SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Archival Collection
Kaiser Wilhelm II (1889) North German Lloyd
SS Kaiser Wilhelm II (1889) of the Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, ca 1890. Detroit Publishing Company Photochrome. Library of Congress LC # 2002708351. GGA Image ID # 1d7245814d
Built by "Vulkan", Stettin, Germany. Tonnage: 4,773. Dimensions: 449' x 51'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 16 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Four masts and two funnels. Launched: April 23, 1889. Passengers: 120 first, 80 second, 1,000 third. Incidents: Sank at pier in Genoa, June 5, 1893. Modifications: Refloated, reconditioned and altered to two masts. Tonnage increased to 6,990. Renamed: Hohenzollern (1901). Fate: Wrecked in 1908.
Kaiser Wilhelm II (1903) North German Lloyd
SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Twin-Screw Express Mail Steamer (1903) of the Norddeutscher Lloyd. Illustration by Themistokles von Eckenbrecher (1842-1921). GGA Image ID # 1d730b5883
Built by "Vulkan", Stettin, Germany. Tonnage: 19,361. Dimensions: 684' x 72' (706' o.l.). Propulsion: Twin-screw, 23 1/2 knots. Quadruple expansion engines; 42,000 I.H.P. Masts and Funnels: Three masts and four funnels. Note: Largest express liner in the world built to date. The dining room was 108 feet by 69 feet wide. The height from the keel to the roof of the smoking room was 72 feet high. Records: Won the trans-Atlantic speed record in 1903. Her best day run was 564 nautical miles. Passengers: 775 first, 343 second. 770 third. Maiden voyage: Bremen-Southampton-New York, April 14, 1903. Renamed: (a) Agamemnon (1917), b) Monticello (1927) United States Government. Fate: Scrapped at Baltimore in 1940. Running mates: Kronprinzessin Cecilie (identical), Kronprinz Wilhelm, and Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.
Passenger Lists
28 January 1893 SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Passenger List
Cabin Passenger List from the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II of the North German Lloyd, Departing Saturday, 28 January 1893, from New York to Genoa via Gibraltar, Commanded by Captain L. Stoermer.
1900-12-18 SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Passenger List
Cabin Passenger list for the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II of the North German Lloyd, Departing Tuesday, 18 December 1900 from New York for Genoa via Gibraltar and Naples, Commanded by Captain D. Hoegemann. Notable Passengers included: Dr. Emily Blackwell, Thomas Cleland Dawson, Henry Lane Eno, Francis Marion Crawford , Wilhelm von Haxthausen, Hon. Levi P. Morton, Sarah Logan Wister, and Marquise Cecile de Wentworth.
1903-10-06 SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Passenger List
Cabin Passenger List for the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II of the North German Lloyd, Departing Tuesday, 6 October 1903 from Bremen to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Commanded by Captain D. Högemann.
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Postcards
Color Postcard of the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II in New York Harbor, Postally Used 19 June 1905. GGA Image ID # 1dc0b87318
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Route Maps, Track Charts, Abstract of Logs
Abstract of Log, Twin-Screw Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, Commanded by Captain O. Cüppers Covering the 6-9 of April, 1911. Ocean Gazette, 9 April 1911. GGA Image ID # 1dc22a6260
Abstract of Log, Twin-Screw Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, Covering the 28-30 May 1912. Ocean Gazette, 30 May 1912. GGA Image ID # 1dc24638ed
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Sailing Schedules
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-New York, Bremen-Baltimore, and Bremen-Galveston, from 6 October 1903 to 13 December 1904. Ships Included the Brandenburg, Breslau, Cassel, Chemnitz, Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Friedrich der Grosse, Grosser Kurfürst, Hannover, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Köln, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Main, Neckar, Oldenburg, Rhein, and Willehad. SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Passenger List, 6 October 1903. GGA Image ID # 1ebbf5ff3c. Click to View Larger Image.
