Steamship of Empires and Emigrants: The Archival Legacy of the SS Hohenzollern
📌 Explore the rich history of the SS Hohenzollern, from imperial voyages with the Kaiser to mass European emigration. Discover rare passenger lists, images, and sailing schedules—ideal for teachers, students, historians, and genealogists.
Count Eulenburg, Admiral Sir J. E. Commerell, and the Kaiser on Board the Hohenzollern: The Kaiser and His Suite. The Illustrated London News, 12 August 1893. GGA Image ID # 1d3b7d106d
🚢 Review and Summary of the SS Hohenzollern Archival Collection 📜
A Maritime Chronicle of Imperial Prestige and Mass Migration
🚢 Introducing the SS Hohenzollern: A Tale of Two Ships
The name SS Hohenzollern was carried by two notable ships operated by North German Lloyd (NDL), each leaving a significant mark on the history of ocean travel. These vessels embodied both elite imperial diplomacy and the mass movement of European emigrants, offering rich material for researchers and educators alike.
Hohenzollern (1873) North German Lloyd
Built by Earle's Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Hull, England. Tonnage: 3,288. Dimensions: 353' x 39'. Propulsion: Single- screw, 12 1/2 knots. Compound engines. Triple expansion engines in 1890. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Iron hull. Passengers: 142 first, 800 third. Launched, May 24, 1873. Maiden voyage: Bremen-Southampton-Panama, December 7, 1873. Service: Also in Bremen-New York service. Placed in Bremen-Far East trade in 1886. Fate: Sold in 1899 and broken up for scrap. Sister ship: Habsburg. Note: Both vessels were also used in South American trade.
Steamer "Hohenzollern": built in 1873 by Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. in Hull. 1890 with new machines and boilers provided by the corporation "Vulcan" in Bredow near Szczecin. Length 107.06 m, width 11.887 m, room depth 9.71 m, measurement register tons gross 3287, register tons net 2,175, draft empty 15 F. 6 1/2 Z. = 4.768 m, carrying capacity 2,109 t at 22 F. = 6.736 m draft. Crew 107 people. Passengers: I. class 44, II. Class 18, III. Class 540 people. Machines indicate 2380 horsepower. Electric lighting 2 dynamos with together 251 lamps. Speed 13 knots.
Hohenzollern (1889) North German Lloyd
This Ship Sailed as the SS Hohenzollern from 1901-1908
Built by "Vulkan", Stettin, Germany. Tonnage: 6,668. Dimensions: 449'x 51'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 16 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and two funnels. Service: Mediterranean-New York. Fate: Wrecked on Sardinia in 1908. Previous Name: Kaiser Wilhelm II (1889-1901).
Voyage of Hope: The Steerage Journey of the SS Hohenzollern – 20 April 1881
Steamship Line: North German Lloyd
Class of Passengers: Steerage
Date of Departure: 20 April 1881
Route: Bremen to Baltimore
Commander: Captain R. Sander
Note: The SS Hohenzollem's capacity was Crew 107 people. Passengers: First Class 44, Second Class 18, Third Class/Steerage: 540 people. In this voyage, they carried more steerage passengers than their stated capacity.
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Australian Ports and Genoa-New York, from 14 October 1903 to 16 April 1904. Ships Included the Barbarossa, Bremen, Friedrich dr Grosse, Gneisenau, Hohenzollern, König Albert, Lahn, Neckar, Prinz Regent Luitpoid, Prinzess Irene, and Zieten. SS Kaiser Wilhelm II Cabin Passenger List, 6 October 1903. GGA Image ID # 213715a8fe
Sailing Schedule, Bremen-Australia, Genoa-New York-Genoa, Marseille-Naples-Alexandria-Naples-Marseille, from 17 May 1905 to 18 November 1905. Ships Included the Hohenzollern, König Albert, Königin Luise, Neckar, Prinzess Irene, Schleswig, Seydlitz, Stuttgart, Weimar, and Zieten. SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse First and Second Class Passenger List, 23 May 1905. GGA Image ID # 2108ac16c3
Sailing Schedule, Marseille, Naples, Alexandria, and Zurich, from 17 October 1906 to 16 July 1907. Ships Included the Hohenzollern and Schleswig. SS Bremen Passenger List, 27 October 1906. GGA Image ID # 21413418d4
🧭 Ship Overview: SS Hohenzollern (1873)
🔹 Launched: 24 May 1873
🔹 Builder: Earle’s Shipbuilding, Hull, England
🔹 Gross Tonnage: 3,287 GRT
🔹 Length: 353 ft | Beam: 39 ft
🔹 Speed: Originally 12½ knots; refitted in 1890 with Vulcan-built triple expansion engines for 13 knots
🔹 Passenger Capacity:
- 44 First Class
- 18 Second Class
- 540 Steerage
🔹 Electricity: 2 dynamos powering 251 electric lamps – rare for the 1870s
🔹 Routes:
🔹 Maiden voyage: Bremen – Southampton – Panama (Dec 1873)
🔹 Later served Bremen–New York, Far East, and South America
🔹 Final Fate: Sold for scrap in 1899
This ship carried thousands of immigrants over its 26-year career and participated in early steam-powered globalization.
