Manifest of Hope: Steerage Passenger List of the SS Ems, 7 September 1895 – Bremen to New York

📌 Explore the 1895 steerage passenger list of the SS Ems from Bremen to New York. A primary source for genealogists, educators, and historians studying 19th-century migration to America.

Front Cover, Steerage Passenger List for the SS Ems of the North German Lloyd, Departing Saturday, 7 September 1895 from Bremen to New York, Commanded by Captain W. Reimkasten. GGA Image ID # 1eebef92ec

Review and Summary: SS Ems Passenger List – 7 September 1895

📜 A Voyage of Migration, Memory, and Meaning Across the Atlantic

🚢 The Vessel: SS Ems – The Express Mail Steamer

The SS Ems, one of the Post-Schnelldampfers (Express Mail Steamers) of the North German Lloyd Line, was a hallmark of late 19th-century German engineering. Launched in the 1880s, she served on key transatlantic routes during one of the most significant periods of European emigration to the United States.

• Line: North German Lloyd
• Voyage Date: 7 September 1895
• Route: Bremen → New York
• Captain: W. Reimkasten
• Class Listed: Steerage
• Passenger Type: Emigrants, laborers, families, and a few professional-class individuals

This voyage reflects the socioeconomic spectrum of those escaping economic hardship, political instability, and religious persecution for new opportunities in America.

Senior Officers and Staff

1. Capitain: W. Reimkasten
2. First Officer: Ed. Prehn
3. Second Officer: J. Niedermeyer
4. Third Officer: Fr. Loeser
5. Fourth Officer: R. Oh!rogge
6. Physician: Dr. J. Meyer
7. First Engineer: F. Becker
8. Second Engineer: C Schnegelsberg
9. Third Engineer: L. Roeseler
10. Third Engineer: C. Grossbeim
11. Fourth Engineer: W. Gebuhr
12. Fourth Engineer: G. Heeren
13. Fourth Engineer: A. Vomer
14. Purser: A. Wedemeyer
15. Assistant Purser: E. Waldheim
16. Chief Steward: W. Kiehne
17. Second Steward: J. Forquignon
18. Head Chef: J. Wilke
19. Second Chef: B. Bischoff
20. Second Chef: E. Schurig

▓▓▓ "A" ▓▓▓

1. Anna Almina Abrahamson
2. Anton Abritzki and Wife
3. Wendha Ahlin
4. Sanna Aker
5. Max Appel
6. Jettchen Aron
7. Mathe. Aschen

▓▓▓ "B" ▓▓▓

8. Friedr. Bagelmann
9. Sara Barat
10. Anna Bartkovits
11. Jozsef Basser
12. Jozsef Bedners
13. Wilh. Beese
14. Stefan Beg
15. Janko Benko
16. Carl Fredrik Bergholm
17. Josef Henrik Bergholm
18. Katarzyna Betlej
19. Kartarzyna Bidus
20. Julie Blaha
21. Kunig. Blinssler
22. Regina Blinssler
23. Israel Brauner
24. Chrisian H. Brodesen
25. Elisab. Broecker
26. Envily Broecker
27. Marie Buck
28. Fenna Buczak and Child
29. Sophie Buhrmester

▓▓▓ "C" ▓▓▓

30. Mary Chymeak
31. Zuza Csernak and Child
32. Franjo Cunko
33. Petronella Cwiakala and Children

▓▓▓ "D" ▓▓▓

34. Jurgen Daaksen with Family
35. Wilhelm Daaksen
36. Anna Daumann
37. Gottfe Diebt and Child
38. Maria Dobranska
39. Agata Domaszewicz
40. Karl F. W. Döring
41. Walpurga Dörsch
42. Anna Dubiel
43. Anna Dubiel
44. Anna Dursziak

▓▓▓ "E" ▓▓▓

45. Claus Edebohls
46. Josefme Eisinger and Child
47. Lottie Engel and Children
48. Sofie Esenwein

▓▓▓ "F" ▓▓▓

49. Wilhelm Fehring
50. Maria Fincken
51. Cath. Fischer
52. Mathew Fischer
53. Kalalin Foth and Child
54. Johanna Fulikkala

