SS Lahn (1888) Steerage Passenger List: A Journey of Hope from Bremen to New York
📌 Explore the 14 November 1888 steerage passenger list from the SS Lahn of Norddeutscher Lloyd. Discover names, origins, and stories of German, Russian, and Central European migrants heading to New York. Ideal for historians, educators, and genealogists.
Front Cover, Steerage Passenger List from the SS Lahn of the North German Lloyd, Departing Wednesday, 14 November 1888 from Bremen to New York, Commanded by Captain H. Hellmers. GGA Image ID # 1f93f86e20
📜 "A Voyage from Bremen to New York: Across Oceans and Empires on the SS Lahn"
🚢 About the Ship: SS Lahn (1887–1904)
The SS Lahn, an iron-hulled transatlantic steamer of the North German Lloyd (Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen), launched in 1887 and served in the Bremen–Southampton–New York express route. She was among a celebrated group of mail steamers and sister ships (Saale, Werra, Elbe) that combined speed, comfort, and capacity—bridging continents and lives.
🔹 Launched: 1887
🔹 Operator: Norddeutscher Lloyd
🔹 Route: Bremen → Southampton → New York
🔹 Commanding Officer (This Voyage): Captain H. Hellmers
🔹 Voyage Date: 14 November 1888
🔹 Tonnage: Approx. 5,000 GRT
🔹 Typical Speed: ~16 knots
🔹 Passenger Configuration: Included steerage, second, and first class
🔹 Notable Feature: Engineered for mass migration and the North Atlantic route
👤 The 14 November 1888 crossing carried hundreds of steerage passengers, most of them Eastern and Central European migrants seeking new lives in America.
Senior Officers and Staff
- Commander: Captain H. Hellmers
- First Officer: J. Mirow
- Second Officer: W. Rahmeyer
- Third Officer: A. Vischer
- Fourth Officer: P. Marpe
- Physician: Dr. M. Benedey
- First Engineer: L. Kiel I
- Second Engineer: G. Rickenberg
- Third Engineer: C. Asch
- Third Engineer: H. Dittelbach
- Fourth Engineer: R. Nowacki
- Fourth Engineer: H. Ordemann II
- Fourth Engineer: F. Schult
- Purser: A. Hosemann
- Chief Steward: H. de Harde
- Second Steward: C. Meyer
- Second Steward: G. Scholz
- Chief Cook: G. Wüstinger
- Second Cook: H. Kämena
- Second Cook: E. Sechehay
- Second Cook: P. Zumm
Steerage Passengers
- Gustav Aellert
Preussen - Mat. Alukiewicz and Family
Russland - Marie Amend
Hessen - Anders Jensen Andersen
Denmark - Carl J. Anderson
Sweden - Kerstin Andersson
Sweden - Jörgen A. Andreasen
Preussen - Axel Andreassen
Norway - Friedrich Ax
Preussen - Jozefa Badaszewska
Preussen - Friederike Baessler
Württemberg - August Baierschmidt
Württemberg - Georg Balke and Wife
America - Valentin Becker
Hessen - J. N. Beckmann
Preussen - Franz Behling
Preussen - Carl Belzner
Württemberg - Wasil Benisch
Galizien - Marie S. Bentrop
Preussen - Marie Berner
Württemberg - Christian Beyer
Württemberg - Silvester Boguszewski
Russland - Lena Bohlen
Preussen - Carl Boldes
Preussen - Marie Boldes
Preussen - Charles Book
America - Johann Borgfeldt
Preussen - Wilh. von Borstel
Preussen - Elise Bruns
Preussen - Adam Budowski
Russland - Heinrich Bülken
Preussen - Anna Burhoop
Bremen - Eman Buse
Böhmen - Emil Butsch
Württemberg - Christian Christiansen
Preussen - Lars Christensen
Preussen - Amande Cordts
America - Franz Czachowski
Russland - Carl Czarnetzki
Preussen - Eva Czarnetzki
Preussen - Lina Demuth
Württemberg - Marg. Demuth
Württemberg - Niels C. Diedrichsen
Preussen - Henry Diehl
Hessen - Babetta Diessel