👑 Imperial Presence: The Hohenzollern and the Kaiser
A unique visual in this collection shows Count Eulenburg, Admiral Sir J. E. Commerell, and Kaiser Wilhelm II aboard the Hohenzollern in 1893.
🖼️ "The Kaiser and His Suite" — The Illustrated London News, 12 August 1893
Why it’s important:
The Kaiser's presence elevates this vessel beyond immigration—it becomes a symbol of imperial diplomacy, military observation, and soft power projection.
🧭 The Later SS Hohenzollern (Ex-Kaiser Wilhelm II, 1889)
🔹 Built: 1889 by Vulkan Shipyard, Stettin
🔹 Tonnage: 6,668 GRT
🔹 Length: 449 ft | Beam: 51 ft
🔹 Service: Mediterranean–New York Route
🔹 Speed: 16 knots
🔹 Fate: Wrecked on Sardinia, 1908
Renamed Hohenzollern in 1901, this ship extended the prestige of the name in commercial passenger service well into the 20th century.
📆 Key Voyages and Noteworthy Schedules
Included in this collection are sailing schedules showing the SS Hohenzollern's evolving global role:
1881 Bremen–Baltimore voyage (see separate passenger list): an over-capacity steerage journey that illustrates mass European emigration.
1903–1905 Sailing Schedules: Bremen–Australia, Genoa–New York, Marseille–Naples–Alexandria—highlighting the Hohenzollern’s versatility in global routes.
1906–1907 Service: Marseille and Zurich circuit, showing the ship’s continued adaptability into the Edwardian era.
🗺️ These sailing documents provide primary source insight into global migration patterns, commercial trade links, and shipping logistics.
✨ Noteworthy Images
📸 “Count Eulenburg, Admiral Sir J. E. Commerell, and the Kaiser on Board the Hohenzollern”
– A remarkable image showing the convergence of German imperialism and Anglo-German naval relations.
📸 “Front Cover of the SS Hohenzollern Passenger List – 20 April 1881”
– A rare artifact of steerage-era migration, showcasing the sheer volume of 19th-century transatlantic travelers.
📸 Sailing Schedule Pages (1903–1907)
– These graphics serve as visual maps for understanding shipping networks from Europe to North America, the Middle East, and Australia.
🎓 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Historians, and Genealogists
This collection is an invaluable educational tool that bridges immigration history, technological change, and diplomacy.
📚 Teachers & Students: Use for analyzing 19th-century emigration, transportation history, or German imperial expansion.
🧬 Genealogists: Passenger lists and schedules help trace family migrations from Europe to the U.S. and Australia.
🎖️ Historians: Ideal for studying German maritime strategy, pre-WWI naval prestige, or early industrial engineering.
🎥 Visual Learners: The included images enhance classroom storytelling and public exhibitions.
🧠 Final Thoughts – Why This Collection Matters
The SS Hohenzollern Archival Collection captures a dual legacy—one of imperial statecraft and one of common humanity seeking opportunity across the Atlantic and beyond. Its documentation spans from high-profile imperial voyages to densely packed steerage crossings, illuminating every social tier of ocean travel.
This is more than a maritime collection—it's a window into the aspirations, politics, and technologies that defined transatlantic life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
✍️ Students: Use GG Archives materials when writing about immigration, ocean travel, or German imperial history!
📂 This collection connects the Kaiser's diplomacy with the journey of everyday people. Dive in! 🕰️✨