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Hamburg American Line History and Ephemera

Hamburg Amerika Linie / Hamburg American Line / Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft (HAPAG)

Hamburg American Line was one of the major steamship companies to handle the immigrant trade. Their primary routes of Hamburg, Germany to New York via Southampton were supplemented by other vessels that called on the ports of Portland ME, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Galveston, and New Orleans, in addition to Canadian ports.

Hamburg American Line Documents and Other Ephemera

Sorted in Date Order by Topic, Our Hamburg American Line Archival Collections include Passenger Lists, Vintage Brochures, Vintage Menus, Immigrant Passage Tickets, and Other Ephemera.

HAPAG Passenger Lists

Front Cover of a 1902 Passenger List from the Hamburg-American Line. This Steamship Line is often Referred to as the "Hamburg-America Line," -- A Litteral translation of Hamburg-Amerika Linie. GGA Image ID # 1d591e0ff8

Front Cover, Saloon Passenger List from the SS Westphalia of the Hamburg-American Line, Departing 31 May 1885 from Hamburg to Prague

Front Cover, Saloon Passenger List from the SS Westphalia of the Hamburg-American Line, Departing 31 May 1885 from Hamburg to Prague, Commanded by Captain H. H. Barends. GGA Image ID # 1d86689e93

Front Cover, Passenger list, Hamburg-America Line SS Pennsylvania, 21 June 1902.

This voyage probably was remarkable for the original owner of this passenger list who produced a mini-yearbook of the journey including an autographed photograph of the Chief Steward, Third Class, Mr. A. Groß. The passenger list had four pictures of various areas of Albert Ballin's Third Class. This is how to turn a souvenir into a memory. The Third Class doesn't get any better than this!

Passenger Manifest, SS Hamburg, Hamburg America Line, September 1905

Front Cover, SS Hamburg Passenger List of the Hamburg-America Line, 14 September 1905.

Cover from a 1910 Passenger List from the SS Cincinnati. GGA Image ID # 1d7d0c4d1d

HAPAG Menus

Cover from a 1905 SS Pretoria Dinner Menu. GGA Image ID # 1d7d0e0bea

1902-02-26 SS Deutschland Breakfast Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare for the steamship Deutschland of the Hamburg America Line featured a typical American fare including Buckwheat Pancakes, Omelots, Ham, Bacon, in addition to Rumpsteak, Calf's Liver and Grilled Vienna Sausages.

1902-03-02 SS Deutschland Breakfast Menu Card

Vintage Bill of Fare from 2 March 1902 featured Eggs Périgueux Style, Potato-Pancake with Cranberries, and Omelet aux Confitures.

1905-05-26 SS Pretoria Dinner Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare from Friday, 26 May 1905 featured Striped Bass à la Meunière, Saddle of Veal, Wax Beans, and Mixed Ice Cream for dessert. The menu, printed in English and German, included a Concert Program.

1905-07-24 SS Moltke Luncheon Menu Card

Uniquely constructed Bill of Fare from 24 July 1905 consisting of 3 pieces of paper glued together by design. The quality graphics were common among German steamship lines of that era. Featured items included Iamb in Curry with Rice, Salmy of Ducklings with Olives, and Broiled and Fried Mutton-Chops.

c1911 SS Victoria Luise Breakfast Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare Card from circa 1911 featured an impressively large selection of items including Scrambled Eggs with Morils, with Mushrooms, Fried Eggs with Ham or Bacon, and Broiled Salt Mackerels. The reverse side of the Bill of Fare was printed in German.

1927-09-30 SS Deutschland Daily Menu Card

Vintage Third Class Bill of Fare from 30 September 1927 on board the SS Deutschland of the Hamburg America Line featured Boiled Eggs for Breakfast, Braised Fillet of Fish for Dinner, and Matjes Herrings, Bacon Sauce for Supper.

1928-06-30 SS New York Farewell Dinner Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare Post Card from 30 June 1928 featured Fried Filet of Perch Pike, Roast Duckling, and Mixed Ice Cream for dessert.

1930s SS Resolute Luncheon Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare from the 1930s featured Original Cold Fishes, Swedish Style, Small Tenderloin Steak with Smothered Onions, and Caramel Cream or Apple Pie for dessert. Bill of Fare printed in German, Swedish, and English.

1933-07-02 SS Hamburg Luncheon Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare from 2 July 1933 featured Philadelphia Pepper Pot, Roast High Rib, and Viennese Makronentorte for dessert.