Bayern - Carl Dorsch
Preussen
- Alfred Eckert
Preussen - Anton Eckhardt
Württemberg - Emma Ehlen
Preussen - Joh. Ehlen
Preussen - Feige Beile Ein
Russland - Miho Erdelac
Württemberg - Rosa Falkenstein
Pruessen - Jakob Feix
Austria - Margarethe Feldhus
Preussen - Paul Fendrick
America - Johann Feulner
Bayern - Juraj Franciskovic
Austria - Leopold Freud
Ungarn - J. H. Frische
Preussen - Elisabetha Gade
Hessen - Peter Gade
America - Joh. Geipel
Böhmen - Wilhne. Geissel
Württemberg - Marie Grönner
Württemberg - Hermann Grönwald
Preussen - Simon Grossmann
Ungarn
- Carl Haake
Preussen - Michael Haas and Family
Preussen - Gottlob Härer
Württemberg - Adam Chr. Hardtmann
Hessen - Carl Hartmann
America - Gg. Hartmann
Bayern - Paul Hartmann
Bayern - Lars Haubroe
America - Fred Hauck
America - Marga. Hauck
Bayern - Christian N. Haur?elef
Preussen - Anna Heil
Württemberg - Joh. Hein
Preussen - Justus Heise
Preussen - Cathar. Heller
Preussen - C. Herrmann and Family
America - Christian Hermann and Family
Preussen - Barba. Heyd
Württemberg - Rudolph Heyn
America - Elise Hinrichs
Preussen - Karl Höcker and Family
Bayern - Josef Hodek
Böhmen - Friederike Hoepke
Preussen - Peter Hoffart
America - Michael Hoffmann and Family
Preussen - Mathias Chr. Höi
Preussen - Math. Holicky and Family
Böhmen - Eike Hollwegs
Prussia - Gustav Holm and Family
Denmark - Anna Hörcher
Baden - Franz Hruska, Brothers and Sisters
Böhmen - Maria Hruska
Böhmen - Catharina Huber
Hessen. - Jacob Huber
Hessen - Peter Huber
Bayern - Johann Hudak
Ungarn
- Joh. Iden
Bremen - Johanne Iffland
America - Michael Ivancso
Ungarn - Anna Janda
Böhmen - Heinr. Jentz
Prussia - Carl Jung
Preussen - Marie Kacena
Böhmen - John Peter Kamper
Bayern - Felicitas Kaufmann
Württemberg - Johann Kaupa
Böhmen - Theodor Kemper
Preussen - Philomena Kilian
Böhmen - Anna Kleyenstüber
Württemberg - Arthur Knoch
Russland - Therese Koehn
Preussen - Wilh. Koehn
Preussen - Jürgen Köster and Family
Preussen - Marcelli Krainik
Russland - Aug. Kracke
Preussen - Flora Krätz
Baden - Kjesten Kristensen
Preussen - Martine Kristoffersen
Denmark - Anna Kröger
Preussen - Josef Kubrnát and Sister
Böhmen - August Kunstein
Preussen - Babette Künzig
Bayern - Emanuel Kurz
Böhmen - Michael Kuschinzki and Family
Preussen - Christian Lagoni
Preussen - Rob. Landen
Preussen - Johann Langsdorf
Württemberg - Ane Katrine Larsen
Dänemark - Anna Marg. Lehr
Preussen - Hermann Lichtsinn
Preussen - Magd. Liederbach
America - Ernestine Link
Preussen - Wilh. Löhrs
Preussen - Laurits Lörensen
Denmark - Marie Sophie Lydiksen and Children
Preussen
- Lara Magnussen
Preussen - Caroline Mahler and Children
Württemberg - Trina Mahrmann
Preussen - Johann Malinak
Ungarn - Christian Mast
Württemberg - Anne Mathiesen
Preussen - Marie Mathiesen
Preussen - Christian Maulhardt
Württemberg - Mrs. Theres Meier and Family
Bayern - Theodor Mense
Preussen - Heinr. Menzel
Hessen - Anton Messerschmidt
Württemberg - Heinr. Meyer
Preussen - Thomas Meyer
Preussen - Friedra Mueller
Württemberg - Wilh. Mügge
Preussen - Carl Mühlenthal
Russland - Fred. Munck and Child
America - Eleonore Ch. Nibel
Sweden - Ane Marie Nielsen
Denmark - Chr. Aug. Nielsen
Schweden - Christen Nielsen
Denmark - Kristine Elise Nielsen and Child
Denmark - Loren Chr. Nielsen
Denmark - Berka D. Nosietzky
Russland - Johann Nozenté
Austria - Franziszek Oldack
Russland - Carl Oppermann
Preussen - Lóren Petersen Ostergaard