▓▓▓ "G" ▓▓▓

55. Gyorgy Geczy
56. Gophie Georg
57. Carl Gernannt
58. Elise Gertenbach
59. Martin Gerweltis
60. John Goebbels
61. Josip Golic
62. Pero Gornik
63. Katarzyna Graszela
64. Henry Gravenstede
65. Elisab Greif
66. Hirsch Grodowitz
67. Berta Grozbart
68. Ina Gustafson
69. Este Guttmann
70. Herm. Guttmann

▓▓▓ "H" ▓▓▓

71. Geman Hafios
72. Marie Hagge
73. Fred. Halle
74. Anna Kajsa Hammarburg
75. August Harald
76. Kristina Harju
77. Kaisa Harmala
78. Lila Hatari and Child
79. Carl Otto Heilemann
80. Anna Hein
81. Wilhe. Heine
82. Sophie Heinhorst
83. Anna Hellrung
84. Wilhelm Herzberg
85. Anna Hessel
86. Ernst Hilbert
87. Bertha Hindelmeyer
88. Elsa Frieda Hinkelmann
89. Emma Hoyquist

▓▓▓ "I" ▓▓▓

90. Heinr Inselmann
91. John Isakson
92. Friedrich Isermann

▓▓▓ "J" ▓▓▓

93. Marie Jachens
94. Franz Jamriczky
95. Breine Janowsky and Children
96. Anna Jarc
97. Reza Jarc
98. Istvan Jaroscsak
99. Francisek Jaworowski
100. Wladisl Jaworsky
101. Susa. Jongebloed
102. Marcya Jugelski and Child

▓▓▓ "K" ▓▓▓

103. Tilda Kanala
104. Matji Kanjer
105. Andras Kapeso
106. Rosche Katz
107. Maria Kazsimir
108. Antonina Kendrek
109. Anna Kinkel
110. Ernst Kirstein
111. Josef Klafky
112. Johann Klassen
113. Jos. Köhler
114. Ivan Kolic
115. Edda Kolling
116. Lina König and Children
117. Wilh. König
118. Anna Kopezal
119. Kristina Krislinen and Child
120. Louise Krueger
121. Maryanna Krzemen
122. Roza Kubik
123. Karolina Kuciubu
124. Istvan Kurcsak
125. Valentin Kürschner
126. Katha. Kurz

▓▓▓ "L" ▓▓▓

127. Louise Lampe
128. Bartos Laszlo
129. lgnatz Lazarski
130. Cath. Leikam
131. Maria Leo
132. Bertha Libermann
133. Herm Lilienthal
134. Pauline Litschke
135. Wm. Littmann
136. Franz Löfller and Wife
137. Maria Löfller
138. Sanna Louwa and Child
139. Anna Lüdering
140. Otto Lüdering

▓▓▓ "M" ▓▓▓

141. Rosa Magdes
142. Franz Mark
143. Frank Martin and Family
144. Rosche Mase and Child
145. Hilda Matelin
146. Pauline Maucs
147. Wolf Mazutschki
148. Ferencz Milyo
149. Luka Modrie
150. Zsuzsanna Molnar
151. Tekla Moson
152. Frida Mund
153. Anton Muren

▓▓▓ "N" ▓▓▓

154. Abraham Neuvasser
155. Rasche Neuvasser
156. Mari Neweri
157. Anna Nissen
158. Galomea Niziotek
159. Heinrich Nordhaus
160. Juliana Nordheim

▓▓▓ "O" ▓▓▓

161. Sophie Offuer
162. Hilma Ollquist
163. Wiktorya Olsza and Children
164. Istvan Oraveez
165. Moses Orgel and Family
166. Sajmi Ostermark
167. Henry Ostheim
168. Anna C. Otto

▓▓▓ "P" ▓▓▓

169. Sandor Pacsay
170. Fritz Pahnke
171. Sanna Pajamaki
172. Istvan Pap
173. Wilhelm Pape
174. Greichen Peick
175. Gustaf Peltakanyas
176. Stefan Persin
177. Ada Walberg Kutrosyne Person
178. Heinr. Peter
179. Anna Kristine Peterson
180. Kataryna Pis
181. Yaszil Piszkorik
182. Maria Plenko
183. Ivan Podrebara
184. Jozsef Polaj and Family
185. Heinr. Prigge
186. Alexandera Pyhlampi
187. Agnes Pytko

