Ship Engineers Association
With the introduction of prime movers on ships , the machinist profession came into being, which had to pass special tests as the size of the ship, the engine power and the expansion of the shipping area increased. From 1908/1909 the marine engineer was introduced. Maritime machinists and ship engineers' associations were founded to exchange experiences but also to provide mutual support .
Machinists' associations before 1900
The oldest German association , the "Maschinistenclub von 1866" (later the "Schiffsingenieurclub von 1866") was founded in Hamburg by technical shipping company inspectors, primarily to exchange experiences with technical marine machinery. In 1873, ship machinists founded the “Association of Machinists in Stettin” (later “Stettiner Klub von 1873”) for the exchange of professional experiences. At this time, Szczecin was a stronghold of shipbuilding technology and shipping due to the "Stettiner Vulcan" and many shipping companies . In other ports too, machinists set up associations such as:
- Machinist's Club in Bremerhaven 1885
- Machinists' Association Flensburg , 1886
- Machinists Association for Kiel and the surrounding area 1886
- Maritime Engineers College of Hamburg 1891
- Association of Machinists in Lübeck 1892
- Association of Gdansk Machinists from 1893
- Rostock Sea Steamship Engineers Association 1893
Machinists 'and marine engineers' associations from 1900–1945
- Maritime Engineers Association of Bremen 1902
- Association of Technical Ship Officers in Hamburg 1910
- "Wieland" Association of Ship Engineers (Bremerhaven) 1927
- "Koturmo" (Bremen)
- Maritime Engineers Association for Emden and the surrounding area 1906
Umbrella organizations
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In 1892 delegates from the Association of Machinists in Stettin met with members of the Maritime Machinists College of Hamburg to discuss the establishment of an umbrella organization . An agreement was quickly reached because, in addition to technical interests, the position of the machinists on the ships and in the shipping company should be jointly represented. In the shipping companies and especially on the ships there was often friction and quarrels between the helmsmen and machinists. The background to this was the seaman's regulations , which envisaged classifying the machinists in the lowest ranks on board.
- Central Association of German Maritime Engineers
As early as April 1893, with the exception of the “Maschinistenclub von 1866” in Hamburg, delegates from the above-mentioned associations founded the “Central Association of German Maritime Machinists”. L. Kluge was elected as chairman, and from July 1893 the "See-Maschinisten-Zeitung" was published as the official organ of the association. It was published twice a month and is evidence of the attitude towards this profession at the time. In 1908, with the introduction of new patents, new examination regulations and the ship engineer long required by Hapag and Norddeutscher Lloyd, the name of the association was changed to "Association of technical ship officers".
In 1908, a "jobless benefit fund" was planned to improve the social situation. Since this increased the membership fees , some clubs left the association. It was especially the large associations from Hamburg and Bremerhaven that founded their own umbrella organization, the “Association of German Ship Engineers”.
After the First World War and almost all seagoing vessels were handed over to the victors, most of the seafarers became unemployed. The marine engineers and machinists often found a land position due to their basic technical training; that was not possible for the navigators, as there was also less work in the shipping companies and ports. Against the background of the collapsed German Empire and the politicization through activities of the workers 'and soldiers' councils, political discussions were now also being held in the marine machinist and ship engineer associations and associations. Union goals played no role until 1919, that changed, the association became a member of the General Free Employees' Association and was also active in collective bargaining with the “Central Association of German Shipowners”. The name changed to "Association of German Ship Engineers and Maritime Engineers".
In 1922, the ship engineers called for a strike because the shipowners refused to adjust wages due to the onset of inflation . The association's demands were met after just one month. In 1923 the association had around 4,700 members; in the meantime the German merchant fleet had reached 3 million GRT over 50% of the pre-war tonnage. German shipyards recorded 109 launching of ships and were in second place in the global rankings after England (222 launching).
- Association of German Ship Engineers (1911–1919)
The clubs from Hamburg and Bremerhaven with a large number of members resigned from the “Association of Technical Ship Officers” in 1908 because of the increase in fees. The members of these associations were mainly employed by Hapag or the NDL ( Norddeutscher Lloyd ) as technical inspectors, ship engineers or marine machinists. At that time, these shipping companies were the largest shipping companies in the world, NDL in terms of the number of passengers carried and Hapag in terms of the number of ships and tonnage.
The Hamburg “Maschinistenclub von 1866” as well as the “Seemaschinisten-Collegium von Hamburg”, which was renamed in 1906 to the “Ingenieurverein der Deutschen Handelsmarine ”, withdrew from the Centralverband. So dissatisfied members of the association resigned from their association, founded the "Association of Technical Ship Officers", which then rejoined the Central Association. The Bremerhaven association “Maschinistenklub zu Bremerhaven” also left the Central Association in 1910, also because the NDL had set up its own support fund for its patent holders. These Hamburg and Bremerhaven associations founded their own umbrella organization in 1911, the "Association of German Ship Engineers", which was joined in 1912 by the "Ship Engineers Club of 1866" and in 1914 by the "Stettiner Club of 1873". However, it did not become of decisive importance, was dissolved in 1919, and the member associations rejoined the Central Association, which was now called the "Association of German Ship Engineers and Maritime Engineers".
