SS Blücher Archival Collection

The SS Blücher Shown Near Trondheim, Norway. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e067357ae

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• SS Blücher Specifications
• Brochures
• Photographs
• Sailing Schedules
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• At the "Bottom of the World" - 1910

SS Blücher aka SS Blucher or SS Bluecher

This overview will only focus on the passenger ocean liner SS Blücher. The SS Blücher is an ocean liner built for the Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) in the early 20th century. Another ship with a similar name, SMS Blücher, was a German armored cruiser built for the Imperial German Navy.

1. Built By: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany.
2. History and service dates: SS Blücher was launched on 23 November 1901, and completed in February 1902.
3. Dimensions: The SS Blücher had a length of 550 feet, a beam of 62 feet, and a draft of 29.5 feet (9 meters).
4. Tonnage: The ship had a gross tonnage of 10,769.
5. Speed: SS Blücher had a top speed of approximately 16 knots.
6. Modifications: In 1912, she was rebuilt, with luxury suites added to her boat deck.
7. Types of fuel used: The ship was powered by coal-fired boilers, which fueled the Steam quadruple-expansion engines.
8. Number of passengers and crew: She originally carried 2,102 passengers, including 333 first class, 169 second class, and 1,600 third class, on four decks with a steel hull, and was served by a crew of 252.
9. Funnels: She was fitted with two masts and two funnels.
10. Engine: SS Blücher was powered by two quadruple-expansion steam engines with a combined horsepower of 10,000.
11. Propellers: The ship had two propellers.
12. Captains: The passenger liner SS Blücher had various commanders during its service with the Hamburg-America Line.
13. Routes: The ship primarily sailed on the Hamburg-New York route and occasionally voyaged to South America.
14. Maiden voyage: Hamburg-Boulogne sur Mer-Southampton-New York, 7 June 1902. Immigrants from that voyage arrived at Ellis Island on 28 June 1902.
15. Change In Service: Transferred to South American service in 1911.
16. War Service: During World War I, SS Blücher was interned at Pernambuco, Brazil and later seized by the Brazilian goverment.
17. Sister ships: SS Moltke
18. Running mates: Some of her running mates within the Hamburg America Line fleet included SS Deutschland, SS Amerika, and SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.
19. Renamed: (a) Leopoldina (1917) Brazilian, (b) Suffren (1923) French.
20. Post HAPAG Service: Chartered to the French Goverment in 1918 and later sold to CGT French Line and renamed as the SS Suffren.
21. Fate: Scrapped in Genoa, Italy in 1929.

Brochures

Photographs

SS Blücher Departing from Cuxhaven. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e06b66c4d

The SS Blücher Near the Port of Trondheim. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e06e4d94a

First Class Dining Room on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e07159ef1

View of the First Class Grill Room on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e075700ae

Another View of the First Class Grill Room on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e07f82470

First Class Ladies Salon on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e0821189a

First Class Music Room on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e083a9d0f

Light Shaft on the SS Blücher. Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordland-Fahrten, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1e08815856

The SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher) of the Hamburg-American Line. Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bba32ea46

Promenade Deck - SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bba45ac3b

Sheltered Corner on Promenade Deck - SS Molke and SS Blücher. Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bba562a3b

Cupola and Main Saloon - SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbaa16b27

Main Saloon - SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbabc7597

Smoking Room - SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbb3f3f49

Ladies' Room - SS Moltke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbb644a16

Chambre Deluxe, SS Molke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbb696d41

Gymnasium on the SS Molke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbb6f81ef

Second Cabin Ladies Parlor on the SS Molke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbc028a87

Second Cabin Main Saloon on the SS Molke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbc1cc3e4

L to R, T to B: Second Cabin Main Saloon; Second Cabin Ladies' Parlor; Second Cabin Music Room; and Second Cabin Smoking Room on the SS Molke and SS Blücher (Bluecher). Across the Atlantic, 1905 HAPAG Brochure. GGA Image ID # 1bbc238436

Sailing Schedules

Sailing Schedule, Hamburg - Boulogne-sur-Mer - Plymouth - Southampton - Cherbourg - New York, from 21 June to 11 September 1902. Ships Included the Auguste Victoria, Blücher, Columbia, Fürst Bismarck, Graf Waldersee, Moltke, Palatia, Patricia, Pennsylvania, and Phoenicia. SS Pennsylvania Passenger List, 21 June 1902. GGA Image ID # 1ee40ad419

Sailing Schedule, Hamburg-Dover-Boulogne-Cherbourg-New York, from 29 July 1905 to 2 December 1905. Ships Included the Amerika, Blücher, Deutschland, Fürst Bismarck, Graf Waldersee, Hamburg, Moltke, Patricia, Pennsylvania, and Pretoria. SS Graf Waldersee Passenger List, 29 July 1905. GGA Image ID # 1f06676725

Twin-Screw Express and Passenger Steamship Services, and Sailing Schedule, Hamburg-Southampton-Boulogne sur Mer-Cherbourg-Plymouth-New York, from 23 August 1906 to 27 October 1906. Ships Included the Amerika, Batavia, Blücher, Deutschland, Graf Waldersee, Hamburg, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Oceana, Patricia, Pennsylvania, and Pretoria. SS Moltke Passenger List, 21 August 1906. GGA Image ID # 1e43a0cfd7