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, from 24 December 1904 to 18 June 1905. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Brandenburg, Breslau, Cassel, Chemnitz, Grosser Kurfurst, Hannover, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Main, Neckar, Prinzess Alice, and Rhein. North German Lloyd Bulletin, January 1905. GGA Image ID # 1eeab8ebe7
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, from 19 September 1905 to 25 March 1906. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Brandenburg, Bremen, Breslau, Cassel, Chemnitz, Friedrich der Gorsse, Grosser Kurfurst, Hannover, Kaiser Wilhelm der Gorsse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Main, Oldenburg, and Rhein. North German Lloyd Bulletin, October 1905. GGA Image ID # 1eeb04fb9e
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, from 13 March 1906 to 24 August 1906. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Brandenburg, Breslau, Cassel, Frankfurt, Friedrich der Grosse, Grosser Kurfurst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinz Wilehlm, Prinzess Alice, Rhein, and Trave. North German Lloyd Bulletin, March 1906. GGA Image ID # 1eeb93d276
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen. Mediterranean Service: Genoa-Naples-Gibraltar-New York and New York-Gibraltar-Naples-Genoa, from 1 November 1906 to 23 April 1907. Ships Included the Brandenburg, Breslau, Cassel, Chemnitz, Friedrich der Grosse, Grosser Kurfurst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Main, Neckar, Rhein, Wittekind, and Yorck. North German Lloyd Bulletin, December 1906. GGA Image ID # 1eebb9208d
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York, Twin-Screw Express Mail Steamers, from 26 March 1907 to 10 December 1907. Ships Included the Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Kronprinzessin Cecilie. SS Chemnitz Passenger List, 6 April 1907. GGA Image ID # 1f762f3062
Proposed Sailings, Europe-New York, from 21 January 1908 to 23 June 1908, and Mediterranean Sailings from 23 January to 10 October 1908. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, Buelow, Friedrich der Gross, Grosser Kurfürst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Gross, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Knoenig Albert, Koenigin Luise, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kronprinzessin Cecilie, Luetzow, Main, Necktar, Prinzess Irene, Rhein, Roon, and Scharnhorst. North German Lloyd Bulletin, February 1908. GGA Image ID # 1dde6667a4. Click to View Larger Image.
Attention is drawn to the fact that the steamers of the company running between GENOA and NEW YORK, which almost without exception touch at NAPLES, afford an opportunity of making the voyage from Genoa to Naples and vice versa. The steamers also touch at GIBRALTAR on the outward and homeward trips. Some weeks before starting, it can be determined whether there are berths vacant for the voyage to Naples or Gibraltar. The North German Lloyd is. However, in no way responsible if any of the steamers in question: do not start or if the departure is postponed. Potential passengers must likewise apply for passage on these steamers to Messrs. LEUPOLD FRATELLI, GENOA, 10 Piazza San Siro.
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York, New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, Genoa-Naples-Gibraltar-New York, and New York-Gibraltar-Naples-Genoa, from 9 December 1908 to 23 July 1909. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Berlin, Brandenburg, Chemnitz, Friedrich der Grosse, Gneisenau, Grosser Kurfurst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Koenig Albert, Koenigin Luise, Kronprinzessin Cicilie, Main, Neckar, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, Prinzess Irene, Rhein, Yorck, and Zieten. North German Lloyd Bulletin, January 1909. GGA Image ID # 1f519dd3c6. Click to View Larger Image.
Sailing Schedules, (A) Twin-Screw Mail Steamers, Bremen-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, from 14 March 1911 to 14 August 1911, (B) Barbarossa Class Twin-Screw Mail Steamers and Mail Steamers, Bremen-Boulogne-sur-Mer-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York and New York-Plymouth-Cherbourg-Bremen, from 11 March 1911 to 31 July 1911. Ships Included Barbarossa, Bremen, George Washington, Grosser Kurfürst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Königin Luise, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kronprinzessin Cecilie, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, Rhein, and Roon. Ocean Gazette, Kaiser Wilhelm II Edition, 9 April 1911. GGA Image ID # 1ebbaab891
Proposed Sailings, Bremen-New York and New York-Mediterranean Services, from 10 November 1911 to 13 September 1912. Ships Included the Baarbarossa, Berlin, Bremen, Breslau, Chemnitz, George Washington, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Koenig Albert, Koenigin Luise, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Main, Neckar, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, Prinzess Irene, and Rhein. North German Lloyd Bulletin, December 1911. GGA Image ID # 1e304c62cd. Click to View Larger Image.