1933-07-02 SS Hamburg Main Meal Menu

Vintage Bill of Fare from 2 July 1933 featured Philadelphia Pepper Pot, Steckrübenmus - German Style Ribs, and Vienna's macro-cake for dessert. In German with English Translation.

1936-07-03 SS Hamburg Breakfast Menu

Beautiful elaborate Bill of Fare from 3 July 1936 offered traditional American fare plus sirloin steaks, german fried potatoes, and Bologna.

1937-03-11 SS Hamburg Dinner Menu

Elegant Vintage Bill of Fare from Thursday, 11 March 1937 featured Fried Fillet of Haddock Meunière, Râgout of Tongue with Mushrooms and Dumplings, Risotto, and Cannelons with Whipped Cream for dessert. Printed in German and English, the Bill of Fare included a Music Program.

1937-07-30 SS Hamburg Breakfast Menu

Elaborate Bill of Fare for 30 July 1937 offered the standard American fare plus German favorites including Bacon and Eggs, Omelet with Herbs, Sirloin Steak, German Fried Potatoes, Liver Wurst, and Smoked Sausage.

1937-07-18 SS New York Anniversary Dinner Menu

This Bill of Fare celebrates the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of the Hamburg America Line (1847-1937). The Bill of Fare featured Eggs with Caviar, Boiled Turbot with Sauce Romain and Tournedos with Potato Croquettes. A Music Program is on the Back Cover.

1938-02-14 SS Reliance Valentine's Day Dinner Menu

Elegant and Ornate Bill of Fare for Monday, 14 February 1938. The meal featured a Fillet of Halibut, Tournedos, and Styrian Pheasant. Beautiful Valentine Themed Cover Illustration.

Cover from a 1930s SS Resolute Luncheon Menu. GGA Image ID # 1d7d80672f

HAPAG Passage Contracts and Tickets

1904 Passage Contract for a German Immigrant Family on the Hamburg-American Line.

1904 Passage Contract for a German Immigrant Family on the Hamburg-American Line. GGA Image ID # 1d591f623b

1904-07-06 Steamship Contract - Hamburg American Line

Original steamship contract dated 6 July 1904 Between the Hamburg America Line and The Breitmann Family consisting of two adults and four children of Russian Hebrew descent, for third class passage from Hamburg to New York aboard the SS Hamburg.

1907-11-20 Prepaid Steerage Contract for German Immigrant Family

Steerage Prepaid Passage Contract issued by the Hamburg America Line on 20 November 1907 for passage from Hamburg, Germany to New York and a Train from New York to Ellsworth, Minnesota for a German Immigrant Family.

1912-01-13 Prepaid Steerage Contract - Hamburg America Line

Colorful Receipt for the purchase of passage from Hamburg to New York via the Hamburg America Line with inland passage to McFreesport, Pennsylvania dated 13 January 1913.

1927-09-16 Passenger Contract - Hamburg-America Line

Emma Muessigbrodt, a 37 year-old German woman traveling from Hamburg to New York on the Hamburg America Line. She travelled in the Third Class. (English translation)

1927-09-16 Dampferfahrkartenvertrag - Hamburg nach New York

Deutscher Vertrag über das Dampfflugzeug der dritten Klasse an Bord der SS New York der Hamburg-Amerika-Linie im Jahr 1927. Die Unterschrift des Passagiers ist schwer zu lesen. See the entry above for the English Translation.

1932-04-11 Intercollegiate Travel Bureau Receipt - Transatlantic Voyages

Receipt that itemized a round-trip voyage to Europe for Mr. and Mrs. David S. Kane via the SS Hamburg and SS Deutschland of the Hamburg America Line in 1932.

1933-04-28 Receipt for Partial Payment for Passage - New York to Hamburg

Receipt for partial payment for a party of four for passage from New York to Hamburg on the SS St. Louis of the Hamburg America Line dated 28 April 1933. Fare for Each Adult was $143.00 Plus Tax for a cabin class berth.

1933-06-05 Prepaid Ticket - Hamburg to New York

Tourist Class Passage for Three Family Members living in Berlin prepaid by another family member living in Maryland for a voyage from Hamburg to New York, departing 5 June 1933 on a Hamburg America Line steamship Deutschland.