Sailing Schedule, Cruises to Bathing Resorts, Orient, Mediterranean, and West India, from 20 September 1906 to 20 May 1907. Ships Included the Blücher, Meteor, and Moltke. SS Moltke Passenger List, 21 August 1906. GGA Image ID # 1e43aaa746

Sailing Schedule, Hamburg-Southampton-Boulogne-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Hamburg, from 12 May 1909 to 19 June 1909. Ships Included the Amerika, Blücher, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Deutschland, Graf Waldersee, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Pennsylvania, President Grant, and President Lincoln. SS Blücher Passenger List, 12 May 1909. GGA Image ID # 1f892ff7a1

Sailing Schedule, Hamburg-Boulogne sur Mer-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York, from 7 October 1909 to 15 February 1910. Ships Included the Amerika, Blücher, Bulgaria, Cincinnati, Deutschland, Graf Waldersee, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Pennsylvania, President Grant, and the President Lincoln. SS Deutschland Passenger List, 7 October 1909. GGA Image ID # 1e41f7f6aa

Sailing Schedule, European Ports-New York, from 30 April 1910 to 16 November 1910. Ships Included the Amerika, Blücher, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Deutschland, Graf Waldersee, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Oceana, Pennsylvania, President Grant, and President Lincoln. NOTE:—All steamers eastbound to Hamburg call at Plymouth and Cherbourg, except the steamer GRAF WALDERSEE, which will sail to Hamburg directly. The steamer PENNSYLVANIA, which will carry Second Class passengers only, will sail directly from New York to Hamburg and from Hamburg to New York. The steamer GRAF WALDERSEE will also carry Second Class passengers only, beginning with her 11 September 1910 sailing from Hamburg. After that date, she will sail directly from and to Hamburg. Hamburg-American Gazette, May 1910. GGA Image ID # 2128049286. Click to View Larger Image.

Advertisements

Summer Voyages to the Land of the Midnight Sun, 1911, By the Luxurious Twin-Screw Steamers Kronprinzessin Cecilie, Cincinnati, Blücher, and Meteor. Eight Delightful Cruises to Norway, Spitzbergen, North Cape, Iceland, Orkney, and Faroe Islands, England, Ireland, Scotland, and to the Seaside Resorts of Europe. Duration 13 to 24 Days, Cost $62.50 And * Upward, Including All Expenses Aboard. SS Graf Waldersee Passenger List, 24 May 1911. GGA Image ID # 1f0774c2d4

At the "Bottom of the World" - 1910

Blücher's Tourists Enjoy Exceptionally Fine Weather While Passing Through the Straits of Magellan

Punta Arenas, Feb. 25, 1910.

HERE at the bottom of the world are the two hundred venturesome explorers of the SS Blücher, of the Hamburg American Line, and they are having the best time since they left New York, five weeks ago, on this most remarkable of cruises. This is the most southerly city in the world, and from here the big cruiser will point her nose northward, though it will be seven weeks more before she steams past the Liberty statue. A stay at Buenos Aires, the more or less thrilling journey over the Andes Mountains, from there to Valparaiso and Santiago de Chili, and visits to Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Trinidad, and Kingston still lie ahead.

Thus far the cruise has been singularly fortunate. There has been not one case of serious illness, and, with the exception of one or two days, the weather has been delightful, even in the capricious tropical climes. So judiciously was the itinerary arranged by Mr. Eugene M. Ambard, tourist agent for the company, that there have been few monotonously long runs at sea, and ample entertainment has been provided for these intervals between sight-seeing ashore. One particular piece of good luck was the weather in the Strait. Mariners say that one might visit this region sixty times without obtaining a satisfying view of the wonderful scenery, but the sun was shining brightly and all the grandeur of the fjords and glaciers, rivalling those of Norway, were unfolded to the Blücher's passengers.

Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, was reached on February 15. A stay of forty-eight hours was made there and every moment of the time was enjoyed. The city proved to be the finest thus far visited, with modem buildings, large and flourishing business houses and handsome parks. Many Americans and English lived there and the costumes of the women reminded one of Fifth avenue.

Immediately after their arrival the passengers of the SS Blucher were received by President Willimen, the executive head of the Republic, whose troops were lined up before the palace. There was also a visit to Pocitos, a beautiful suburb, where the guests were again entertained by local personages. A call was then made to a large zoological garden maintained by a private citizen of Montevideo for the benefit of the citizens, and containing, among other things, a graveyard for the animals, provided with appropriate monuments containing inscriptions and statuary representing the dear departed. It was at once pathetic and humorous, if you can appreciate the paradox.

It was February 21 that the SS Blücher steamed into the Strait of Magellan and arrived at Punta Arenas. After a visit to the quaint little town, where many of the passengers invested in furs and curious articles made by the Patagonian Indians, a two days' run through the Strait was made. It led through Famine Reach. English Reach, Magdalena Bay, and Admiralty Bay. including a part of the route covered by the American battleship fleet on its world cruise.

The noble scenery of this wild country has been too recently described to make repetition needful here, but it must be said that, a superb view was had of the majestic Mount Sarmiento, with its snow-clad peaks; Mount Darwin, towering seven thousand feet above the sea, and the dazzling fields of ice stretching beyond the range of vision. This experience alone was worth the trip.

While the SS Blücher was at this port Dr. Jean Charcot, the French explorer, arrived from his South Polar expedition after an absence of fifteen months. The distinguished Frenchman was welcomed aboard the SS Blücher and dined there.