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Boulogne-Southampton-New York and New York-Plymouth, Cherbourg-Bremen, from 11 October 1913 to 7 February 1914. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, Friedrich der Grosse, George Washington, Grosser Kurfürst, Hannover, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, König Albert, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kronprinzessin Cecilie, Main, Neckar, Prinz Friedrick Wilhelm, Rhein, and Scharnhorst. SS Grosser Kurfürst Passenger List, 8 November 1913. GGA Image ID # 1f66b98b01. Click to View Larger Image.
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Boulogne-Southampton-New York and New York-Plymouth, Cherbourg-Bremen, from 18 January 1914 to 8 June 1914. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, George Washington, Gneisenau, Grosser Kurfürst, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kronprinzessin Cecilie, König Albert, Prinz Friedrick Wilhelm, and Seydlitz. SS Grosser Kurfürst Passenger List, 8 Novmeber 1913. GGA Image ID # 1f67b544a2
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Boulogne-Southampton-New York and New York-Plymouth, Cherbourg-Bremen, from 19 May 1914 to 29 September 1914. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Berlin, Bremen, Friedrich der Grosse, George Washington, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Königin Luise, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kronprinzessin Cecilie, and Prinz Friederich Wilhelm. SS Grosser Kurfürst Passenger List, 8 Novmeber 1913. GGA Image ID # 1f67d45296
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Other Ephemera
Auf der Elbe. "Weisst Du, Erna, warum der grosse Lloyd Dampfer, 'Kaiser Wilhelm' hesst?"--"Warum denn?" "Weil er immer unterwegs ist." || On the Elbe. "Do you know, Erna, why the big Lloyd steamer is called 'Kaiser Wilhelm'?"--"Why?" "Because he's always on the go." Artist: Adolf Münzer, 1905. GGA Image ID # 1ebddaf59b
Section Through Engine Room of the Kaiser Wilhelm II Showing Inner Bottom Carried Up Sides of Ship to Form Double Skin. The Unsinkable Titanic (1912) p. 176. GGA Image ID # 107d53622c
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Back Cover Images
Back Cover, North German Lloyd SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Cabin Passenger List - 28 January 1893. GGA Image ID # 1f9453f91d
Back Cover, North German Lloyd SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Cabin Class Passenger List - 6 October 1903. GGA Image ID # 13fbf0bb8b
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Photographs
Passengers Boarding the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II in New York, circa 1910. Photo by Bain News Service. Library of Congress LCN 2014680544. GGA Image ID # 1dc352349b
Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Guide Through North and Central America, April 1898. GGA Image ID # 1dc008e85f
Testing of the Lifeboats at Hoboken -- SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Independent, 2 May 1912. GGA Image ID # 1dc080d1e2
The SS Kaiser Wilhelm II at the Landing Stage in Bremen. People are Gathered on the Landing Stage Shown on the Left. The Syren and Shipping, 2 January 1907. GGA Image ID # 1dc0837a9e
A View of the Launching of the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. The World's Work, January 1907. GGA Image ID # 1dc0c39ceb
The North German Llloyd Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. NDL Guidebook, 1898. GGA Image ID # 1dc0cdb2b7
"The Steerage" a 1907 Photogravure by Alfred Stieglitz taken on board the Kaiser Wilhelm II. Camera Work No 36, October 1911. GGA Image ID # 147a072566
The North German Lloyd Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Ocean Steamships, 1891. GGA Image ID # 1dc0f071ac
The SS Kaiser Wilhelm II of the Norddeutscher Lloyd. Steamships and Their Story, 1910. GGA Image ID # 1dc1224ed4
The SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Departs from Her New York Pier. North German Lloyd Bulletin, February 1905. GGA Image ID # 1dc14c084c
Carl Baum, Chief Engineer on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. North German Lloyd Bulletin, June 1905. GGA Image ID # 1dc161a413
Russian Peace Commissioner and Staff Playing Deck Game on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. North German Lloyd Bulletin, November 1905. GGA Image ID # 1dc1ac490c
Transhipping Stacks of Sacks Containing American Mail to the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II at Plymouth, England. North German Lloyd Bulletin, January 1906. GGA Image ID # 1dc1ca2daf
