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.
April 2025
Photo postcard “Columbus Station“, 1928
Historical Context
During World War I, passenger traffic in Bremerhaven, as well as in other German ports, came to a standstill. It wasn’t until the early 1920s that it began to pick up again: in 1921, there were initially just over 8,000 people, but by 1923, around 68,500 migrants were boarding in Bremerhaven again. The North German Lloyd looked hopefully into the future of its business at the beginning of the 1920s and called for Bremen to expand the passenger handling facilities. While the existing facility at the outer harbor of the Kaiser Lock could process over one hundred thousand passengers annually, the North German Lloyd anticipated a stronger increase in passenger numbers and found the old building unsuitable next to the new luxury liners. The Bremen Senate shared the optimism of the shipping company. Even before World War I, plans had been discussed there to build a 1,000-meter long quay on the Weser for the handling of large passenger ships. These plans were now implemented starting in 1924. The Columbus Quay was created, and a new passenger handling facility was constructed.
The Genesis of Columbus Station
The new passenger terminal, the Columbusbahnhof, is clad in wood and painted white. The new reception building features spacious waiting halls for First and Second Class in the southern part, including a special ladies’ room; furthermore, there is the waiting room for Third Class as well as utility rooms. Downstream, the central building connects with its four floors, housing offices and service apartments, rooms for mail and telegraphy, customs, police, and a medical station. The complex is capped by the new customs hall. Additionally, the terminal features a restaurant with a view of the Weser, from which relatives and onlookers can peacefully observe the arrival and departure of the steamships without disturbing operations. The facility was opened in 1928.
However, the expectations held by Norddeutscher Lloyd were not fulfilled: The year 1923 marks the peak of post-war emigration. Although more tourist travelers began boarding the large passenger steamers, only around 40,000 passengers embarked in 1932, and the downward trend continued into the 1930s.
Significance of the object
An important aspect of migration history is the question of logistical developments: What routes did migrants choose? What travel regulations applied at different times? What means of transport were available? What services were associated with these? Migration logistics have been and continue to be decisive for the scale and circumstances of migration.
The postcard featuring the illustration of the “Columbusbahnhof” is a typical commercial product of its time, yet it also serves as an important migration historical object: As ships represented the only means of transportation for millions of migrants until the emergence of competition from air travel in the mid-20th century, German ports gained corresponding significance. Postcards became popular marketing tools in the competition among ports for passengers: Illustrations, in this case, of the passenger terminal in Bremerhaven, advertised the advantages offered on-site. Migrants sent postcards with messages to family members or friends who remained behind; for them, these were one of the communication means used to maintain a connection to their old homeland. By purchasing and sending such promotional postcards, they supported the public relations efforts of the respective ports; sometimes, however, the postcards were also kept by the migrants as personal mementos. For migration research today, such postcards provide important visual insights into the conditions of that time.
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