1923
21455 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1935: Hansa (II)/1949 an Sowjetunion ausgeliefert
1923
21455 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1945 in Lübeck nach Bombentreffer gesunken/1948 verschrottet
1925
21455 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1950 an Sowjetunion ausgeliefert
1927
21455 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1945 in Kiel nach Bombentreffer gesunken/1948 verschrottet
1926 (1909)
Heluan
7248 BRT
Reiherstiegwerft
ehemaliger Eigner DDG Kosmos, verschrottet 1931 Osaka
1926 (1920)
19980 BRT
AG Weser
1914 für HAPAG vom Stapel, 1920 für Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd in Dienst, 1926 doch noch zur HAPAG, 1935 nach Italien verkauft
1926 (1920)
19980 BRT
J. C. Tecklenborg
1914 für HAPAG vom Stapel, 1920 für Hollandsche Lloyd in Dienst, 1926 doch noch zur HAPAG, 1938 ausgebrannt
1928
Oceana (III)
8791 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
Ankauf aus Italien: ex Sierra Salvada (1913), 1938 Verkauf an DAF, 1946 Sowjetunion, 1963 Abbruch
1928
Orinoco
9779 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1939 in Tampico durch Mexiko beschlagnahmt
1929
9779 BRT
F. Schichau, Danzig
1935: Iberia/1946 an Sowjetunion ausgeliefert
1929
16732 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1944 in Kiel nach Bombentreffer gesunken und 1950 verschrottet
1929
16699 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1945 an MoWT, London, ausgeliefert
1929
11950 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
1936 an Hamburg Süd übertragen
1933
12049 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1945 an Sowjetunion ausgeliefert
1933
12055 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1945 an Sowjetunion ausgeliefert
1938
Patria (II)
16595 BRT
Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg
1945 an Großbritannien abgeliefert, Empire Welland, 1946 an die Sowjetunion, Rossiya, 1985 als Aniva verschrottet
1939
2947 BRT
Elektroschiff, vom 18. Juli bis etwa 21. August 1939 im Helgoland-Verkehr eingesetzt, von der Kriegsmarine als Wohnschiff umgebaut, am 18. März 1946 am Cuxhavener Lentzkai durch Brand schwer beschädigt, bei der Deutschen Werft, Finkenwerder aufgelegt und zum 11. Juli 1947 an Großbritannien übergeben. Mit Gasmunition beladen 1948 in der Nordsee versenkt.
1940
41000 BRT
Blohm & Voss
1940 auf Stapel/1943 nach Bombentreffer ausgebrannt/1948 verschrottet
1954
Hamburg (IV)
9184 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
Kombischiff für Ostasiendienst, 1967 verkauft, Oriental Warrior, 1972 nach Maschinenraumexplosion auf Grund gesetzt und später versenkt
1954
9184 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
Kombischiff für Ostasiendienst, 1967 verkauft, Oriental Hero, 1978 in Kaohsiung verschrottet
1955
Hannover (II)
9184 BRT
Bremer Vulkan
Kombischiff für Ostasiendienst, 1966 verkauft, Oriental Inventor, 1978 in Kaohsiung verschrottet
1957 (1951)
Ariadne
7764 BRT
Swan Hunter, Newcastle
1951: ex Patricia, Svenska Lloyd/1956 an HAPAG/1960 verkauft
 


History - ss ARIADNE - HAPAGs first expedition cruise ship?


Expedition Cruises - HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES gets two new expedition ships


History - ss DEUTSCHLAND - The only HAPAG four stacker and Blue Riband winner


A new HAPAG-LLYOD CRUISES?


History - German Greyhounds II


History - ss DEUTSCHLAND - The only HAPAG four stacker and Blue Riband winner


Reiseberichte - ss COLUMBIA 1890 von Gustav Kopal in Die Gartenlaube


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