Die Handelsflotten der Welt  
     
  The images from Dr. Erich Gröner's Die Handelsflotten der Welt in this section were kindly made available by Mr. Pietro Berti of Italy  
 
          Die Handelsflotten der Welt (Merchant Fleets of the World) listed details of every merchant vessel known to the Germans.  As in the case of Lloyd's Register, from which the details would appear to have been copied, they were listed in two sections, the first comprising ships of 1,000 tons and upwards, the other smaller for smaller craft.  A special shorthand enabled the observer of a ship to refer to a series of outline drawings in the book showing the appearance of each ship, so that the identification was greatly simplified.  
          Pages 6 and 7 (shown below) provide the key to this shorthand along with examples of how it was used.  It consists of letters and figures denoting the shape of the bow and stern, the number and arrangement of masts, kingposts and funnels and deckhouses.  
          Other sections of the book contain lists of shipowners, with the ships controlled or managed by each, and the names of the principal shipbuilders in each country.  
 

        Before the war Dr. Gröner was well known as the illustrations editor of the German naval annual, Taschenbuch der Kriegsflotten.

  
          After the war he authored and illustrated many books including German Warships 1815-1945 Volumes 1-8 and Ships of the German Navy and Air Force 1815-1945  
          Dr. Gröner passed away in 1965.  
     
     

 

 

 

 
 
 
FOREWARD
        The current edition of the handbook, "Merchant Fleets of the World 1941" is the latest of "Pocketbooks of Merchant Fleets" by Dr. E Gröner (J.F. Lehmans publisher - Munich) and is the second edition.
        "Merchant Fleets of the World 1941" covers:
German ships  up to Autumn 1939 with the latest revisions and updates.
Enemy ships as of 1 October 1939 however ships may have been lost by war or accident, or scrapped.
   
CONTENTS
Comentary -  Illustration
3-9
Abbreviations
10
Part 1 Ships list A:  Ships over 1000 BRT
12-258
Part 2 Ships list B:  Ships from 100-999 BRT
259-390
Part 3 Shipyards
391-397
Part 4 Ship images
399-552
Part 5 Shipping companies
553-698
Updates to ships list A and B will continually made and delivered

 

 

     
     
/ The Formula /
 
  .
        The formula indicates the sequence of the distinctively shaped parts of a ship. The formula suggests where possible, which parts are located in the center of the ship.  
          The formula does not concern the true dimensions of the ship.
.
.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
/
1
b
s
i
1
/
Bow, normal
Mast
Bridge
Stack
Kingpost
Mast
Stern, normal
olny if distinct gap between bridge and stack
free standing or together with ventilator
 
Other bow shapes: Other stern shapes:
Clipper bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ) Cruiser stern all forms
Outward curve, icebreaker bow ( including fery stern. . . . . . . . )
Raked bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
Further Characteristics:
2 . . . Double mast O . . . a disproportionate gap
A . . . Tower or basket mast
s2 . . . Double stack
s´ . . . Stack     | With mast or topmast on it or close nearby, but
b´ . . . Bridge   | no kingpost or the like
Distinctive parts atop suggested superstructures are expressed in bold text
1(. . . /2
A number before the first character or after the last character indicates the appropriate number of screws. 1 screw at the stern only noted as counterpart to the bow with ice-breakers and ferry ships or the like.
Passenger liner - superstructures: large letter S with two, S with large superstructure deck.
 
 

 

 

 Click the icon to view Part 4 Ship images