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

Deutsche Reedreiflaggen (s) - Teil 1

Last modified: 2019-08-22 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: sabban | sandkamp | satrans | sauber gebr | scanscot | seedienst ostpreussen | seele | seetransit | seetzen | semper | seyd | sibum | siemsen | sietas(dockyard) | sietas(heinrich) | siegbold | sievers | silvain | siebs | seefahrt | siedenbu |
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[Germany] 3:5 image by António Martins-Tuválkin
German merchant ensign

For House Flags of German Shipping Companies(sch) click here.
For House Flags of German Shipping Companies(st) click here.


See also:

Rhederei der Saale Schiffer AG

[Rhederei der Saale Schiffer AG] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 July 2019

It was an 11 stripes flag of alternating red and white horizontal stripes, in the black canton is a white inscription "SS", probably meaning "Saale Schiffer".
Source: share of the company
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 July 2019


Reederei Hans August Sabban

[Reederei Hans August Sabban] image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2006

Reederei Hans August Sabban, Hamburg - flag horizontal black over red, white "S".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2006


[Hans Sager] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 Aug 2019

The company was based in Flensburg. The flag was blue, parted by a white saltire, in centre a red disc charged with a white initial "S".
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.387
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 Aug 2019


Gustav Salling

[Gustav Salling] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Aug 2019

The company was based in Flensburg. The flag was celestial blue with a red, serifed initial "S" in centre.
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.182
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Aug 2019


Sander, Wieler & Co

[Sander, Wieler & Co] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 July 2019

The company was based in Hamburg. The flag was blue with a white initial "W".
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.21, image no.568
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 July 2019


Erich Sandkamp

[Erich Sandkamp (Shipping Company, Germany)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Apr 2009

The company was located in Tornesch-Esingen and Uetersen (both Pinneberg county). It is a red flag divided by a white saltire. In the centre of the flag is a black disc, fimbriated white and containing a white capital "S".
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT ", Hamburg 1957; p.F25
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Apr 2009


Sassnitzer Dampfschiffsgesellschaft mbH

[Sassnitzer Dampfschiffsgesellschaft mbH] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Aug 2019

The company was based in Sassnitz upon Rügen. The flag was divided per saltire of white and blue.
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.292
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Aug 2019


Satrans

[Satrans Speditionsgesellschaft mbH (Shipping Company, Germany)] image by Jorge Candeias, 12 Mar 1999

Satrans Speditionsgesellschaft mbH - Basically an orange-light green-orange horizontal triband. A blue stripe covers the orange stripes in the lower hoist and upper fly, creating an "S" in the center.
Jorge Candeias, 12 Mar 1999


Gebrüder Sauber

[Gebrüder Sauber tug skippers] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Aug 2019

Ewerführerei Gebrüder Sauber, i.e. tug skippers Sauber brothers, a company based in Hamburg. The flag was a red-yellow-red horizontal triband.
Source: Schnall funnel chart 1997
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Aug 2019


Sauber Gebr.

[Sauber Gebr.(Shipping Company, Germany)] image by Jorge Candeias, 30 Nov 2004

This one is another flag that is pretty clear in all its details. The flag itself is white with a red cross and a blue S over all. And the caption reads "Sauber Gebr.".
Jorge Candeias, 30 Nov 2004

A Sauber Gebr. firm of Hamburg is mentioned in a thread on Norwegian ships sunk in WW1, which appeared on a Norwegian Merchant Fleet forum.
Ned Smith, 1 Dec 2004

And a neat flag it is ('sauber' means 'clean') - see Lloyd 1912i image no. 1091
Jan Mertens, 2 Dec 2004

Gebr. in English means "Bros".
 Sauber Gebr. were founded on July 6, 1839 in Hamburg as a wholesale and retail business für British coal. In 1845 they started importing coal from Newcastle with chartered ships. 1871 they started building teir first own coal freighter steamship by the name of JOHN SAUBER.
During and after WW1 business came to a standstill. All ships were confiscated. Business began slowly again because the old ties to Newcastle were still there. In WW2 the same thing happened all over again.
Start after WW2 was very difficult, but again in the 1950s own and chartered ships transported Newcastle coal. With the advent of oil and has heating the retail and import business withered away until the company went into bankrupcy in the 1960s.
Wolf Knipfer, 5 Feb 2009


