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Carl Tiedemann (German Shipping Company)

Carl Tiedemann Stauerei; Fairplay Tugs

Last modified: 2019-08-12 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: tiedemann | fairplay tugs | getreideheber ges | donau-hafenges | peatz und co | pauls und blohm | buschmann(theoodor) |
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[Carl Tiedemann (1895 - 1909)] image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Jan 2009 See also:

Brief History of Carl Tiedemann

Carl Tiedemann is the oldest company in storage and warehousing business in the Hamburg area. She was established by Carl Tiedemann, a Hamburg docker, on 11 May 1879 as a company for tug boats, harbour transports and storage in Old Commercial Room, a famous Hamburg Restaurant near St.Michael's parish church. In 1895 the first tug boat AUGUSTE had been bought, followed two years later by the PICCADORR.
The company increased and in 1897 Richard Borchardt was employed as a pay clerk being also in charge of inner organization of the company. In 1898 the company shares are available at Hamburg stock exchange. In 1900 the company was established as a member of Hamburg's roll of commerce as Stauerei und Bugsiererei Carl Tiedemann. A bit later Tiedemann's nephew John Rehr joined the company.

In 1909 the company had gained a good reputation and was well known by local and foreign shipping companies as really dependable. Rehr and Tiedemann meanwhile had established various new activities. At the same time, Mr. Pauls and his son left the tug boat company. The AG was transformed into a KG and renamed KG Fairplay Steam Tug Office. Tiedemann remained in that company playing the role of a mere shareholder. Borchardt became chairman of the board of Fairplay, which was released to independence. The date of foundation was defined as 1905. At the eve of WWI Tiedemann founded together with others the Getreideheber Gesellschaft Hamburg.

After WWI the company had to face a complete break down. In 1919 Carl Tiedemann died. But John Rehr and his wife Emmy managed that the company survived. Long range contracts with shipping companies had been the means of survival.During WWII Emmy Rehr had to run the business alone. She could keep the qualified employees by clearing away the rubble in Hamburg's harbour area. John Rehr withdrew from business. The base of the company was completely ruined a second time at the end of WWII. Emmy Rehr, her brother Carl Schramm and Hans Vorberg, who entered the company in 1943 try to revive the company once another. Due to contacts of Vorberg to customers at home and abroad the company arises again like a Phoenix. When John Rehr died in 1949, he was aware of this revival. In 1952 the company had 72 employees and a lot of work. But new hardships overcame the company. Emmy Rehr died in 1957 and Carl Schramm only two years later in 1959. Head of the company was Hans Vorberg, together with family members of the Rehr-family he managed that the company increased also in the 1960ies.
In 1968 the company started a container harbour service, at the same time HAPAG LLOYD and Poseidon Lines began to run container ships. The company also started a container repair service. In 1972 a container depot and a container packing station were established right in the middle of Hamburg's freeport area.In 1981 the company expanded to Antwerpen(Belgium) erecting a container repais service (CT-CCA) and to Southern Germany, where in 1980 the Donau-Hafengesellschaft Deggendorf, Josef Wallner, Bayerische Schiffahrts- und Hafenbetreibs GmbH was established. The company worked hand in hand with Zweckverband Donau-Hafen Deggendorf, which was some kind of municipal joint venture of city of Deggendorf, City of Plattling, Osterhofen market town and county of Deggendorf. Looking for a partner, he was found, it was Carl Tiedemann GmbH & Co KG, which established in Hamburg DANUBE Verw. & Beteil. Ges. Carl Tiedemann mbH, which finally merged with the company of Josef Wallner on 1 October 1980, named Donau-Hafengesellschaft Deggendorf.
In 1988 the Hamburger Hafen- und Lagerhaus AG (HHLA) overtook 40% of the shares of Tiedemann, which changed the company's structure. But in 1999 HHLA withdrew from Tiedemann.
In 1991 Tiedemann overtook Stauerei Peatz & Co from Carl Robert Eckelmann. Later on a lot of shares of other companies in container business had been acquired and partially sold again.

FAIRPLAY today is, as far as I know located in Hamburg and Rostock as well.

Source: Klaus-Peter Bühne's webpage Translated and adapted by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010


Carl Tiedemann (1895 - 1909)

This was sent to me via Gerard van der Vaart (of Shipmate and the new Dutch FOTW-mirror).
Albert Kelder sent an image of a cap with an emblem (2,5 MB): White with a centred device consisting of a large red four-pointed star charged with a smaller blue 4-pointed star, rotated 45 degrees relative to the larger one; in center of blue a white serifed "T".
That is the image of Fairplay tugs with an additional "T", as well as Carl Tiedemann until 1909.
Jarig Bakker, 23 Jan 2009

The first flag was that one with a white serifed "T" within the star. In 1909 the "T" was removed from the flag of FAIRPLAY. Probably at the same time the blue "C" was added to the flag of CARL TIEDEMANN STAUEREI. Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010


Fairplay Tugs


[Fairplay Tugs (Shipping Company, Germany)] image by Jorge Candeias, 20 Feb 1999 Fairplay Tugs or Fairplay Schleppdampfschiffs-Reederei GmbH - White with a centred device consisting of a large red four-pointed star charged with a smaller blue 4-pointed star, rotated 45 degrees relative to the larger one.
Jorge Candeias, 20 Feb 1999

This is interestingly similar to the houseflags of Borchard Lines Ltd. and Lucy Borchard Shipping Ltd.. Any idea of the reason for such similarity? Were these three once the same company?
António Martins-Tuválkin, 18 Sep 2001

