House Flags of German Shipping Companies (d) - part 1

Deutsche Reedereiflaggen (d) Teil 1

Last modified: 2019-07-10 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: dabelstein | dampfschiffahrts gmbh hh | dauelsberg | dehde | deppe | detjen | deutsch-australische dg | deutsche afrika | deutsche conti | deutsche dr hh | deutsche fanto | deutsche handels-plantagen | deutsche kuesten ds |
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• J.H.D. Dabelstein
• Reederei Frank Dahl
• Dampfschiffahrts GmbH Hamburg
• Herm Dauelsberg
• Wilhelm Dehde
• Peter Deilmann
• Deppe Lines
• Detjen
• Deutsch-Australische Dampf Gesellschaft
• Deutsche Afrika-Linien
• Deutsche Conti Schifffahrt
• Deutsche Dampfschiffrhederei von 1889
• Deutsche Dampfschiff Rhederei zu Hamburg
• Deutsche Fanto GmbH
• Deutsche Handels- und Plantagen Ges.
• Deutsche Küsten Dampfschiff
• Deutsche Orient Linie
• Deutsche Tank-Reederei
• Deutsch-Russische Naphta Import
• Deutscher Schulschiff Verein
• Deymann

• House Flags of German Shipping Companies
• House Flags of Shipping Companies
• Germany

J.H.D. Dabelstein

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "J.H.D. Dabelstein" (#27, p. 38), a company based in Hamburg, as red with a white square diamond charged with a red letter "D".

The "The ShipsList" website mentions SS "Fiume" as purchased by Dabelstein from Hambourg South American Line in 1901.
The same year, Dabelstein purchased the "Europa 1879" from Witt & Busch and operated her until scrapped in 1914.
Ivan Sache, 15 Mar 2008

Reederei Frank Dahl

The company is located in Cuxhaven. The flag is divided per bend sinister into red and white. There is a thin countercharged bordure. In the upper hoist corner is a white Gothic "F", in the lower fly corner a red Gothic "D".
Source: Verband Deutscher Reeder homepage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Jul 2012

Dampfschiffahrts GmbH Hamburg

It was a white flag with a red bordure. In the white field were black, dotted serifed initials "D.G." over "H.". In Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.12, image no.85 this company is called "Dampfschiffahrts GmbH Hamburg-Elbe-Rhein-Linie".
Source: Flaggenkarte, Hrsg.: H. Carly, Hamburg, c.1898
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 June 2012

Herm Dauelsberg

Herm Dauelsberg, Bremen - Israeli-style WBWBW flag; in center black "D".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 19 Jan 2006

Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 May 2009
The company is located in Bremen. In 1857 Hermann Dauelsberg obtained permission from the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Bremen to take over the licence to run an already existing shipbroker business under the name of Herm. Dauelsberg.
Mr. Christian August Bunnemann, who was an apprentice of the former existing company, was responsible for developing the success of the shipbroking and liner agency business. He became a partner and took over the remaining shares from Hermann Dauelsberg's son Carl when he died in 1887.
Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG. remains a family owned company to this day and four generations later it is managed by the brothers C.Andreas Bunnemann,until his retirement end 2006, and Klaus F. Bunnemann who
In April 2008 Nicolaus Bunnemann, son of Klaus F. Bunnemann joined the company.
The company did cargo shipping and passages for emigrants to North America as well. The core business was liner agency until the shipping companies ran that business directly. Until today there remained chartering broker, sale and purchase, port agency and ship owning. Liner agency business had been terminated in the 1990ies.
For further information click company's website .
Description of flag:
It was a white flag, horizontally divided by two blue stripes and a big black capital "D" between the stripes.
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT"; Hamburg 1957; p.F7
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 May 2009

Wilhelm Dehde

Wilhelm Dehde
The company was located in Bützfleth. It is a black over white over red horizontal tricolour, like former German merchant ensign, superimposed by a big, yellow "D", fimbriated black.
Title: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT", Hamburg 1957; p.F7.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 8 Apr 2009

Peter Deilmann

Peter Deilmann, Neustadt - white flag, red "D", containing a ship's bow topped by an "F", all red.
(Guess this is Neustadt in Holstein)
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 12 Oct 2005

Deppe Lines

From a Google cache (news flash from 24 Sept.) we learn that:
"Deppe Line will withdraw from liner shipping effective 31 October. To confirm with the FMC status of vessel operator, the Hamburg-based H. Schuldt-owned carrier formally chartered a ship (lately a 3,000 TEU unit) from its long-standing partner Lykes Lines (CP Ships).
Deppe, which had its roots in Belgium (Armement Deppe) used to offer space on three weekly box services between N. Europe and the US East Coast and Gulf, including Mexico."