Scanscot

[Scanscot] image by Eugene Ipavec, 30 May 2005

A Scanscot house flag was recently offered on German eBay and this recently founded shipping company already has its article-in-progress on (also German) Wikipedia: br>Dark green field with three horizontal white lines in the lower half, two thin ones above a single broad one resting on the flag's lower edge; a large white disk bleeding into the lower stripe contains a stylized italic initial "S", sharply serifed, in black.
Hamburg based Scanscot was founded in 1995 by Thominvest of Finland, finally operating about a dozen multibulk ships equipped with impressive cranes active as trampers and most of them flying the Isle of Man flag. Occasionally others ships were chartered as well. Financial difficulties led to bankruptcy in 2010. The flag may be espied on some Shipspotting photos: here here
Jan Mertens 1 Jun 2011


Seedienst Ostpreußen

[Seedienst Ostpreussen] image by Jens Pattke, 24 Mar 2019

This page presents the Seedienst Ostpreußen (Maritime Service East Prussia or East Prussian Naval Service):
Founded in 1920, its aim was to ensure a direct link between Germany and its post-1919 exclave, East Prussia. (Train journeys across the "Polish Corridor" were judged onerous.) Ships of existing firms "Gribel, Braeunlich, Norddeutscher Lloyd" , etc. - made up the fleet of this government-supported company, which started operating its own ships in 1926. The vessels were commandeered when war broke out in 1939; the year 1944 saw the end of the "Seedienst".

Its flag is shown on a poster shown on above webpage. On a red field, between black capital letters "S" and "O", fimbriated white, is a white shield bearing a black Latin cross. The shield is given some relief while the letters are in a font I cannot identify.
Jan Mertens, 30 May 2005

According to the results of the Treaty of Versailles a Polish corridor through Germany was established in 1919, which allowed Poland access to the Baltic Sea. In order to ensure uninterrupted and independent access from the German heartland to East Prussia, a maritime link was established between the two geographical parts. Seedienst Ostpreußen (= Sea Service East Prussia) was founded, which connected both German territories via the Baltic Sea. It began operations on 30 January 1920. The first line was mainly served by the ships "HELGOLAND" and "HÖRNUM", partly also by the ships "ODIN" and "HERTHA". With the German invasion of Poland and the occupation of the entire Polish territory in 1939 the maritime connection was discontinued.
The flag of "Seedienst Ostpreußen" was red with a centred silver shield with a black cross, accompanied by the black letters "O" and "S" in Gothic print, fimbriated white. Sources: this image and English WIKIPEDIA
Jens Pattke, 24 Mar 2019


Seefahrt Dampfschiffs Reederei A-B

[Seefahrt Dampfschiffs Reederei A-B] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 July 2019

The company was based in Bremen. The flag was red with centred blue disc fimbriated black and charged with a white "S".
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.31
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 July 2019


Seefahrt Dampfschiffs Reederei AG

[Seefahrt Dampfschiffs Reederei AG] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 July 2019

The company was based in Bremen. The flag was blue, divided by a white saltire, in centre a white disc with black initial "S", bordered by a black annulet.
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.15, image no.259
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 July 2019


'Seefahrt' Segelschiffsreederei GmbH

['Seefahrt' Segelschiffsreederei GmbH] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Aug 2019

The company was based in Bremen. The flag was an 8-stripes Bremen flag with a white oval fimbriated black and charged with a blackm initial "S" instead of the city arms.
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.386
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Aug 2019


F.M.A. Seele

[F.M.A. Seele #1]
image by Jorge Candeias, 27 Dec 2004
[F.M.A. Seele #2]
image by
   

The flag is quartered per saltire, black in the top quarter, white in the bottom one and red in the other two. The white base quarter has a black sans serifed capital "S" (see left image above) or a red, serifed initial "S" (see right image above) in centre.
Jorge Candeias, 27 Dec 2004

