The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft (HAPAG for short, often referred to in English as Hamburg America Line, sometimes also Hamburg-Amerika Linie or Hamburg Line) was an enterprise established in Hamburg, Germany in 1847 for shipping across the Atlantic Ocean. It soon developed into the largest German, and at times the world's largest shipping company, serving the market created by the German immigration to the United States.
Ports served
Albert Ballin, director of the Hamburg America Line from 1899 to 1918
In the early years, the Hamburg America Line exclusively connected European ports with North American ports, such as Hoboken, New Jersey or New Orleans, Louisiana. With time, however, the company established lines to all continents.
Notable journeys
- In 1858, its liner Austria sank, claiming 449 lives.
- In 1900, 1901 and 1903 its liner Deutschland won the Blue Riband.
- In 1906, Prinzessin Victoria Luise was destroyed by fire off the coast of Jamaica, but no lives were lost.1
- In 1912, its liner Amerika was the first ship to warn Titanic of icebergs.
- In 1939, its liner St. Louis, was unable to find a port in Cuba, the United States, or Canada willing to accept the over 950 Jewish refugees on board and had to return to Europe.
Later years
Hamburg America Line lost almost the entirety of its fleet twice, as a result of each of World War I and World War II. In 1970, the company merged with the Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd) of Bremen to establish the current-day Hapag-Lloyd, which itself is owned by TUI AG.
During Prescott Bush's tenure as Director for the company, it came under investigation in the U.S. for Nazi propaganda activities.2
See also
References
External links
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