See for a similar star this website. Founded by harbour worker Carl Tiedemann in 1879, a service and towing company, Hamburg. In 1895, a towboat called 'Fairplay takes up service and two years later, Richard Borchardt joins the firm. In 1900 the firm is called 'Stauerei und Bugsiererei Carl Tiedemann' (Stevedoring and Towing Company CT), later renamed "Fairplay Steam Tug Office". Surviving two world wars and considerable technological changes, the firm still exists as a major player in the maritime services business, logistics etc.
Familiar names crop up here, for Fairplay itself see here, with its own star. Richard Borchardt founded F. in 1905, took over BBB, Rostock and also URS (Antwerp) together with Smit International, this year.
Jan Mertens, 13 May 2004

Fairplay Tugs - (Fairplay Schleppdampfschiffs-Reederei GmbH). The full name of the company is Fairplay Schleppdampfschiffsreederei Richard Borchard and the following history has been gleaned from "Hamburg Tugs" by Michael Dollenbacher and Reinhard H. Schnake:
"riginated from the tug company Pauls & Blohm formed 1877 which merged 25 November 1905 with Carl Tiedemann as Schleppdampfschiffsrhederei Carl Tiedemann und Pauls & Blohm with Richard Borchard, who had joined Carl Tiedemann in 1897, becoming a partner then in 1924 he bought out the others and in 1926 renamed the company Fairplay Schleppdampfschiffsreederei Richard Borchard, succeeded on his death as owner and manager 12 Jan 1930 by wife Lucy, then 8/1938 ownership was transferred to a trust due to laws prohibiting Jews from owing businesses with the Borchards shifting to London where they established Fairplay Towage Co. Ltd., the original company being returned to Lucy Borchard and son Kurt in 1949 with in 1950 Fairplay Towage Co. Ltd. being dissolved, Lucy dying 4 Feb 1969 succeeded by son Kurt". There is thus a connection with the various Borchard companies and explains the use of the family emblem by Borchard Lines Ltd. and Lucy Borchard Shipping Ltd.
Neale Rosanoski, 18 Oct 2004


Carl Tiedemann Stauerei

[Carl Tiedemann flag] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 20 Feb 2007

Carl Tiedemann Stauerei is a freight- and cargo company for transports by ship.The flag is white a red 4-point star pointing to the following directions clockwise 0gon, 100gon, 200gon and 300gon. The star is superimposed by a blue 4-point star pointing to the following directions clockwise 50gon, 150gon, 250gon, 350gon with a white capital "T" in its centre. The whole is surrounded by a big blue capital "C".
(ed.note: full circle is 400gon, a rectangle is 100gon)
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 20 Feb 2007


Pauls & Blohm

[Pauls & Blohm] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Apr 2012

The tug company Pauls & Blohm was formed in 1877 which merged 25 November 1905 with Carl Tiedemann as Schleppdampfschiffsrhederei Carl Tiedemann und Pauls & Blohm The company had a white flag with a blue 5-point star in the centre.
Source: "Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann's Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897"
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Apr 2012


Getreideheber Gesellschaft Hamburg

[Getreideheber Gesellschaft Hamburg] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 June 2009

The company was located in Hamburg and is probably dissolved. Jan Mertens found in obsolete page (http://www.buchfried.de) a page about Johann Oelker dockyard, delivering a new vessel to Getreideheber Gesellschaft, including a photo of the flag. I only spotted an image made of tiles on a wall of the former company building. Probably the company was trading and shipping grain.
The flag is a white divided by a red chevron pointing to the top. Red capitals "G" (upper hoist and lower centre) and "H" (upper fly) are spread out over the flag.
Source: I spotted an image of that flag on 10 April 2009 in the Hamburg harbour area.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 June 2009


Donau-Hafengesellschaft Deggendorf

[Donau-Hafengesellschaft Deggendorf] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010

It is a white flag with a green anchor in ist centre flanked by blue capitals "JW"" at ist top. The anchor is superimposed by a yellow stearing wheel, which is superimposed by the star of Tiedemann incl. the "T".
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010


Stauerei Peatz & Co

[Stauerei Peatz & Co] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010

In the centre of the flag is a blue cotized rectangle containing blue capitals with a white fimbriation "PCO". The rectangle is flanked by two isosceles blue trapeziums touching the edges of both, flag and rectangle.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 May 2010


Theodor Buschmann

[Theodor Buschmann Werft] image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 5 Mar 2016

The company was started on 21 June 1881 bei Johann Thomas Theodor Buschmann in Hamburg-Steinwerder. The business was ship building, repair and ship carpentry. Due to expansion of the Blohm & Voss dockyard the company had to move to the Köhlbrand, the mouth of the Southern Elbe, in 1893. Building and repair of wooden barges (German: Schuten) was the main business. The founder died in 1912. The company was led by his sons Theodor and Heinrich. At the end of 1934 the brothers took leave of one another. Heinrich and his sons overtook the Dockyard of Westfälisches Kohlenkontor on Peute Island in Hamburg on 1 January 1935. Thomas received the company of his parents in Wilhelmsburg. He moved to Reiherstieg in 1947, beginning building, maintenance and repair of tugboats, barges and coasters. Most of the FAIRPLAY tugboats were made here. In 1959 the company became a part of Fairplay, which needed the know-how of the staff of Theodor Buschmann. The department had 100 employees in 1982, and 50 employees in 2004. It became a specialist for complex challenges, nowadays the business is treatment of steel, aluminium and high grade steel, and the building of pontoons, dredger ships, fish trawlers, tugboats, tourist ships and ferries.
Source: information provided by Klaus-Peter Bühne on 15 July 2019
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 20 July 2019


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