The company was located in Hamburg. The ship in the first picture (COLMAR) was sold to this firm in 1883. Unfortunately, no house flag is shown.In any case this is another example of a house flag repeating the (former) national German colours.
Source: obsolete company page: http://www.reederei-wulff.de/Fleetliste.htm and Massary 1928, series 1, image no.360
Jan Mertens, 29 Dec 2004 and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Aug 2019


Seereederei GmbH

[Seereederei GmbH] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Aug 2019

The company was based in Hamburg. The flag was a white over red horizontal bicolour, superimposed by a black inscription "SRG".
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.242
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Aug 2019


Seetransit Speditions & Schiffahrts G.m.b.H.

[Seetransit Speditions] image by Jarig Bakker, 6 Oct 2005

The company was located in Duisburg. Spanish style green - white - green; on white 4 green blocks.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 6 Oct 2005


Seetzen Gebrüder

[Seetzen Gebrüder] image by Jorge Candeias, 6 Dec 2004

Seetzen Gebrüder,located in Bremen. Loughran's Survey of Mercantile Houseflags and Funnels, 1979, has this flag with at top and bottom af the fly a red border (1/8 flagheight), and a serifed "S".
Jarig Bakker, 8 Dec 2004

The flag is white with a narrow chequy band at the hoist, consisting of 9x2 red and white squares, and a sans-seriffed black "S" capital centered on the remainder.
Jorge Candeias, 6 Dec 2004


'Semper Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft

[Semper Schiffahrts-Ges. ] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009

The company was located in Hamburg. The flag is the nearly the same like that one of Franz Hagen in Hamburg, has however a celestial blue basic colour.
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT", Hamburg 1957; p.F26
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009


Frachtschiffahrt Erik Seyd

[Frachtschiffahrt Erik Seyd] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 20 May 2010

The company was probably located in Hamburg. Source gives Walter Lass in brackets. The latter exists still today and has a bureau at Johannisbollwerk in Hamburg. The red flag is divided per bend by a black stripe fimbriated white. Within the black stripe are descending white capitals "FES".
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT", Hamburg 1957; p.F9
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 20 May 2010


Reederei Bernd Sibum

[Reederei Bernd Sibum] image by Ivan Sache, 7 Sep 2008

The "Bernd Sibum" shipping company is based at Haren (Ems). The Sibum family has been involved in ship building since the XIXth century; in 1953, the brothers Stefan and Hermann Sibum founded a shipping company and purchased their first ship, MS GERD. They were succeeded by Stefan's son, Bernd Sibum, who registered the "Reederei Bernd Sibum GmbH & Co. KG" on 1 November 1995. The company operates 11 ships, all named after a member of the Sibum family. Company website.
The house flag of Sibum is blue with a yellow diamond nearly touching the edges of the flag and charged with a blue "S". Shown as a graphic all over the company website, the flag can be seen on photographs of ships, for instance MS ANNA_MARIA SUBUM,  RITA SIBUM and GRTE SIBUM. Tzibum, Tzibum.
Ivan Sache, 7 Sep 2008


W. Siebert

[W. Siebert] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 July 2019

The company was based in Bremen. The flag was parted per bend sinister of yellow over blue, in centre was a white disc with ablack initial "S".
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.21, image no.543
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 July 2019


Eide Siebs

[Eide Siebs] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 July 2019

The company was based in Geestemünde. The flag was white, divided by a red saltire, over all a black rectangle in centre.
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.13, image no.147
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 July 2019


Siedenburg, Wendt & Co.

