House Flags of German Shipping Companies (k)

Last modified: 2009-08-15 by jarig bakker
Keywords: kirsten | klingenberg |
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• Käptn Brass
• J.C. & H.C. Kiehn
• Kieler Verkehrs A.G.
• Hubert Kiepe
• Hermann Kimme
• Kingsin Linie
• Klingenberg
• Knöhr & Burchard Nfl
• Knudsen & Jordan
• Kohlen Handelsgesellschaft
• Köhn & Bohlmann
• Koholyt
• Kolb
• Kölner Reederei
• Kompass Reederei
• Komrowski Shipping
• Gerd Koppelmann
• Robert Köppen
• G. Krabbenhöft, Hamburg
• Krey Schiffahrts GmbH
• Krieger-Gruppe
• Reederei Kapt.Heinr. Krohn
• Kroll-Schiffahrt
• Hans Krüger
• Julius Krümling
• Krupp, Essen, earlier, earliest
• W. Kunstmann
• Küstentransport und Bergungs AG

• Kanalspeditions- und Handelsgesellschaft
• A. Kirsten
• Kohlen-Import A.G.
• Kosmos Linie

• House Flags of German Shipping Companies
• House Flags of Shipping Companies
• Germany

Käptn Brass

Fahrgastschifffahrt Käptn Brass - Käptn (German slang for captain) Brass  is a shipping company for passenger transports, especially for excursions of daytrippers. The company is located in Rostock-Warnemünde.
It is a white flag with blue horizontal stripes at both edges and a blue capital "M" in the centre of the flag. I have no idea, why there is an "M" in the flag, but nearly all shipnames of the company are beginning with an "M", perhaps the company has kept the flag of a former company. (spotted at 8 December 2006 in Warnemünde).
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Feb 2007

J.C. & H.C. Kiehn

The flag is a spanish fess of blue and white, with a large K at the center. The colour of the K isn't entirely clear, but some areas of colour around it lead me to suspect that it's supposed to be also blue, and not black. The caption reads something close to J C & H C Kluber.
Jorge Candeias, 9 Dec 2004

It must be J.C. & H.C. Kiehn, Hamburg - there's a trace of this firm here (see under 'War Rother'), ... but I've found no second picture of this particular flag.
Jan Mertens, 1 Jan 2005

Kieler Verkehrs A.G.

Kieler Verkehrs A.G., Kiel - white flag, the firm's shield superimposed on two black anchors in saltire.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 17 Feb 2006

Hubert Kiepe

Hubert Kiepe K.G., Haren/Ems - horizontal BWB flag; in center white diamond, blue "K".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 23 Oct 2005

Hermann Kimme

Hermann Kimme, Bremen - red flag, white cross formy, black "HK".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 28 Jan 2005

Kingsin Linie

In the time of economic progress after the German-French war of 1870/71 the "Deutsche Dampfschiffs-Rhederei zu Hamburg AG" was established in 1871, located at Rathausmarkt 15, Hamburg. In 1874 this company was somehow connected with "August Bolten, W.Millers Nachfolger". This new company was backed by famous shipping companies like "Wachsmuth & Krogmann", "Godeffroy" and "William O'Swald", represented by Albrecht O'Swald. The plan was to established a European line but the company ended in running the Eastern Asia services. In 1881 the more suggestive denomination "Kingsin Linie" occurred for the first time. Kingsin means "golden star". The company applied for a mail-licence in 1884 but failed and Norddeutscher Lloyd ran the mail service. Nevertheless the company made big business in the next years in supplying the German Navy in Eastern Asia. The main targets were the ports of Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama and Hiogo. The company was dissolved in 1898 probably for economical reasons.
Description of flag: It is a red and white quarterly divided  square flag. In the centre of the first quarter there is a white Hamburg-gate with an open door and portcullis.
Source: Arnold KLUDAS: Die Geschichte der deutschen Passagierschiffahrt (5 vols), Hamburg 1986; Reprint Laibach Slovenia-Buch Nr. 03617-8; p.156-7.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 June 2007

Klingenberg

Dov Gutterman reported the link of Albert Hauschild (GmbH & Co.), which contains the houseflag of said firm, as well as the rather similar flag of Klingenberg Bereederungs- und Befrachtungs OHG. Klingenberg's flag is: white with broken capitals: green A, and black K.
Santiago Dotor, 6 Nov 2003

Knöhr & Burchard Nfl

Another of the images I have in my files is a photo of a page of a book, looking a few decades old, that is full of flags that apperently are german houseflags, since the page is labelled "Rhederein". The flags are mostly blue and white. This is one of them: a white flag with a blue disc more or less in the center.
Jorge Candeias, 2 May 2004