▓▓▓ "Q" ▓▓▓

188. Anton Quisel

▓▓▓ "R" ▓▓▓

189. Cath Reinhardt
190. Rob Retmann and Child
191. Engelbert Ricker
192. Herm. Riecker
193. Juzsef Rojszku
194. Julia Romaniak
195. Paul Rommstedt
196. Zosia Rosenthal
197. Zolia Rospont
198. Josip Rudman
199. France Rupert
200. Charles Ruppert
201. Jozsef Rusznyak

▓▓▓ "S" ▓▓▓

202. Josip Satlin
203. August Sauter
204. Joh. Schaub
205. Emil Schaudelwein
206. Antonie Schauder
207. Albin Schleicher
208. Anna Schleichert
209. Vaclav Schleichert
210. Joh. Schmetter and Child
211. Cäcilie Schmimerling
212. Helena Schnieders
213. Judes Schorfer
214. Rosa Schustek
215. Helen Schuster and Children
216. Lina Schwake
217. Martha Schwirz
218. Gerson Serebranikow
219. Josip Sescan
220. Magda. Siebert
221. Herrn. Sinniger
222. Gyorgy Sipika
223. Emma Sklenka
224. Ewa Skuczy
225. Regina Slalec and Child
226. Anna Smarz
227. John Söderberg
228. Benjamin Son
229. G Spangenberg
230. Mihaly Stefala
231. Gyorgy Stefanyik
232. Mary Steiger
233. Lina Stern
234. Christ Stocke
235. Luka Subat
236. Matti Sundström
237. Maryanna Szuslkiewiez

▓▓▓ "T" ▓▓▓

238. Janos Taragos
239. Joh. Thruerholz
240. Johanna Tiedemann
241. Josef Timmer and Family
242. Friedke Treetz
243. Josefa Tux

▓▓▓ "U" ▓▓▓

244. Janos Uveges

▓▓▓ "V" ▓▓▓

245. Andras Varga
246. Adolf Voigtländer
247. Auguste Vorscheiner

▓▓▓ "W" ▓▓▓

248. Maria Wagner
249. Katha. Wahl
250. Josef Wiater
251. Ema Wegener
252. Fritz Wehrs
253. Rosa Weinberger and Children
254. Kati Weiss
255. Carl Welle
256. Gulrek Wialen
257. Christ. Wilkens
258. Catharine Winterland
259. Haje Winterland
260. Maryanna Wosowiez and Child
261. Lina Wygdov

▓▓▓ "Y" ▓▓▓

262. Luvu Yibanak

▓▓▓ "Z" ▓▓▓

263. Adolf Zeising
264. Martin Zelenka
265. Josip Zoretic

Zwischendecks Passagiere (Steerage Passengers) Page 1 of 2, SS Ems Steerage Passenger List, 7 September 1895. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA image ID # 22749707bd

Zwischendecks Passagiere (Steerage Passengers) Page 2 of 2, SS Ems Steerage Passenger List, 7 September 1895. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA image ID # 2274a1b054

Officiere des Post-Schnelldampfers Ems (Officers of the Express Mail Steamer Ems), SS Ems Steerage Passenger List, 7 September 1895. General-Agenten des Norddeutschen Lloyd (General Agents of the North German Lloyd in the US). | GGA Image ID # 2274f69aa1

🌍 Social Snapshot: Who Was On Board?

Unlike elite passenger lists of earlier steamships, this list provides an intimate look at the working-class and emigrant experience—a reality for over 90% of European transatlantic travelers in the 1890s.

💼 Diverse Origins

Passengers hailed from:

• Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Bohemia 🇩🇪🇭🇺🇦🇹🇨🇿
• Sweden, Norway, and Finland 🇸🇪🇳🇴🇫🇮
• Russia and Galicia (many likely Jewish refugees) 🇷🇺
• Croatia, Slovakia, Poland, and the Balkans

This migration mirrors a time of immense demographic shifts in Europe, especially among Jews escaping pogroms, peasants fleeing land shortages, and Scandinavian workers moving for industrial jobs in the U.S.