1936-02-22 Receipt for Partial Payment for Round-Trip Passage - New York and Bremen

Receipt for partial payment for third class passage on the SS New York - Eastbound and the SS Bremen - Westbound for a round-trip voyages between New York and Bremen on the Hamburg America Line.

1912 Purchaser's Receipt for Steerage Prepaid Passage Contract on the Hamburg-American Line for German Immigrant.

1912 Purchaser's Receipt for Steerage Prepaid Passage Contract on the Hamburg-American Line for German Immigrant. GGA Image ID # 1d5946fd72

HAPAG Periodicals

Cover from a May 1910 Hamburg-American Gazette Publication.

Cover from a May 1910 Hamburg-American Gazette Publication. GGA Image ID # 1d7d909566

1910-05 Hamburg-American Gazette

The May 1910 issue of the Hamburg-American Gazette featured "Tourists Return from South America: Remarkable Success of the SS Bluecher's Cruise to the Straits of Magellan," "The SS Cincinnati Returns from Orient Cruise," and "Each Succeeding Season These Cruises are Coming More and More Into Favor With the American Traveling Pubic." Many photographs including The Hamburg-American Piers at Hoboken (New York), USA, Dining Room of the SS Prinz Joachim, Showing New Arrangement of Small Tables on "Prinz" Steamers of the Atlas Service, Pier at Montevideo, Uruguay, and Captain Schülke of SS Cincinnati.

1935-04 The Seven Seas Magazine

Volume 14, No. 4, April 1935 issue of the Seven Seas, published quarterly by Hamburg America Line and North German Lloyd in New York featured articles on the Baroque Garden by Helen Appleton Read, Moslem Metropolis by Stoyan Christowe and two location articles on Salisbury and Baden ~ Baden. Lavishly illustrated with black and white photographs throughout. 32 Pages plus Covers.

1936 Winter - The Seven Seas Magazine

Winter 1936 Issue of the Seven Seas, Published Jointly by the Hamburg America Line and North German Lloyd. Featured Articles Included: Marburg on the Lahn, the Epitome of the Concept Mittelalterlich and the Seat of the First Lutheran University Founded by Philip the Magnanimous Landgraf of Hesse in 1523 by Helen Appleton Read, Roman Holiday by Charles G. Shaw and the City of Gay Night -- Budapest, Hungary by William B. Powell.

HAPAG Immigrant Inspection Cards

1912-04-24 Inspection Card - Austrian Immigrant

Fine example of an Immigrants and Steerage Passengers' Inspection Card issued on 24 April 1912 by the Hamburg America Line for an Austrian Immigrant on board the SS President Grant that departed from Hamburg, Germany arriving in New York on 7 May 1912. Passed American Ellis Island Inspectors on 8 May 1912.

HAPAG Brochures

1914 - Hamburg-Amerika Linie Nordseebäder-Fahrplan

Viele Fotos der Schiffe, Innenansichten und Bilder der Wahrzeichen von Hamburg, Deutschland, machen diese Broschüre zu einer ungewöhnlich guten Broschüre der Hamburg- Amerika Linie von 1914. Zwei farbige Karten enthalten die Nordsee und die Umgebung.

1914 - Hamburg America Line North Sea Resorts Timetable

Many photographs of the ships, interior views, and images of Hamburg, Germany landmarks help to make this an unusually good brochure from the Hamburg America Line in 1914. Two color maps are included of the North Sea and Vicinity.

1924 Brochure - The New Twin Screw Steamship Deutschland

8-Panel Flyer offers a quick look at the SS Deutschland, a 21,046-ton ship, launched on 28 April 1923 with her maiden voyage on 27 March 1924. Superb interior photographs create a visual feast of this elegant ship of the Hamburg America Line (HAPAG).

1928 Brochure - HAPAG - Across the Atlantic in First Class

Outstanding brochure from the Hamburg America Line captures the opulence of first-class transatlantic travel in the late 1920s. Rare interior photographs of public rooms such as the shopping plaza or promenade make this an excellent booklet.

1936 Brochure - HAPAG-North German Lloyd - Go Tourist Class

26-Page Brochure "Go Tourist Class" is a joint production of HAPAG-NDL. Profusely Illustrated with interior photographs of Tourist Class accommodations and ships of both lines that carried passengers of that class. A superb brochure produced for American tourist of the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.