That is Knöhr & Burchard Nfl, Hamburg - Source "See und Seefahrt", by Gustav-Adolf Wolter, 1968.
Jarig Bakker, 2 May 2004

It's the flag of one of the oldest German shipping companies: Knoehr & Burchard Nfl. GmbH, Hamburg. This company was founded in 1814 and still exists in Hamburg. They sent me an original tableflag some years ago. I could'nt find a homepage but they are in the Yellow Pages.
Jörg M. Karaschewski, 2 May 2004

Knudsen & Jordan

Here is the website of Knudsen & Jordan GmbH - houseflag: white with a narrow flydiahonal line; at hoist blue K, at hoist blue J.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

Köhn & Bohlmann

Köhn & Bohlmann Reederei K.G., Hamburg - red over white flag; in center black "K&B".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 21 Sep 2005

Kohlen Handelsgesellschaft

Kohlen Handelsgesellschaft GmbH, located in Flensburg.
It is a blue flag with a white roundel in its centre. In the roundel are a crossed black hammer and black mallet, the symbol of mining.
Source: [llo12] p.85, image no.1013
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 Sep 2008

Koholyt

‘Kohlen-Import A.G.’, a German shipping company belonging to the Stinnes group, is mentioned here, plus a link provided by Valentin, starting page here.
Also mentioned in these pages is a ship named ‘Koholyt’ which in its turn points to yet another Stinnes firm!  It was established at Königsberg, the current Kaliningrad.  A short history is found here: “Koholyt AG was established by Hugo Stinnes in 1920 by combining several German companies  (…) to form Koholyt AG. The name of company is formed as an abbreviation of the words Kohle, Holz and Elektrolyt. Koholyt AG was acquired by the Feldmühle, Papier- und Zellstoffwerke Aktiengesellschaft in 1930.“

‚Kohl’ means coal, ‚Holz’ means wood and ‚Elektrolyt’ means ‘electrolyte’.  A hybrid company name!
Not so the flag, which is another example of the Stinnes archivexillum: horizontally divided NWRN, a white diamond in the centre bearing black initials ‘K.A.G.’ above miners’ hammers, also black. The diamond is exactly two stripes high, resting on the white and red ones.

This house flag is shown in the 1928 German Flaggenbuch, Part I, original & revisions: no. 185.
Massary album image (1930).

In the nineteen sixties a firm named ‘Koholyt Handels- und Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG’ (i.e. Koholyt Trading and Shipping Co., Ltd) existed, apparently for the operation of a freight vessel bearing that historical name.
Jan Mertens, 17 Mar 2008

Kolb

The company website of Personenschiffahrt Gebr. Kolb, an inland touring shipping company, is here.
Established at Briedern on the River Mosel (Moselle), between Trier and Koblenz (quite near Cochem, in fact), Gebr. Kolb is a firm with a history.

Peter Kolb, son of a local ferryman, wanted to exploit a ferry service on that river starting 1921.  In those days the Mosel could be crossed on foot during the hot summer months so acquiring a harbour boat was not a good idea (it was sold) but a small motor launch did the trick.  Cochem, Beilstein and Briedern were linked.  1924 and 1937 saw the acquisition of supplementary vessels, the most recent one (depth only 50 cm) serving as a holiday outing boat for “Kraft durch Freude” tourists.

The three vessels saw war service in the area, were severely damaged but repaired and used in ferrying bridge building materials in 1945.  As happened in other places in Europe, river transportation also served as temporary replacement for railways.   The French occupation forces impounded one vessel in 1946.  From 1950 on, Peter Kolb and his son Karl Michael tried to relaunch their firm.

When the Mosel was canalized between 1958 and 1964, the Kolb vessels were active as tugs; tourist boats had to be chartered but in the ‘sixties, two of these were built especially.   The Kolb family grew, more ships were built and finally, in 1979, Karl Michael (died 1996) withdrew in favour of his children i.e. six sons and three daughters.  There was geographical expansion as well: an additional ship was bought in order to provide waterborne visits in and around Trier.

In 1999, the Cochem-based tourist vessel operator Rodulf Botsch GmbH was bought up. Nowadays the fleet counts sixteen vessels and a car ferry (chartered out).  According to the website, this makes Gebr. Kolb the largest private business of its kind in Germany.