[Siedenburg, Wendt & Co.] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 July 2019

The company was based in Bremen. The flag was yellow, parted by a red saltire.
Source: Flaggenbuch 1905, part V, p.19, image no.471
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 July 2019


Sieg & Co

[Sieg & Co] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Aug 2019

The company was based in Danzig, offered tug services between Danzig and Gdingen and had 13 tug boats in 1933. The flag was divided per saltire of white and green. The white quarters were charged with black letters, "S" (hoist) and "Co" (fly).
Sources: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.248 and Lloyd 1933, p.17 image no.112
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Aug 2019


Heinz Siegbold

[Heinz Siegbold (shipping co/Germany)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009

The company was located in Bremerhaven. It is a white flag having a green bordure at three edges, approx double width at the hoist and none at the fly. In the white field is a red "M" superimposing a bigger red "S".
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT"; Hamburg 1957; p.F27
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009


Peter Siemsen & Co

[Peter Siemsen & Co #1]
image by Jorge Candeias, 7 Jan 2005
[Peter Siemsen & Co #2]
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Apr 2007
   

The flag is clear: white with two narrow blue stripes near the bottom and top (or, in other words, a striped flag of white and blue, with proportions close to 1:1:4:1:1) and large black initials in the center: "P.S.&Co" (see left image above)
Jorge Candeias, 7 Jan 2005

The caption is "Peter Siemsen & Co.", no ghost this time as there are some traces on the net the most interesting of which is this one, concerning Peter Siemsen 1787-1854, a trader (and later also senator) of Hamburg. Quote: "He, together with his brother, my grand uncle Jan, comprised until his early death in 1854 the firm Peter Siemsen and Co, which my uncle Nölting with my uncle Peter also joined.".
Source: obsolete webpage: http://www.deboor.org/p_siemsen1787_1857_e.htm
Jan Mertens, 6 Apr 2007

The company used a white flag with two blue horizontal stripes and a blue serifed inscription "PS&Co." , the "o" is smaller and higher (see right image above).
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; inside cover.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Apr 2007


Heinrich Sietas

[Heinrich Sietas (shipping co/Germany)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009

The company was located in Grünendeich (Stade county). It is a black over white over black horizontal triband with red capitals "HS" in the white stripe.
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT"; Hamburg 1957; p.F27
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009


Claus Sievers

[Claus Sievers (shipping co/Germany)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009

The company was located in Breiholz near Rendsburg. It is a white flag divided by a red saltire, which is cotized blue and white. In the centre of the flag is a black disc containing a white capital "S".
Source: "Flaggen, Schornsteine, Reedereien- Flaggen und Schornsteine der deutschen Reedereien und ihre Schiffe über 300 BRT"; Hamburg 1957; p.F27
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2009


H & J Sievers

[H & J Sievers(shipping co/Germany)] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider,

It was red over white over red horizontal triband. In the white stripe was a black inscription "H&J S".
Source: Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann's Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 May 2012


J. Silvain

[J. Silvain] image by Jorge Candeias, 19 May 2004

And here's another readable caption, this time reading "J. Silvain". The flag is white with 5 red 5-pointed stars, disposed in saltire.
Jorge Candeias, 19 May 2004

The very same houseflag was used by the French shipping company Chargeurs Réunis.
The name "Silvain" sounds French but does not necessarily indicate a link between the two companies. It is more probable that the ancestors of J. Silvain were Protestant traders or shipowners very wisely expelled from France by King Louis XIV for the benefit of the economical, social and cultural development of the Lutherian countries.
Ivan Sache, 20 May 2004


Comp. Havraise Peninsulaire de Navigation (J. Silvain)

[Comp. Havraise Peninsulaire de Navigation (J. Silvain)] based on image by Jarig Bakker, 20 Dec 2004

It is a red flag with a green border. In the red field are white initials "CHR".
Please note, we have this flag among French shipping lines, but the 3rd initial is a "P", which would be normal. I could find no reason for replacing it by an "R". The image in this source is probably erroneous.
Source: Gratis Beilage zu Deicken und Behrmann's Neuen Monatsheften Neue Ausgabe Sommer 1897
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 Apr 2012


Sirius Handelsgesellschaft mbH

[Sirius Handelsgesellschaft mbH] image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Aug 2019

The company was based in Bremerhaven. The flag was a red-white-red horizontal triband. In centre of the broader white stripe was a black, serifed initial "S".
Source: Massary 1928, series 1, image no.147
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Aug 2019



forward to part 2 click here.

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