I do not know anything about the degree of relationship between Deppe Lines (DE) and Armement Deppe, but anyway, here goes:
Company website: The Delta points to "Deppe", surely, and the choice of colours may not be accidental.
A quick look did not reveal anything on withdrawing from the shipping business... But if the flag waves on, who are we to complain?
Jan Mertens, 5 Nov 2003

Detjen

Friedrich A. Detjen G.m.b.H. & Co., Hamburg - Dov Gutterman reported the link of Detjen - flag: white with red bordered white diamond charged with black capital D. At the history page of that site the black thingies at top and bottom on a Macromedia Flash image are replaced by black shadows underlining the flag flying. On that same history page is another houseflag: white with a vertical chevron with in the center a capital D. It's black and white, though...
Santiago Dotor, 6 Nov 2003

Deutsch-Australische Dampf Gesellschaft

I would't call this design striking, but it's definitely interesting: a sort of red and black saltire on white, where the saltire is formed by two overlapping diagonals, the one that runs from top hoist to bottom fly disposed above the other one, and both divided in two halves, the hoist half red and the fly half black. The caption is another nightmare. The first word looks like "Olick", OSLT, the second one seems to be "Rusit", or "Dusit", the third is completely unreadable, but seems to begin with a D, and the third one might be the "Gem." abbreviation.
Jorge Candeias, 23 Dec 2004

It's the Deutsch-Australische Dampfschiff(ahrts)-Gesellschaft, Hamburg. The flag can be seen on a pdf file from the 1902 Brockhaus encyclopedia. No Australian angle as far as I can see, only the (then) German national flag colours.
Jan Mertens, 24 Dec 2004

Deutsche Afrika-Linien

Deutsche Afrika-Linien John T.Essberger - The company is located at Palmaille 45 in Hamburg-Altona and is today member of Rantzau group. The company is using two flags, that one of John T. Essberger (white with a blue capital "E") and Deutsche Afrika-Linien (yellow with a black white red lozenge, but the lozenge
is not touching the edges). I have displayed a simplified logo of the company. See also: Deutsch Ost-Afrika Linie.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Jun 2007

Deutsche Conti Schifffahrt

Deutsche Conti Schifffahrts G.m.b.H., Hamburg - Israeli-style WRWRW flag, in center red "C" containing yellow "C"-like item with on top a yellow thingy.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 13 Jan 2006

Deutsche Dampfschiffrhederei von 1889

Flag reported 1897

It is a red flag. In the centre is a white oval containing a black date "1889". Source: Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann's Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 Jun 2012

Flag reported 1924

The big oval in this variant takes 2/3 of height and width.
Source: Otto Mathies: "Hamburgs Reederei 1814 - 1914", Hamburg 1924, p.133
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 8 Jul 2012

Deutsche Dampfschiff Rhederei zu Hamburg

The flag was quarterly divided into red and white. In the upper hoist quarter was a white Hamburg castle with closed door. Another name of the company is Kingsin Line. The flag of Kingsin has different ratio and an open door acc. to Kludas. Source: Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann's Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 May 2012

Deutsche Fanto GmbH

The company was located in Hamburg. It was a white flag divided by red saltire cotized white blue. In the centre was a white ellipse fimbriated black with a black inscription "FANTO".
Source: üFlaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRTü, Hamburg 1957; p.F7 Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 April 2009

Deutsche Handels- und Plantagen Ges. der Südsee Inseln zu Hamburg

The flag was divided by a white bend sinister into black (hoist) and red (fly). The bend sinister contained a black inscription "D.H.&P.G.". The colours are those of German Empire.
Source: Flaggenkarte, Hrsg.: H. Carly, Hamburg, c.1898
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Jun 2012

Deutsche Küsten Dampfschiff

This company, the house flag of which Jorge sent on 11 Jan. 2005, was tentatively identified as "Drak Kaut, D.A.G. (?) " - a very difficult job as the original caption was hardly readable. 
Jorge Candeias' description: "yet another red flag with a white lozenge reaching the edges and a black K in the middle".