It is not impossible to make out the house flag on some of the photos (‘Galerie’) but the best image is the drawing seen right away when accessing the website.  Divided per saltire green (hoist, fly) and white (top, bottom), a black foul anchor is in the centre of the flag; little white disks bearing a black initial ‘K’ are placed on the green triangles.
Jan Mertens, 14 May 2006

Kölner Reederei

Kölner Reederei GmbH
The company was located in Hamburg. It is a white flag divided by a blue saltire, which is superimposed by the coat of arms of the city of Köln in the centre.
Source:  “Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen”; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.25
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 Mar 2009

Kompass Reederei

Kompass Reederei G.m.b.H., Hamburg - white flag, a half blue circle, a compassrose, containing a blue 8-pointed star.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 6 Oct 2005

Komrowski Shipping

Here is the website of Komrowski Shipping - houseflag: diagonally divided, top and bottom blue, hoist and fly red; in the center a white diamond.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

Gerd Koppelmann

Gerd Koppelmann, Wedel - blue flag, white three-masted sailing ship surmounted by white "GK", within red frame, within white frame.
(Wedel is a western suburb of Hamburg)
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 12 Oct 2005

Robert Köppen

Here's another flag that is totally clear in all its details, but not so in what concerns its caption. The flag is quite basic: white with black seriffed initials "R.K." along
the center. The caption seems to me to read something close to Rob Koppen, but I'm not sure of either word, despite the initials being quite obvious.
Jorge Candeias, 3 Dec 2004

It's 'Robert Köppen, Stettin' under No. 610 of the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels.
Jan Mertens, 3 Dec 2004

G. Krabbenhöft, Hamburg

Following the link found by Joe Mc Millan - The Mystic Seaport Foundation, we can reach the 1911 Lloyd's flagbook, whose full title is (after the scan of the cover): 'Lloyd's book of house flags and funnels of the principal steamship lines of the world and the house flags of various lines of sailing vessels', published at Lloyd's Royal Exchange. London. E.C.
On p. 134, we have: #2046. G. Krassenhoft, Hamburg. The flag is white with a blue saltire, charged in the middle with a red K in a blue ring.
Ivan Sache, 1 Feb 2004

The correct name is Krabbenhöft, formerly Krabbenhöft und Bock. I saw a flag-image like depicted on FOTW in: MEYER: "Hamburgs Segelschiffe 1795-1945".
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Mar 2007

Carl Chr. Dietrich Krabbenhöft was confidential clerk in the company of Hans Heinrich Schmidt  and started an independent enterprise in 1910. Captain Bock became his partner in 1914 and since then the company had the above name. In 1926 the shipping company was given up but the company continued as ship supplier til the end of WWII.
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; p.209ff.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Mar 2007

Krey Schiffahrts GmbH

Here is the website of Krey Schiffahrts GmbH - houseflag: horizontal black - red - blue with a white (what?) charged with black KS.
The Krey Schiffahrts GmbH, was founded by Mr. Georg Krey in the beginning of 1990 in Leer / Ostfriesland, The Company is presently managing a total number of 11 seagoing vessels in the worldwide trade with a number of 12 employees. The fleet does consist of Bulker Units between 3.000 and 12.000 tdw (geared and gearless), Containervessels up to 510 TEU, Tweendecker and Heavy Lift vessels with up to 2 x 120 to gear.

Recently last year, Krey Schiffahrts GmbH separated from Phoenix Reederei GmbH, a company which was partly owned by Mr. Krey. Krey Schiffahrts GmbH is now situated in a separate office also located in Leer, Germany. Krey Schiffahrts GmbH and Phoenix Reederei GmbH have managed in the past a number of 40 vessels in total with a number of around 40 employees.

The last 15 years, Krey Schiffahrts GmbH has projected, contracted and built a number of about 40 newbuildings at Shipyards in Turkey, China, Spain, Slovakia, Poland and the Netherlands. Further Newbuildings (12.000 tdw MPC Vessels) are contracted with deliveries starting in 2006.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

Krieger-Gruppe

Despite its name, Heinrich Krieger KG in Neckarsteinach is peacefully occupied.  According to the company website Krieger is 110 years old and successfully concentrates on the production of raw materials for construction such as sand and gravel, concrete, flags (meaning stones…), garden statues etc. In order to secure a steady supply of raw materials, the firm has had an inland fleet of its own since 1891 and has established warehouses alongside the Rhein and Neckar rivers.

