🚢 SS Hamburg & SS Deutschland Passage Receipt (1932) – A Glimpse into Depression-Era Educational Travel

📌 Explore a 1932 round-trip passage receipt aboard the SS Hamburg and SS Deutschland—a remarkable artifact of academic travel, cultural exchange, and affordable ocean liner luxury. A valuable resource for students, teachers, genealogists, and historians.

Receipt that itemized a round-trip voyage to Europe for Mr. and Mrs. David S. Kane via the SS Hamburg and SS Deutschland of the Hamburg America Line in 1932. GGA Image ID # 1fa5d0e75b

🧾✨ SS Hamburg and SS Deutschland Passage Receipt – A 1932 Round-Trip Transatlantic Journey with Educational Flair 🌍🚢

In a world still reeling from the Great Depression, this vintage receipt dated April 11, 1932, for a round-trip ocean voyage aboard the SS Hamburg (eastbound) and SS Deutschland (westbound) is far more than a transaction—it’s a snapshot of educational travel, aspirational mobility, and mid-century global connectivity.

Summary of Round-Trip Voyage Receipt

• Date of Purchase / Voyage: 11 April 1932 / 23 June 1932 (E) 14 July 1932 (W)
• Steamship Line: Hamburg America Line
• Steamship: SS Hamburg (Eastbound) and SS Deutschland (Westbound)
• Route: New York to Southampton and Hamburg to New York
• Ticket Type: Round-Trip Voyage Receipt
• Voyage Class: Tourist
• Name on Contract: Mr. and Mrs. David S. Kane
• Etnicity of Passenger(s): American
• Contract Terms: Not Stated
• Cost of Ticket: $170.75 / $3,240.00 USD in 2020

Round-Trip Voyage Receipt Details

No. DR 51158

INTERCOLLEGIATE TRAVEL BUREAU, INC.
"Strengthened by 32 Years of Progressive Experience"

Tours, Cruises, World Travel Specializing in Conducted Student Tours and Pre-Arranged Independent Tours

Main Office in the United States:

500 Fifth Avenue, New York
N.W. Corner 42nd Street
All Telephones: LOngacre 5-3360

New York, April 11th, 1932

Received from Mr. and Mrs. David S. Kane the sum of Fifty and no/100 dollars ($50.00) as deposit to secure membership in tour. The steamer accommodations to be assigned are:

Eastbound

• Steamship: Hamburg
• Sailing on or about: June 23, 1932
• From New York to Southampton
• Class: Tourist
• Room 204 Berth All
• Adults: Two Children None
• Ledger 5026/7 I.T S/S Only
• Tour No. ____ Account ____

Westbound

• Steamship: Deutschland
• Sailing on or about: July 14th [1932]
• From: Hamburg to New York
• Class: Tourist
• Room: 280 Berth: All
• Adults: Two Children: None

Intercollegiate Travel Bureau, Inc.

by /s/ Signature unreadable

RATES

Round Trip ocean passage: $160.75

U.S. Revenue Tax: $5.00

Sup for E.B. $5.00

Total Round Trip: $170.75 (for each)

1928 Classified Advertisement, Intercollegiate Travel Bureau for Student Cruise Tours via the Mediterranean. (New York State Education Magazine, March 1928) | GGA Image ID # 2254326e66

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

In 2020, the relative values of $170.75 from 1932 ranges from $2,700.00 to $60,000.00.

A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $3,240.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $170.75 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1932 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity, Income or Wealth, or a Project.

If you want to compare the value of a $170.75 Commodity in 1932 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real price of that commodity is $3,240.00
• real value in consumption of that commodity is $8,340.00
• labor value of that commodity is $11,300.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $12,500.00 (using production worker compensation)
• income value of that commodity is $22,700.00
• economic share of that commodity is $60,000.00

If you want to compare the value of a $170.75 Income or Wealth, in 1932 there are five choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is $3,240.00
• household purchasing power value of that income or wealth is $8,340.00
• relative labor earnings of that commodity are $11,300.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $12,500.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative income value of that income or wealth is $22,700.00
• relative output value of that income or wealth is $60,000.00

If you want to compare the value of a $170.75 Project in 1932 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real cost of that project is $2,700.00
• household cost of that project is $8,340.00
• labor cost of that project is $11,300.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $12,500.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative cost of that project is $22,700.00
• economy cost of that project is $60,000.00

Source: www.measuringworth.com Samuel H. Williamson, "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to present," MeasuringWorth, 2022.