Denmark - Helene Otjenbruns and Children
Preussen - Anna Paulsen
Preussen - Dirk J. Peters
America - Maren Petersen
Denmark - Marie C. Petersen
Preussen - Thomas R. Petersen
Denmark - Hulda Peterson
Sweden - Pauline Peterson
Preussen - Ernestine Pfeffer and Children
Hessen - Frieda Pfisterer
Württemberg - Franz Plechaty
Böhmen - Henry Postel
Preussen - Henry Pottmerhusen
Preussen
- Anna Rada
Böhmen - Julius Ramel and Family
Preussen - Johann Rapp
Württemberg - Johann Rapp
Württemberg [sic] - Jens Chr. Rasmussen and Family
Denmark - Ludw. Ratz
Hessen - Louise Retzlaff and Children
Preussen - Tanka Rozinak
Galizien - Franz Salbeck
Bayern - Wilhne Schenck
America - Sophie Schiefer
Pfalz - Eugen Schill
Württemberg - Rosa Schlesinger
Ungarn - Anna Schlesinger
Ungarn - Marie Schmaus
Böhmen - Christine Schmidt
Preussen - Hch. Schmidt
Preussen - J. W. Schölermann
Preussen - Sophie Helene Schreiber
Württemberg - Meta Schröder
Preussen - Wilh. Schulte
Preussen - Marie Sies
Preussen - Anton Simon
Hessen - Marg. Sittehneier
Pfalz. - Carl Alfr. Sjöqvist
Sweden - Anton Smikowski
Preussen - Max Sohemalluh
Preussen - Mette M. Söndergaard
Preussen - Helene Stahl
Preussen - Marie Stanfelj
Austria - Rudolf Stärke
America - Friedr Steinmanu
Bayern - Heinr. Stender and Family
Preussen - Leopold Strauss
Baden - Thomas Ströbe and Family
Bayern - Gottlieb Strube
Württemberg
C. Gottlieb Strube, Steerage Passenger on the SS Lahn, 14 November 1888. GGA Image ID # 1f93ff42bd
- August Sührig
Preussen - Heinr. Swoboda
Preussen - Emilia Szyperska and Children
Preussen - Hans P. Thomsen
Preussen - Jens Thomsen and Children
Denmark - Maren Constance Thrane
Denmark - Christoph Tietjen
Preussen - Ida Trilsch
Sachsen-Mein - Josef Tuchewica
Russland - Franciska Vitous and Children
Böhmen - Josef Vitous
Böhmen - Julianna Vogel
Pfalz - M. Wachkowski
Russland - Ludw. Wachtl
Böhmen - Jan Wanerka
Böhmen - Emilie Weber
Preussen - John Weber
Preussen - Christine Wehlau
Preussen - Otto Heinr. Wehner
Bayern - Richd. Weigmann
Preussen - Anna Wendler
Preussen - Anne L. Wenzel
Preussen - Cäcilia Wieckhorst
Preussen - Daniel Willox
Preussen - Reinhold Wiehle
Preussen - Adeli Wiemokly
Russland - Arthur J. Wiemokly
Russland - Salon Wiemokly and Family
Russland - Conrad Winter
Hessen - Anna Elis. Winter
Hessen - August Witz
Prussia - Kuba Wladika
Galizien - Eva Marie Ziefle
Württemberg - Felix Zmijewski
Russland - Stanislaus Zóltowski
Russland
Unreadable Section of listed passengers. SS Lahn Passenger List, 14 November 1888. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA Image ID # 22765accc7
Zwischendecks Passagiere / Steerage Passengers, Page 1 of 2, SS Lahn Passenger List, 14 November 1888. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA Image ID # 2275561c4d
Zwischendecks Passagiere / Steerage Passengers, Page 2 of 2, SS Lahn Passenger List, 14 November 1888. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA Image ID # 2276076d27
Officiere des Dampfers Lahn - List of Officers, SS Lahn Passenger List, 14 November 1888. (Norddeutscher Lloyd) | GGA Image ID # 227628490d
Passenger List Images Courtesy of P J Tillery
🌍 Passenger List Highlights: A Portrait of Migration and Diversity
Unlike first-class manifests with elite diplomats or celebrities, this steerage list reveals rich stories of ordinary people, many of whom were escaping persecution, poverty, or military conscription.
