🌊 SS New York & SS Bremen Third-Class Passage Receipt (1936) – A Window into Depression-Era Transatlantic Travel
📌 Explore a 1936 Hamburg America Line receipt documenting a round-trip third-class voyage aboard the SS New York and SS Bremen. A valuable artifact for students, teachers, genealogists, and maritime historians seeking insights into pre-WWII ocean travel and migration.
Hamburg America Line Receipt for Part-Payment for Third Class Passage on the SS New York, Departing from From New York for Bremen (1936-05-28) and Bremen to New York on the SS Bremen (1936-08-14) Dated 22 February 1936. GGA Image ID # 12d1ce947e
🧾✨ 1936 Passage Receipt for SS New York & SS Bremen — Transatlantic Mobility in the Shadow of Turmoil 🚢🇩🇪🇺🇸
This Hamburg America Line receipt, dated 22 February 1936, documents a third-class round-trip voyage for Mr. Otto Josh between New York and Bremen—first aboard the SS New York and returning on the famed SS Bremen. Though modest in appearance, this artifact offers a vivid snapshot of transatlantic mobility in the late interwar period, echoing themes of migration, commerce, and personal connection in a fraught historical moment. 🌍📜
Summary of Receipt for Part-Payment
- Date of Purchase / Voyage: 22 February 1936 / 28 May 1936
- Steamship Line: Hamburg America Line
- Steamship: SS New York - Eastbound and the SS Bremen - Westbound
- Route: New York to Bremen
- Ticket Type: Receipt for Part-Payment
- Voyage Class: Third Class
- Name on Contract: Mr. Otto JOSH
- Etnicity of Passenger(s): Unknown
- Contract Terms: Transcribed
- Cost of Ticket: Not Stated
Receipt for Part-Payment Details
Receipt for partial payment for third class passage on the SS New York - Eastbound and the SS Bremen - Westbound for a round-trip voyages between New York and Bremen on the Hamburg America Line.
ALL SAILINGS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Hamburg America Line
55 Broadway, New York NY
RECEIPT FOR PART-PAYMENT
RECEIPT No. 138808 - Issued February 22nd, 1936
Received $10.00
On account of passage of Mr. Otto JOSH as per margin
- In the III Class of the Steamship NEW YORK
- To sail from: New York
- On May 28th , 1936
and
- In the III Class of the Steamship BREMEN
- To sail from: Bremen
- On Aug. 14th, 1936
unless the steamer is prevented from sailing by unforeseen circumstances.
- Reserved for Outward Passage: Room No. 477 – Berth No. 2
- Reserved for Return Passage: Room No. 865 – Berth No. 22
The balance of the passage money for both the outward and return passages, must be paid at least three weeks before sailing from New York or Boston, when this Receipt will be exchanged for the Regular Ticket. If the balance is not paid when due, the Company shall be at liberty to dispose of the accommodation to other parties, but the money hereby receipted for shall continue the property of the Company, unless it succeeds in reselling the berth or berths reserved.
All questions as to the rates are subject to our regular tariff in force at the time of issuance of this receipt.
When issuing ticket insert number here: 10
ALL PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MADE EITHER IN CASH OR IN EXCHANGE ON NEW YORK PAYABLE TO HAMBURG-AMERICAN LINE, AND NOT TO INDIVIDUALS.
THIS RECEIPT TO BE RETURNED UPON PAYMENT OF THE BALANCE OF THE PASSAGE MONEY.
RETURN PASSAGES MUST BE PAID BEFORE DEPARTURE OF PASSENGERS FROM THE UNITED STATES.