🧳 At a Glance: Key Voyage Details

🔹 Steamship Line: Hamburg America Line

🔹 Passenger Names: Mr. & Mrs. David S. Kane (likely American citizens)

🔹 Class: Tourist

🔹 Date of Purchase: April 11, 1932

🔹 Eastbound Voyage:

🔹 Ship: SS Hamburg

🔹 Departure: ~June 23, 1932 from New York to Southampton

🔹 Cabin: Room 204, All Berths Reserved

🔹 Westbound Voyage:

🔹 Ship: SS Deutschland

🔹 Departure: ~July 14, 1932 from Hamburg to New York

🔹 Cabin: Room 280, All Berths Reserved

🔹 Total Cost (per person): $170.75 (~$3,240 in 2020 currency) 💸

🧠 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Historians & Genealogists

This contract is a goldmine of interdisciplinary learning opportunities:

🎓 For Educators & Students

🔹 Highlights the emergence of educational and student-centered travel between the wars—particularly through agencies like the Intercollegiate Travel Bureau, which emphasized cultural enrichment.

🔹 Demonstrates how international study and leisure were integrated, even in the shadow of economic hardship.

🧬 For Genealogists

🔹 Offers names, dates, route, and class of travel—perfect for tracing American-European family mobility.

🔹 Establishes socio-economic status and potential academic affiliations of the Kanes.

📚 For Historians

🔹 Showcases the importance of ocean liners as vehicles of intellectual and cultural exchange.

🔹 The modest Tourist Class fares indicate increasing accessibility for middle-class professionals and educators.

🌟 Most Engaging Content

The Receipt Itself – Issued by the Intercollegiate Travel Bureau, it captures the democratization of ocean travel for educated Americans. The language (“membership in tour”) implies group travel, possibly an academic or alumni-sponsored itinerary—a burgeoning trend in 1930s transatlantic exchange.

Tourist Class Round-Trip Price – At $170.75, this receipt shows how ocean liner passage was becoming attainable for more than just the elite, even amid the Depression. Adjusted for modern value, this equates to $3,240–$60,000 depending on comparison method—a powerful conversation starter on economic history.

Choice of Vessels – The SS Hamburg and SS Deutschland were sister ships of reliability and German engineering, servicing routes central to U.S.-Europe exchange.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images

📸 Receipt from Intercollegiate Travel Bureau, 1932 | GGA Image ID #1fa5d0e75b

A beautifully preserved record showing the transaction in neat 1930s typography—crisp evidence of educational group travel structure.

📸 1928 Intercollegiate Travel Bureau Ad | GGA Image ID #2254326e66

A delightful peek at how the bureau marketed its student cruise tours—useful context for educators discussing the rise of educational tourism.

🚢 About the Ships

⚓ SS Hamburg

🔹 Built by Blohm & Voss (Germany), launched 1925

🔹 Operated by Hamburg America Line

🔹 Featured modern comforts for Tourist Class passengers, appealing to middle-class Americans

⚓ SS Deutschland

🔹 Sister ship to Hamburg, also part of the growing fleet offering affordable yet comfortable transatlantic crossings

🔹 Famous for solid engineering and punctuality

💡 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger Receipt Matters

This 1932 passage receipt is not just a fragment of ephemera—it is a story in transit. It reflects:

🔹 A world between wars, yet vibrant with movement

🔹 A travel agency forging intellectual and cultural paths for American citizens abroad

🔹 A democratization of luxury that expanded who got to explore the world 🌍

It’s ideal for classroom discussions, genealogy projects, or historical exhibits exploring how people traveled, connected, and educated themselves across oceans.

🔖 Teachers & Students: Use this and other primary sources from the GG Archives to write essays, trace family stories, or explore how global travel shaped the 20th century. Every document holds a story worth telling. 📜✍️🌊