The house flag appears on – and disappears from – the home site but I have managed to capture and enlarge its little brother: Divided per saltire blue (upper and lower triangles) and yellow (left and right triangles), there is a small white disk in the centre bearing a blue initial ‘K’. See the flag in action on a barge, here.
Jan Mertens, 20 Mar 2006

The company site does not do the flag justice. The photos I saw then were simply not detailed enough.
See this forum page for the real item (neat barges, good flag usage). As you can see, the white disk has a black border and the initial ‘K’ is black, not blue.
On the same forum, “Helmut” says (28 Jun 2008) that four ships are now operated by ‘Georg Krieger’ (independent) but continue to fly the house flag.
Note: 'Friedrich Krieger' flies a completely different house flag.
Jan Mertens, 24 Aug 2008

Reederei Kapt.Heinr. Krohn

Reederei Kapt.Heinr. Krohn GmbH
The company was located in Lübeck-Travemünde. It is a yellow over white over yellow horizontal triband with ratio 1:2:1. In the white stripe is a yellow 6-point star shifted to the hoist.
Source:  “Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen”; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.33
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 Mar 2009

Kroll-Schiffahrt

A German company based at Seevetal-Maschen (south of Hamburg), Kroll-Schiffahrt GmbH is active in inland shipping transporting packaged goods, raw materials, and heavy objects. Company website, showing the house flag.
As the site tells us, Mr Günther Kroll bought his first barge in 1961. A family business, ‘Günther Kroll & Co.’ received its current name and form in 1979. Günther retired in 1994 and Horst, Barbara and Jan-Markus Kroll now manage the firm.
The house flag, a drawing of which is found here, is horizontally divided yellow-blue-yellow and has a blue-rimmed yellow disk in the centre bearing a blue initial ‘K’. The disk slightly extends over the blue stripe.
On his site, Holger Buhr shows the flag in action on a number of photos made by him, including one of the flagpole or beam pulled down with the flag still on it.   Bargemen are nothing if not efficient!
Jan Mertens, 29 Mar 2006

Kroll-Schiffahrt GmbH
Brief history: The company was established as Günther Kroll & Co and is located in Seevetal-Maschen just south of Hamburg, a little borough with a big railway cargo station. On 13 January 1961 Kroll owned his first ship, the MS HORST, having 400 tons. In 1974 Horst Kroll became co-owner. In 1979 the company was renamed Kroll-Schiffahrt GmbH. In 1994 Günther Kroll left the company, which is since then lead by Horst and Barbara Kroll. In 2002 Jan-Markus Kroll joined the company. The main business is inland shipping, especially the transport of building material. The company today has a fleet of seven ships.
Source: Klaus-Peter Bühne; translated and trimmed by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 24 Apr 2009

Hans Krüger

Hans Krüger Gmbh
The company was located in Hamburg. It is a dark blue over white over dark blue horizontal triband with dark blue capitals „HK“ in the middle of the white stripe.
Source:  “Deutsche Reedereien und ihre Erkennungszeichen”; 2nd ed.; Hamburg; 1956; p.25
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 30 Mar 2009

Julius Krümling

Julius Krümling
The company was located in Hamburg and had inland shipping lines to major German inland shipping ports. The flag was divided by a white saltire into red (hoist and fly) and black (top and bottom).
Source: Carsten PRANGE: “Auf zur Reise durch Hamburgs Geschichte – A Journey through Hamburg’s history“, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-920384-35-0; p. 232.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Apr 2009

Krupp, Essen

F. Krupp, Essen, triband RWR, proportioned c. 1:5:1; on white three intertwined black circles. This is of course the big steel firm.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 21 Jan 2005

Krupp earlier flag

There is an even earlier version in Griffin’s ‘Flags national and mercantile’ of 1891 [gfi83].
With my thanks to Ian and Marcus, see no. 543 on p. 21: divided per saltire, black (upper and lower parts) and white (left and right), a small red oval in the centre bearing white initials ‘FK’ standing for Fried[rich] Krupp, Essen.
This older – or oldest – version uses the German national colours of that period and shows a certain relationship to its successor (see António’s message ‘Houseflags in 12 postcards (12th part)’ of 18 Feb 2007).
Jan Mertens, 1 Apr 2008

Krupp earliest flag

Image after ‘Houseflags in 12 postcards (12th part)’.
António Martins, 18 Feb 2007

...Meaning the saltire flag, already present in the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels: No. 370 (three circles on funnel) 'Krupp'sche Spedition und Rheder(e) i, Rotterdam (Fried. Krupp A.G., Essen, Ruhr)' i.e. 'Krupp's Forwarding and Shipping [Company]...' where the Dutch connection implies traffic on the Rhine.
So: flag divided per saltire recorded in 1891, saltire proper in 1912 - dates of adoption not known yet.
Jan Mertens, 2 Apr 2008

W. Kunstmann

W. Kunstmann, located in Stettin.
It is a blue flag with a white rhomb in its centre, containing a red capital “K”.
Source: [llo12] p.113, image no.1603
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 16 Sep 2008

Küstentransport und Bergungs AG

Küstentransport und Bergungs AG - The company was established in 1922 from the Jungclaus & Bonnes KG. It was dissolved in 1927.
The company used a green flag with a white 6-point star in its centre. In the centre of the star was an black inscription "K&B" over "A-G".
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999;  p.240-241.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 Mar 2007