🧬 Highlights: Engaging & Notable Names

While no aristocracy or professors were noted, many names evoke intriguing cultural or genealogical value:

🕍 Jewish Refugee Families

Jettchen Aron, Israel Brauner, Hirsch Grodowitz, Wolf Mazutschki, and Zosia Rosenthal – Likely Jewish émigrés escaping worsening conditions in Eastern Europe during the lead-up to the Dreyfus Affair and rising anti-Semitic laws.

🎭 Scandinavian Emigrants

Emma Hoyquist, Ina Gustafson, Carl Fredrik Bergholm, and Anna Kajsa Hammarburg – Swedish and Finnish emigrants, possibly from farming or domestic service backgrounds, contributing to the growing Scandinavian-American communities in the Midwest.

🛠️ Skilled Labor & Trade Names

Carl Gernannt, Wilhelm Fehring, Fritz Wehrs, and Ernst Kirstein – These names suggest German or Austrian craftsmen, masons, or metalworkers. Such skilled migrants were in high demand during U.S. industrial expansion.

👩‍👧 Women and Children Traveling Alone

Numerous mothers such as Fenna Buczak and Child, Lottie Engel and Children, and Wiktorya Olsza and Children point to a staggered family migration pattern, where men had previously emigrated and families followed later.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images from the Collection

📘 Front Cover, Steerage Passenger List – 7 September 1895 | 🔗 GGA Image ID # 1eebef92ec

Evokes the raw authenticity of transatlantic paperwork issued to thousands of hopeful immigrants.

📄 Passenger Pages 1 & 2 – Steerage Manifest | 🔗 GGA Image IDs # 22749707bd & # 2274a1b054

Listing more than 200 names with origins, these images help genealogists trace ancestors to their regions of birth.

👨‍✈️ Officers of the SS Ems | 🔗 GGA Image ID # 2274f69aa1

Provides full staffing records, including multiple engineers, stewards, and cooks. A treasure for maritime historians.

🎓 Relevance for Educators, Historians, and Genealogists

📚 For Teachers & Students

This passenger list offers insight into mass immigration trends, making it ideal for units on:

• The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
• Industrialization and labor migration
• The cultural composition of immigrant communities

Encourage students to use this document as a primary source in essays or presentations about 19th-century migration patterns. 💼🧳

🧬 For Genealogists

This list provides rich regional identifiers, perfect for tracing:

• Germanic ancestors from provinces like Saxony, Bavaria, and Prussia
• Hungarian and Slavic roots, including Galicia and Bohemia
• Jewish surnames linked to known diaspora areas
• Scandinavian emigrants from rural farming families

🛠️ For Maritime & Social Historians

The Ems was a workhorse of the North German Lloyd Line, offering regular express sailings to New York and carrying immigrants who would build America's cities and industries. Her voyage in 1895 represents one of the final great years before U.S. immigration law became more restrictive.

⚙️ Quick Ship Facts: SS Ems

Launch Date: Early 1880s

Operator: Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd)

Route: Bremen → New York

Typical Speed: Approx. 14 knots

Features: Single-screw propulsion, steam-powered, and equipped for carrying hundreds in steerage

Voyage Type: Primarily immigrant express sailings with occasional mail and diplomatic passengers

Notable Trait: Known for reliable cross-Atlantic schedules and excellent German culinary staff

🔚 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters 🧭

The 7 September 1895 voyage of the SS Ems stands as a microcosm of the immigrant experience. It shows not just names and numbers, but the hope, hardship, and humanity of those seeking a better life. From Jewish families fleeing persecution to Scandinavian workers, Hungarian farmhands, and German widows, each name tells a story of sacrifice and courage.

This list reminds us that behind every manifest lies a journey, and behind every journey, a legacy. 📜🧬

📚 Use the GG Archives materials to uncover the real stories of migration! This is not a blog—no comments, just authentic, researched historical content ready to support your next essay, lesson plan, or ancestry project. ✍️🔍✨