The Senators Corner on the Deck of the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. From Left to Right: U. S. Senator Nixon, of Nevada, U. S. Senator Guggenheim, of Colorado, former U. S. SenatorBeveridge of Indiana, Hon. Richard Barthold, Member of Congress from Missouri. North German Lloyd Bulletin, December 1911. GGA Image ID # 1dc1e8a9bb
Winners of International Balloon Race. Lieut. Hans Gericke (On Right), Pilot of the German Balloon "Berlin II," Winner of the James Gordon Bennett Race from Kansas City, October 5, and J. Otto Duncker, Who Accompanied Him. Photo Taken on S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II. North German Lloyd Bulletin, December 1911. GGA Image ID # 1dc26deff2
First Class Salon/Parlor on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II of the Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1903. The neo-baroque interior was created by the then well-known Bremen architect Johann Georg Poppe. GGA Image ID # 1d7302ef19
Viennese Café on the Kaiser Wilhelm II, c1903. GGA Image ID # 1f6e4a13af
First Class Dining Saloon Showing Old Arrangement of Longitudinal Tables, Now Replaced by Small Round Tables on the Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. German Shipbuilding, Norddeutscher Lloyd, 1909. GGA Image ID # 1f94a9e4d5
The SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Entering Bremenhafen. A Large Crowd Has Assembled at the Pier to Greet the Ship. Handbook of Travel, 1910. GGA Image ID # 1dbff845cb
Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II about to Leave Bremerhaven. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddaadca39
Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Ready for Departure. Passengers Shown on Left Arriving by Special Trains. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddaec598d
The Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II in Dry Dock. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddb43ad75
First Class Dining Room and Lightwell on the Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddcb9fd2d
Office of the Head Steward on an NDL Express Steamer Such As the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddce9fdd0
Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Leaving New York. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddd271c31
Express Mail Steamship SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1ddd2aeefe
Port Side View of the Bridge of the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Norddeutscher Lloyd History and Organization, 1908. GGA Image ID # 1dddd11c7d
Express Steamer SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. Guide Through North and Central America, April 1898. GGA Image ID # 1ddf907e5f
View of the Twin-Screw Propellers on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II. The World's Work, January 1907. GGA Image ID # 1eba80842f
Lifeboat Drill on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, c1910. Photo by Bains News Service. GGA Image ID # 1f6f676cb9
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Books
The First Great Ocean Liners in Photographs - 1983
Sumptuous volume recalls the glorious early years of elegant transatlantic travel. Over 190 historic photographs depict exterior and interior views of 101 great ocean liners, including the Virginian, Imperator, Vaterland, Bismarck, Lusitania, Mauretania, Balmoral Castle, Titanic, Olympic, Aquitania and dozens more. Full captions.
Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen 1857-1970, Volume One, History -- Fleet -- Ship Mails
"The first volume of Edwwin Drechsel's definitive and valuable work on the Norddeutscher Lloyd is informative in the true sense of the word, It goes into valuable details, such as naming ships and captains of new services, and their exploits. It has some remarkable pictures never seen elsewhere. Even a few of them are worth the price fo the book"
Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen 1857-1970, Volume Two, History -- Fleet -- Ship Mails
The second volume begins with the years after World War One, The Great War, and the recovery after the war, starting from scratch to rebuild their steamship line. Although Norddeutscher Lloyd would again win the Blue Riband of the North Atlantic in 1929, the depression of the 1930s affected NDL as yet another crisis in ship ownership and management to which commercial shipping interests had always been prone. The ranks of transatlantic passenger carriers thinned out as large and small concerns went out of business.
NDL Guide Through North & Central America - 1898
The Guide Through North and Central America by North German Lloyd provides a concise work of reference for travelers in the United States, containing hints and directions. This book includes the history of the North German Lloyd, Lavishly illustrated with numerous photographs.
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