The Hamburg-American Line Office Building, Located at 57 Broadway, New York, Is Where Mr. Otto Josh Purchased His Ticket in 1936. This Building Has a Fascinating History. According to an Extract From the New York Times, It Was Seized and Used as the Headquarters for Communications Between the United States and Its Allies’ Armies in Europe During World War I. (Geographic Guide, 1910) | GGA Image ID # 225486af31
HAMBURG-AMERICAN OFFICE HERE SEIZED Enemy Ship Company's Building Will Now House thePort War Board.ALL PAPERS OF LINE TAKEN Raiding Party Surprises Clerks at Work and Also Takes Possession of the Safes. Palmer Acts Quickly. Safes Also Seized. Ask for Their Files. The Hamburg-American Line Building at 45 Broadway, which, before the United States entered the war, was the centre of the Berlin-directed German intrigue in this country under Dr. Heinrich Albert, was seized yesterday by the United States Government and will be used hereafter as the headquarters of communications between the United States and American and allies' armies in Europe. (New York Times, 9 November 1917)
🔑 Key Voyage Details at a Glance
Passenger: Mr. Otto Josh
Steamship Line: Hamburg America Line
Class: Third Class (Steerage)
Eastbound Ship: SS New York
Departure: 28 May 1936 from New York
Room 477, Berth 2
Westbound Ship: SS Bremen
Departure: 14 August 1936 from Bremen
Room 865, Berth 22
Receipt Type: Part-Payment Receipt ($10.00 paid)
Ticket Office Location: 55 Broadway, New York
Balance Due: To be paid 3 weeks before sailing 🧾
🌟 Most Engaging Features of This Document
1. 🧳 Third-Class Transatlantic Travel in 1936
This receipt sheds light on the continued relevance of third-class passage—even in the era of luxury liners. At a time when economic recovery was uneven and emigration patterns were shifting, Mr. Josh's booking reflects the affordable mobility still accessible to many working-class travelers, students, or returning immigrants.
2. 🏛️ Historical Location of Ticket Purchase
The receipt connects to a historically significant building—the Hamburg America Line’s New York headquarters at 57 Broadway. According to a 1917 New York Times article, this building was seized by the U.S. Government during WWI due to German espionage concerns, making it an intriguing footnote in American wartime history. Mr. Josh’s purchase here in 1936 evokes a subtle postwar irony as tensions in Europe again simmered.
3. 🚢 The Vessels: New York & Bremen
SS New York: A reliable but modest ship, offering third-class passage on a practical schedule. Perfect for budget-conscious transatlantic travelers.
SS Bremen: A renowned flagship of German engineering, the Bremen had won the Blue Riband in 1929 and was celebrated for its speed and streamlined Art Deco design. Mr. Josh’s return voyage aboard this luxury liner—despite traveling third class—would’ve been a remarkable experience in technological innovation and maritime prestige. 🚀⚓
🖼️ Noteworthy Images
📸 Receipt for Part-Payment on SS New York & Bremen | GGA Image ID #12d1ce947e
This crisp, well-preserved receipt provides a detailed glimpse into a working-class traveler’s experience aboard major 20th-century liners.
📸 Historic Image of 57 Broadway, NY | GGA Image ID #225486af31
A striking link between commercial travel and wartime intrigue—this building's legacy spans business, espionage, and ocean travel. Teachers can use this as a launchpad for research on U.S.-German relations and propaganda in the interwar years.
📸 New York Times Article (1917) (No Image)
Describing the government seizure of Hamburg America Line offices during WWI—this adds depth and complexity to the story of Mr. Josh’s 1936 voyage.
🎓 Relevance for Educators, Students, Genealogists, and Historians
🧠 Educators & Students
A perfect case study in 1930s migration and mobility—ideal for history, immigration, or international relations coursework.
Offers an intersection of economic travel, propaganda history, and maritime innovation.
📜 Genealogists
Provides specific dates, ships, room numbers, and transaction location—critical clues for building a family narrative or immigration profile.
📘 Historians
Embeds personal travel in the broader context of pre-WWII tensions, German-American commerce, and the waning glory of luxury liners.
🚢 Final Thoughts: Why This Receipt Matters
Mr. Otto Josh's 1936 passage receipt may appear unremarkable at first glance, but it reveals a rich tapestry of international movement, economic choices, and the intersection of personal journeys with world history. The document reflects:
🔹 How even third-class passengers were part of the grand Atlantic story.
🔹 The continued importance of steamship travel on the eve of WWII.
🔹 A moment when transatlantic connections were still hopeful, even as the clouds of war loomed overhead.
💬 Teachers & students are encouraged to use GG Archives materials like this one to spark inquiry, write essays, or investigate global migration stories through primary sources.
📚 Use this voyage record not just as a receipt—but as a launchpad for deeper discovery into lives that crossed oceans, built histories, and left paper trails for us to follow. 🌎🛳️✨
