Figure 1.--Here we see the boys on a boat in Hamburg harbor. They are having morning coffee ob the ship "Hein Gohnwind". I'm also not sure, however, just what they were doing on the boat. The caption on the photograph here read, "Der Morgenkaffee auf der 'Hein Gohnwind' wird ausgeteilt". That meant, "The morning coffee on the 'Hein Gohnwind' is being served".

Hamburg is Germany's most important seaport. Vast quantities of goods are imported and exported through Hamburg. Most Germans who emigrated to America did so from Hamburg. Its location in northwestern Germany made it a prime target of the Allied strategic bombing cmpaign in World War II. There are many photographs from Hamburg and perhaps other sea ports. Our HJ boy seems particularly interested in ships. We see both photographs of ships as well as the boys on some of the ships. I'm not sure what else the boys might have done in Hamburg, but all the photographs are centered on the port. We wonder if he might have got involved in the HJ Marine Division, but we don't see any sailor suit uniforms. We don't see the boys involved in German naval ships. Rather they seem to be on excursion ships or at least ships carrying excursion passageners. Perhaps they were just having a look at the port or they may be taking an excursion to some coastal site near Hamburg. Its not clear from the photographs.

Hamburg

Hamburg is one of the world's great ports. It is Germany's most important seaport. Vast quantities of goods are imported and exported through Hamburg. Most Germans who emigrated to America did so from Hamburg. It was also the location of some of Germany's most important shipyards. It was a target for the Allied strategic bombing campaign in World War II. Its location in northwestern Germany made it a target that could be hit without heavy losses before the Allies had gained air superiority over Germany. RAF and 8th Air Frce raids in 1943 destroyed large areas of the city.

Port Tour

While in Hamburg the boys had some time before beginning their excursion. Thee boys took a port tour--Hafenrundfahrt. Note that they brought along their HJ banner. It looks to be exiting tour in a small boat. There are ships of all descriptions moving about, including a nearby tug boat. The huge cranes for unloading cargo cn be seen in the background. It looks to have been quite an experience for boys who had never neen to the coast before.

Ships

The HJ boy who compiled the album took many photographs in Hamburg and perhaps. Our HJ boy seems particularly interested in ships. We see both photographs of ships as well as the boys on one of the ships for a trip to the Baltic. This seems to be the first time the boys had been to a port and seen large ships. One of the ships being built at Hamburg was the battleship Bismarck. The keel of the Bismarck was laid at the Blohm & Voss Shipyard facilities in Hamburg on Slipway 9. (1936). This is not noted in the album. Perhaps access was resricted. Rather we see a KDF pleasure vessel, perhaps named Olivia.

Excursions

I'm not sure what else the boys might have done in Hamburg, but all the photographs are centered on the port. We wonder if he might have got involved in the HJ Marine Division, but we don't see any sailor suit uniforms. We don't see the boys involved in German naval ships. Rather they seem to be on excursion ships or at least ships carrying excursion passageners. Perhaps they were just having a look at the port or they may be taking an excursion to some coastal site near Hamburg. Its not clear from the photographs. As they are shown having coffee in the morning on the Hein Gohnwindand eating meals on the ship what ever excursion they took must have taken some time. I do not know if the Hamburg photographs were mostly taken on or from this specidic ship. I wonder if they may have taken a trip through the Kiel Canal into the Baltic. There were more limited places to go along the North Sea coast.