1937 Brochure - HAPAG-NDL Ships in the Transatlantic Service

14-page small format brochure produced jointly by HAPAG-LLOYD welcomes you to Germany in 1937 on their transatlantic ships Bremen, Europa, Columbus, New York, Hamburg, Hansa, Deutschland, St. Louis, and Berlin. Brief information along with a photograph of each ship is included in this booklet.

HAPAG - Cabin and Third Class on the MS St. Louis - 1938

1938 8-page, large format brochure from the Hamburg America Line presents views of the rooms and decks enjoyed by the cabin and third-class passengers aboard the MS St. Louis. Captions and text were provided in German and English. The English versions are provided below.

In The Third Class to North America - 1938

This is a well-preserved brochure that was published before the beginning of the European conflict that became World War II. Superb photography makes this an exceptional record of the Third Class accommodations on the steamships Deutschland, New York, Hamburg, and the Hansa.

In der Dritten Klasse nach Nordamerika - 1938

Es handelt sich um eine gut erhaltene Broschüre veröffentlicht wurde, dass vor dem Beginn des europäischen Konflikt, der sich aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Superb Fotografie macht dies ein Rekord excecptional der dritten Klasse Unterkünfte auf dem Dampfer Deutschland, New York, Hamburg und die Hanse.

1938 Brochure Cover -- In the Third Class to North America by the Hamburg-American Line. GGA Image ID # 12d855a507

HAPAG Concert and Event Programs

Cover for a 1939 SS New York Social Events Program. GGA Image ID # 12c96dd286

1933-07-27 Social Events Program - SS New York

Program of Social Events for a voyage of the SS New York of the Hamburg America Line beginning 27 July 1933. Events included Movies, Concerts, "Get-Togethers," and Dances. Two of the movies shown were self-promotional world cruises aboard a HAPAG ocean liner.

1936-08-27 Voyage Events Program - SS Deutschland

Tourist Class Events Program on the SS Deutschland of the Hamburg America Line for the voyage beginning 27 August 1936. Activities included Dances, Movies, Concerts, "Get-Togethers," Horse Races, Beer Parity, and Horse Races.

1939-05-11 Social Events Program - SS New York

Social Events Program for the transatlantic voyage on the SS New York of the Hamburg America Line beginning 11 May 1939. Featured events included Tea Concerts, Horse Races, Dancing, Movies, Fancy Dress Ball, and News Reels.

HAPAG Other Ephemera

1922-06-15 Passenger Transport Notification

You will need a passport to your (Homeland) which a registration will be accepted he must exit from Hamburg to New York until the day of departure elected ships tips or a week longer applies.

Provisioning a Transatlantic Liner - Equivalent in Live Stock and General Stores.

Provisioning a Transatlantic Liner - Equivalent in Live Stock and General Stores. GGA Image ID # 1014ed4ab9

Provisioning A Transatlantic Liner - 1901

The Scientific American article from June 29, 1901, details the provisions for passengers, crew, and coal for the boilers needed for a transatlantic voyage of the North German Line Steamship Deutschland. The ship's capacity, including passengers and crew, was 1,617.

The SS New York at Cuxhaven, Germany circa 1930.

The SS New York at Cuxhaven, Germany circa 1930. GGA Image ID # 1771dfd28a

Postcards from the Hamburg-American Line

Small Collection of rare Hamburg-American Line postcards. Our series of postally used and unused postcards date from the early 1900s.

Hamburg-American Line Track Chart of the Atlantic Ocean, 1929.

Hamburg-American Line Track Chart of the Atlantic Ocean, 1929. GGA Image ID # 177cc9384d

Insert: Faster Across the Atlantic, 1929.

Insert: Faster Across the Atlantic, 1929. GGA Image ID # 176fa685cb

Hamburg-Amerika Linie Fleet List, 1909.

Hamburg-Amerika Linie Fleet List, 1909. SS Deutschland Passenger List, 7 October 1909. GGA Image ID # 1e4210cdee

Hamburg America Line Collection
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The GG Archives is the work and passion of two people, Paul Gjenvick, a professional archivist, and Evelyne Gjenvick, a curator. Paul earned a Masters of Archival Studies - a terminal degree from Clayton State University in Georgia, where he studied under renowned archivist Richard Pearce-Moses. Our research into the RMS Laconia and SS Bergensfjord, the ships that brought two members of the Gjønvik family from Norway to the United States in the early 20th century, has helped us design our site for other genealogists. The extent of original materials at the GG Archives can be very beneficial when researching your family's migration from Europe.