SS Scharnhorst Archival Collection

Scharnhorst (1904) North German Lloyd

Built by J. C. Tecklenborg & Co., Geestemunde, Germany. Tonnage: 8,131. Dimensions: 453' x 55'. Twin-screw, 13 1/2 knots. Triple expansion engines. Two masts and one funnel. Service: Built for East of Suez service, but made some Bremen-New York voyages. Post War Service: Liner taken over by the French in 1919. Renamed: La Bourdonnais (1921). Fate: Scrapped in 1934. Sister ships: Gneisenau and Roon.

Scharnhorst (1935) North German Lloyd

Built by DeSchiMAG, Bremen, Germany. Tonnage: 18,184. Dimensions: 625.6 ft (190.7 m) x 74.1 ft (22.6 m) (652 ft (198.7 m) o.l). Propulsion: Twin Steam Turbines, Turbo-Electric Transmission, Twin Screw. Two masts and one funnel. Launched: 14 December 1934. Maiden Voyage: May 1935. Service: Bremen – Far East. Fate: Sold to Imperial Japanese Navy, Commissioned in 1943, Torpedoed and sunk on 17 November 1944.

The SS Scharnhorst was the first big passenger liner built in the German Third Reich. Under the German merchant flag, she was one of three ships that operated the Far Eastern route between Bremen and Yokohama. Trapped in Japan in September 1939, she was purchased by the Japanese, converted into a Japanese Navy Aircraft Carrier in 1942, and sunk by US Submarine USS Spadefish in 1944.

1936-12-29 SS Scharnhorst Dinner Menu

Very Rare Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare from Tuesday, 29 December 1936 on board the SS Scharnhorst of the North German Lloyd featured Fried Frog’s Legs Casanova, Entre Côte garnished with Vegetables, Sauce Colbert, and Ice Cup Venus for dessert. This German Steamship of the Third Reich had a short service life spanning four years.

Back Cover, SS Scharnhorst Dinner Menu, 29 December 1936. GGA Image ID # 1f67803dde

German Text: Titelseite reproduziert nach einer Radierung von Kunstmaler Fritz Kück, Bremen Zusammenstellung und Entwurf der 4. Seite von Graphiker Karl Bloßfeld, Leipzig Offsetdruck der Großbuchdruckerei Paul Schettlers Erben A.-G., Köthen (Anhalt)

English Translation: Title page reproduced from an etching by the painter Fritz Kück, Bremen Compilation and design of the 4th page by the graphic artist Karl Bloßfeld, Leipzig Offset printing by the large book printers Paul Schettlers Erben A.-G., Köthen (Anhalt).

Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Cuba, Bremen-Brazil, Bremen-La Plata, Bremen or Hamburg-East Asia, from 27 May 1905 to 17 August 1905. Ships Included the Aachen, Bayern, Coblenz, Crefeld, Erlangen, Gneisenau, Halle, Heidelberg, Helgoland, Mainz, Norderney, Preussen, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Heinrich, Roon, and Scharnhorst. SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse First and Second Class Passenger List, 23 May 1905. GGA Image ID # 2108ab3381

Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Hamburg-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Southampton-Gibraltar-Genoa, from 24 October 1906 to 13 August 1907. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, Bülow, Gneisenau, Göben, Hohenlohe, Preussen, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Heinrich, Prinz Ludwig, Prinz Regent Luitpold, Prinzess Alice, Roon, Scharnhorst, Seydlitz, Yorck, and Zieten. SS Bremen Passenger List, 27 October 1906. GGA Image ID # 2140bda652

Sailing Schedule, Bremen or Hamburg to East Asia, from 11 October 1906 to 10 October 1907. Ships Included the Gneisenau, Preussen, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Heinrich, Prinz Ludwig, Prinz-Regent Luipold, Prinzess Alice, Roon, Scharnhorst, Seydlitz, and Zieten. SS Bremen Passenger List, 27 October 1906. GGA Image ID # 2141e08ad5

Sailing Schedule, Bremen to Australia, Bremen to Amsterdam, Antwerp, Genoa, Messina, and Bremen to East Asia, from 17 October 1906 to 22 July 1907. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, Bülow, Göben, Hessen, Hohenlohe, Saxonia, Scharnhorst, Spezia, Westfalen, and Yorck. SS Bremen Passenger List, 27 October 1906. GGA Image ID # 2141ede74c

Sailing Schedule, Breman-Hamburg-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Southampton-Gibraltar-Genoa, from 28 March 1907 to 8 January 1908. Ships Included the Bülow, Gneisenau, Goeben, Kleist, Preussen, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Heinrich, Prinz Ludwig, Prinz Regent Luitpold, Prinzess Alice, Roon, Scharnhorst, Seydlitz, Yorck, and Zieten. SS Chemnitz Passenger List, 6 April 1907. GGA Image ID # 1f76a639e5

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, Bremerhaven-Hamburg-Antwerp-Southampton-Gibraltar-Algiers-Genoa-Naples, from 15 March 1911 to 19 July 1911. Ships Included the Bülow, Derfflinger, Gneisenau, Kleist, Lützow, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Ludwig, Prinzess Alice, Roon, Scharnhorst, Seydiltz, York, and Zieten. Ocean Gazette, 9 April 1911. GGA Image ID # 1ebae47737

Sailing Schedule, Australian Line, from 14 February 1912 to 14 February 1913. Ships Included the Bremen, Friedrich der Grosse, Gnisenau, Grosser Kurfürst, Königin Luise, Roon, Scharnhorst, Seydlitz, and Zieten. SS Berlin First and Second Cabin Passenger List, 20 January 1912. GGA Image ID # 20d93b548f. 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.