✨ Most Engaging Content & Notable Individuals:
Gottlieb Strube (Württemberg)
🧔 Featured image passenger – represents the archetypal German emigrant of the period. The Strube name is well-documented in North American German-American communities.
Simon Grossmann (Hungary)
📖 Possibly Jewish, like others listed from Galicia and Russia—indicative of large-scale Jewish emigration amid Tsarist oppression and pogroms.
Michael Hoffmann & Family (Prussia)
👨👩👧👦 Typical multi-generational migration cluster—a hallmark of chain migration patterns from rural Germany.
Fred Munck & Child (America)
✈️ An American returning from abroad—perhaps a merchant or early expat, reflecting reverse migration or transatlantic business activity.
Salon Wiemokly & Family (Russia)
🕍 Jewish surname cluster, possibly connected with religious or ethnic persecution in late Imperial Russia.
Carl Mühlenthal (Russia) and Julianna Vogel (Pfalz)
🧬 Their unique surnames may help genealogists track migration patterns from borderland regions like Alsace-Lorraine or Russian Poland.
📸 Noteworthy Images
🖼️ Front Cover – Steerage Passenger List | 🆔 GGA Image ID # 1f93f86e20
Evocative of the stark, utilitarian documentation used to process thousands of migrants.
👤 C. Gottlieb Strube | 🆔 GGA Image ID # 1f93ff42bd
A rare example of an individual steerage passenger being visually identified—a powerful human connection to the list.
📄 Zwischendecks Pages 1 & 2 | 🆔 GGA Image IDs: #2275561c4d, #2276076d27
These double-page spreads offer a sweeping view of the volume of humanity on board.
📋 Officer Roster – Officiere des Dampfers Lahn | 🆔 GGA Image ID #227628490d
Puts names to the authority structure responsible for the voyage.
🎓 Relevance for Educators, Genealogists, and Historians
👨🏫 For Teachers & Students:
🔹 Use the SS Lahn passenger list to explore themes of migration, industrialization, and the immigrant experience.
🔹 Engage students in activities such as:
🔹 Researching a name on the list and tracing descendants
🔹 Creating fictional journals from the perspective of a passenger
🧬 For Genealogists:
🔹 Names and origins are clearly listed, including Württemberg, Galicia, Bohemia, Russia, Prussia, Denmark, and Sweden.
🔹 The inclusion of family groupings and origin regions makes it ideal for tracing immigrant ancestors during the peak German diaspora years.
📚 For Historians:
🔹 Offers insight into late 19th-century migratory flows, especially from multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian and Russian regions.
🔹 Demonstrates how Norddeutscher Lloyd facilitated the transatlantic migration economy with ships like the Lahn.
🏁 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters
The SS Lahn’s voyage of 14 November 1888 is a microcosm of the mass migration era that transformed North America. Each name on the manifest represents a journey of hope, whether driven by economic aspiration, religious persecution, or familial reunification.
Unlike elite luxury passenger rosters, this steerage list connects us to real people with raw, human stories—the bakers, carpenters, and mothers who built communities in places like Chicago, Milwaukee, or New York.
This passenger list is a living document, not just a register. It invites analysis, empathy, and curiosity.
✏️ Students! Use this document in essays about immigration, German-American heritage, or transatlantic migration.
🔍 No blog comments here—just facts, stories, and history worth exploring.
🌊 History sails in steerage. Start your voyage at the GG Archives.