- Other associations
The foundation of the "Baltic Sea Machinists' Association", which was initiated by associations from Stettin, Danzig and Königsberg, was due to the various interests. Since the ports of the Baltic Sea were often not navigable in winter due to ice drift, the technical patent holders were particularly concerned with safeguarding the lay-up times that this caused.
The attempt of some associations to found a new association “Bund Deutscher Schiffsingenieure” in 1921 was not realized.
Today's naval engineering associations
Umbrella organization Association of German Ship Engineers
In 1956, delegates from all ship engineers 'associations in Hamburg founded the umbrella organization " Vereinigung Deutscher Schiffsingenieure " ( Association of German Ship Engineers ), in which since then all ship engineers' associations and, since 1990, the Verein der Schiffsingenieure zu Rostock e. V., are a member. This was a continuation of the old tradition that marine engineers appear uniform on the outside and speak with one voice. The joint work became visible to the public through the Ship Engineer's Day, which took place every two to three years in different locations. This joint event was linked to a specialist exhibition in Flensburg in 1961. In 1963, this concept was continued in Hamburg and later led to the ship and machine trade fair, which developed into the international ship machine marine technology exhibition (SMM). In 2006, the 50th anniversary of the VDSI was celebrated together in Hamburg.
Association of Ship Engineers in Bremen e. V.
The Association of Ship Engineers in Bremen e. V. was founded in 1953 as the "Kameradschaft der Schiffsingenieure in Bremen" and in 1957 in the "Verein der Schiffsingenieure in Bremen e. V. “renamed. Flagging out, technical improvements through automation and the merger of the shipping companies Hapag and Norddeutscher Lloyd to form Hapag-Lloyd , based in Hamburg, led to a significant reduction in the number of members. The association was also weakened since in 1978 the ship engineer training was relocated to Bremerhaven. By 1980 the association had around 800 members. The membership magazine “Der Antrieb” is published, which members of Wieland also receive.
"Wieland" Association of Ship Engineers Bremerhaven e. V.
The additional engineering degree required by the chief machinists for the express steamers from Hapag and North German Lloyd from 1902 onwards led to the marine engineering degree in 1910. For this purpose, the upper class was introduced at the ship engineering schools. As a result, the “Machinists Club of Bremerhaven” was renamed in 1910 to the “Association of Ship Engineers in Bremerhaven”. Since the members organized themselves in trade unions after the First World War, the association was dissolved. Due to the lack of a technically oriented community, students of the upper class at that time founded the “Wieland” in 1927, this name was changed after the Second World War with the addition “Vereinigung der Schiffsingenieure Bremerhaven e. V. "added.
Schiffsbetriebstechnische Gesellschaft Flensburg e. V.
On January 27, 1954, the Society of Friends and Sponsors of the Ship Engineering School Flensburg e. V. founded to support the expansion of the ship engineering school and to encourage students. In 1979 the name was changed to Schiffsbetriebstechnische Gesellschaft Flensburg e. V. In the same year the company was founded, a newsletter called “Briefkasten” was published, especially to maintain contacts after graduation. In 1982 it became the trade journal “Schiffsbetriebstechnik”.
Association of Ship Engineers Hamburg e. V.
In memory of the associations before 1933, students with the help of older professional colleagues founded the “Association of Ship Engineers in Hamburg Vesiha” in 1953, and it was also decided to publish a club newspaper. The first hand-duplicated edition appeared as early as September 1954, and from 1955 as a printed version under the name “Schiffs-Ingenieur Journal”. The number of members increased rapidly and by the year 2000 was over 900 people. The association is a co-organizer of the fair event Schiff Maschinen Meerestechnik , which developed from the event "Tag des Schiffsingenieurs". With the completion of the ship engineer training in Hamburg, the association as well as the association of ship engineers in Bremen is cut off from the young students.
Rostock Association of Ship Engineers V.
This association looks back on predecessors up to 1914. As the “Stammtisch” shows, a local group of the “Central Association of German Maritime Engineers”, founded in 1893, had existed since 1914. This regulars' table has accompanied the machinists and ship engineers through all regular bars and club bars since then. However, club life largely died out after the synchronization in the Third Reich. The political system of the GDR only allowed activities under the umbrella of the “ Chamber of Technology ”. With the support of the associations from Hamburg and Bremerhaven, the Association of Ship Engineers zu Rostock e. V. founded. In 2004 around 160 members were counted.