Sent along by Jörg Karaschewskifrom the original source, this particular image has as caption: "Dtsch. Küst. D.A.G.".
This must be "Deutsche Küsten Dampfschiff A.G." (i.e. German Coastal Steam Ship Co.), a small trace of which was found at obsolete webpage http://www.skipet.no/1916.pdf: see no. 133) D/S Lindborg.  Above company established at Hamburg, active in 1890.
Another slight trace is found in these (Dutch) pages concerning Groningen local shipping: stating - on the last page - that around 1890 "Deutsche Küsten Dampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft", as called there, had begun an intermittent service between Hamburg and Groningen.  Eventually this met with some success thanks to Dutch potato exports, but came to a standstill because of WWI.
Jan Mertens, 6 May 2007

Deutsche Orient Linie

Deutsche Orient Linie, Stettin - white flag, white saltire bordered red and black; in center black diamond contoured white; white "DOL".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 10 Feb 2005

Deutsche Tank-Reederei

The company was located in Hamburg and a subsidiary of Schiffahrts-und Sped.Kontor'Elbe'.In the 1950ies it owned two tankers transporting edible oil.
Description of flag:
It was a blue flag, cotized red and white. In its centre was a white lozenge containing black capitals "DTR".
Source: "Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen"; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.15
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 May 2009

Deutsch-Russische Naphta Import

Jorge Candeias wrote: The flag is horizontally striped of black-white-red-white-blue-white-red with a narrow yellow lozenge in the center that contains the company's sigla, DRNIG, in black capitals disposed in the shape of a cross.

The name of the company explains the colours: "Deutsch-Russische Naphta Import Ges." i.e. German-Russian Petroleum Import Co. and as the source must have been published in 1912 we understand why we find the pre-WWI colours of both countries.

So: six horizontal stripes, the German ones, NWR, above the Russian ones, WBR.

This flag does not represent a firm with a similar name, founded 1927 and again 1946, but the one named above ending in "...Gesellschaft zu Berlin", probably found in 1883 according to obsolete Russian website http://window2baku.com/Net/german6.htm (near the end).
As stated, Germany and the Soviet Union continued to trade oil after WWI; after WWII, Soviet oil played an important role in the East German economic build-up.  But that is a long time after the peaceful co-existence of the former national colours on a house flag...
Jan Mertens, 24 Dec 2006

Deutscher Schulschiff Verein

The association is still located in Bremen.
The flag is a white, converging swallow tail pennant with athin black stripe at the top edge and a red one at the bottom edge. Shifted to the hoist in the white field was the coat of arms of the dukes of Oldenburg. Black, white and red had been the colours of (2nd) German Empire after 1871 and the first chairman of the association was a duke of Oldenburg.
Source: Lloyds F&F 1912; p.136, flag no.2111
Klaus-Michael Schneider,9 May 2012

Deymann

From recent posts we know this website dedicated to the German inland vessel AVISO II, a chemical tanker: Today a fourth flag - last but not least - is presented: the Deymann houseflag itself, vivid blue, a small red diagonal stripe (descending) and a large white initial 'D' (serifed) over all. From the 'Schiffstaufe' (vessel dedication) section is taken attachment see second photo of second row. (Photo is copyrighted).
This tanker, owned by a small firm (husband and wife, in fact) is only one of a combined Deymann fleet. Sister ship to the above is the AVISO 1, a container and bulk cargo vessel owned by another Deymann brother, to be seen here. One level higher is 'Gerhardt & Deymann Management GmbH und Co. KG', established at Haren, see this website, founded in 2003 by Ernst J. Gerhardt und Martin Deymann as an inland shipping concern mainly active in the tanker business: at the moment, eight vessels are operated. An important project is building the advanced FUTURA tanker at Brake: to have an idea, click 'Aktuelle Projekte' (ongoing projects) in the menu at left. The firm is also involved in freighting, chartering and similar activities (I have not encountered a separate house flag). For an additional (copyrighted) photos, see Michael Harms's site: click Gallery / Binnenschiffe / Tankschiffe / L / Leonie Deymann and (same) R/ Rudolf Deymann, respectively.
Jan Mertens, 3 Nov 2006

This Haren based inland shipping company has a celestial blue flag divided by an orangy red bend, which is superimposed by a white initial "D".
Source: I spotted this flag in Hamburg-Grasbroock on 23 May 2011.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Jul 2012

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