Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
December 2016
‘Skaubryn News’: Ship newspaper of the MS Skaubryn on its journey from Bremerhaven to Melbourne (Australia), Christmas edition from the year 1955
Historical Context
Ship newspapers can be traced back to intercontinental voyages at least as far back as the early 1830s. Initially, they were a product of passengers in First and Second Class to combat boredom, but around 1900, shipping companies took over the publication themselves. The telegraphic connection with the mainland made it possible to keep passengers informed through the ship’s newspaper. The ship’s newspaper of the MS Skaubryn accompanied passengers on the route from Bremerhaven to Melbourne. Its first issue during the voyage from late November to late December 1955 was published on Monday, November 28. In it, its editor provides information on the purpose and content of the paper:
‘With this newspaper, which you hold in your hands, we want to inform you during the journey, in addition to the daily radio news, ship news, etc., about the country you are now travelling to and where you intend to establish a new home. We are sure that you will find this information interesting, as we want to try to familiarize you, even from here, with the lifestyle of Australia, the social conditions, and the beauty of the country.’
Brief Biography
Liselotte Meller, née Martens, was born on August 8, 1931. At the age of 24, she signed on as a nurse on the MS Skaubryn. From November 26, 1955, to May 7, 1956, she was part of the ship’s crew, which during this time visited the following ports: Bremerhaven – Port Said – Suez – Colombo – Fremantle – Melbourne – Sydney – Saigon – Marseille. Liselotte Meller did not emigrate herself. However, she accompanied numerous emigrants on their journey to their new lives and thus satisfied her adventurous spirit:
“When I was given the opportunity in 1955 (10 years after the end of the war) to board a ship and get to know the wide world, I jumped at the chance.”
Significance of the Object
The object is primarily a souvenir for Liselotte Meller, who collected the ship’s newspapers from her time as a nurse aboard the emigrant ship MS Skaubryn:
“Not only then, but even today, I still feel like that time was a dream. Living for 2 ½ months in a confined space with so many people, keeping order and tranquility, not forgetting to celebrate, the farewell scenes in Bremerhaven and in the ports of Australia have shaped my life.”
Moreover, the object illustrates the shipping companies’ attempt to make the voyage as similar to life on land as possible. By being able to maintain the daily routine of newspaper life on board, the emigrants experience the crossing not (anymore) as a break, but as a continuation of their previous way of life. The ship’s newspaper thus gives the crossing the character of the familiar and known. Thirdly, this edition of the ship’s newspaper is also significant because of its occasion: Christmas. In the words of Captain Ellef Knudsen from December 24, 1955:
“This year we will celebrate Christmas at sea. For most of you, this will be the first Christmas spent so far away from home, and since Christmas is our biggest celebration, it is natural that all our thoughts are with our family and loved ones back home. Therefore, we want to make this celebration, especially for the children, an unforgettable experience and as beautiful and homely as possible.”
In this spirit, we wish you a Merry Christmas – wherever you are reading this!
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de