(C) Mourning the Ancient

*See below!

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[Below: Inside. Event schedule and menu. 'Norwegenfahrten' (Norwegian Trips).]

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[Below: 1939 event schedule and menu.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu. 'Norwegenfahrten' (Norwegian Trips) and 'Willkommen An Board!' (Welcome Aboard!).]

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[Below: July 1938 event schedule and menu from the 'Sierra Cordoba'.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu. 'Norwegenfahrten' (Norwegian Trips) and 'Willkommen An Board!' (Welcome Aboard!).]

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[Below: This is for the 'Berlin' ship on a KDF cruise to Norway. Click to see the inside of the booklet.]

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[Below: This is for the 'Der Deutsche' ship on a KDF cruise to Norway, on January 19, 1938. Click to see the inside of the booklet.]

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[Below: This is for the 'Der Deutsche' ship on a KDF cruise to Norway, on March 11, 1938. Click to see the inside of the booklet.]

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[Below: This is for the 'Europa' ship from August 1, 1938. Click to see the inside of the booklet.]

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[Below: This is for the 'Monte Olivia' ship on a KDF cruise, on July 20 - July 26, 1937. Click to see the inside of the booklet.]

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[Below: This is a menu from the 'Monte Rosa' ship on a KDF cruise on September 25, 1936.]

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[Below: This is a menu from the 'Monte Rosa' ship on a KDF cruise on September 26, 1936.]

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[Below: This is the menu from the next day on the 'Monte Rosa' ship on a KDF cruise on September 27, 1936 .]

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[Below: This is the menu from the next day on the 'Monte Rosa' ship on a KDF cruise on September 28, 1936 .]

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[Below: This is a menu from the 'Monte Olivia' ship on a KDF cruise on July 25-26, 1935.]

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[Below: This is a postcard menu from the 'Monte Olivia' ship on a KDF cruise on June 4, 1934. Click to see reverse.]

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[Below: This is a postcard menu from the 'Monte Olivia' ship on a KDF cruise on June 9, 1934, a few days after the one above. Click to see reverse.]

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[Below: 1939 event schedule and menu for 'Der Deutsche'. The 'Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen' was a German shipping company founded in Bremen.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu. It says:

'Denkt an das
Kostümfest!
Helft alle mit,
daß es ganz,
ganz lustig wird!
Dazu gehört auch,
daß JEDER
im Kostüm erscheint!
Also an die Arbeit!'

(Think of the
costume party!
Help everyone,
so that it is very
fun for all!
This includes,
that EVERYONE
comes in costume!
So get to work!).]

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[Below: 1939 event schedule and menu from the 'Stuttgart'.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu.]

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[Below: April 1939 event schedule and menu for the luxury liner 'Robert Ley'.]

[Below: Inside. April 1939 event schedule and menu for the luxury liner 'Robert Ley'.]

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[Below: 1939 event schedule and menu.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu.]

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[Below: 1939 event schedule and menu.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 event schedule and menu.]

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[Below: 1939 menu.]

[Below: Inside. 1939 menu.]

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[Below: This is a KdF music schedule, it says 'Das Orchestra Littoria-Rom Spielt für unsere verwundeten Kamerad' (The Orchestra Littoria-Rome play for our wounded comrades).]

[Below: KdF music schedule - inside.]

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[Below: 1938 event schedule, currency exchange rates and menu.]

[Below: Page two - 1938 event schedule, currency exchange rates and menu.]

[Below: Page three - 1938 event schedule, currency exchange rates and menu.]

[Below: Page four - 1938 event schedule, currency exchange rates and menu.]

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[Below: A menu from a 1934 'Dresden' KdF cruise.]

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[Below: This is a theater sheet that says:

'Wehrmacht
Bühne
Der NS-Gemeinschaft
Kraft
Durch
Freude
Im Auftrage des
Oberkommando
Der Wehrmacht'

(Wehrmacht
stage
The NS community Strength
Through
Joy
On behalf of the
High Command
The Wehrmacht).]

[Below: Inside.]

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[Below: This is an April 1939 sixteen page booklet from Strength Through Joy. It says:

'Nationalsozialistische Gemeinschaft
"Kraft durch Freude"
Kulturgemeinde Kassel.'

(National Socialist Community
"Strength Through Joy"
Cultural community Kassel).

Click to see inside.]

[Below: First page within.]

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[Below: This is a February 1939 vacation booklet from the Strength Through Joy Hamburg district. It was a ten day trip through cities, towns and natural sights. It says:

'Merkblatt
Urlaubsreife
In das Riesen gebirge.'

(Information sheet
Vacation readiness
into the Giant Mountains).

Click to see inside.]

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[Below: This is a February 1936 vacation registration form from the Strength Through Joy Hamburg district.]

[Below: Reverse. It begins to say:

'Wichtigste Teilnehmer-Bedingungen:

Teilnahmeberechtigt an den KDF=Urlaubsfahrten ist jeder minderbemittelte Volksgenoffe, der sich eine Urlaubsfahrt zum normalen Preise nicht leisten kann. Voraussetzung ist ferner die Mitgliedschaft bei der Deutschen Arbeitsfront oder einem ihr angegliederten Verband.'

(Most important participant conditions:

Any underprivileged citizen who cannot afford a holiday trip at normal prices is eligible to take part in the KDF holiday trips. A further requirement is membership in the German Labor Front or an affiliated association.)]

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[Below: This is a June 20, 1938 booklet from a Strength Through Joy hiking trip.]

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[Below: This is a train schedule for a May 1936 Strength Through Joy cruise.]

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[Below: Strength Through Joy booklet containing various maps. Front/reverse. On the left it says:

'Freüde dürch Reisen
Reisen dürch Sparen'

(Joy through travel
Travel through saving)]

On the right it says:

'Kraft durch Freude
Amt für Reisen, Wandern und Urlaub'

(Strength through Joy
Office for Travel, Hiking and Vacation)

[Below: Pages within.]

[Below: Map... wow, look at how condensed it is. Pretty much every map looks this way. The need for living space was very real.]

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[Below: 1936 Strength Through Joy postcard.]

[Below: Reverse. 1936 Strength Through Joy postcard showing the menu from the cruise ship 'Monte Olivia'.]

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[Below: 1934 Strength Through Joy postcard showing the menu from the cruise ship 'Monte Olivia'.]

[Below: Reverse.]

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[Below: Strength Through Joy postcards showing menus from the cruise ship 'Monte Olivia'.]

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[Below: 1935 Strength Through Joy postcard showing the menu from the cruise ship 'Monte Sarmiento'.]

[Below: Reverse. 1935 Strength Through Joy postcard.]

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[Below: Strength Through Joy ticket book.]

[Below: Close-up. Strength Through Joy ticket book.]

[Below: Reverse. Strength Through Joy ticket book.]

[Below: Inside. Strength Through Joy ticket book.]

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[Below: Privately printed Strength Through Joy postcard advertising a 1937 stamp show celebrating the 700th anniversary of the town of Gera, sponsored by the KdF organization.]

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[Below: This Strength Through Joy postcard says: 'Das KDF.=Flaggschiff "Robert Ley" an der Mole von Lissabon' (The KDF.=Flagship "Robert Ley" at the pier of Lisbon). There are beautiful videos of this trip from Portugal, many of the people are holding little National Socialist flags and cheering at the pier. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up of cancel.]

[Below: Unused version of postcard above. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: WHW (Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes, or Winter Relief of the German People) postcard that has been overprinted (upper left hand corner) by the KdF (Strength Through Joy) organization. It's canceled on May 21, 1939. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up of cancel.]

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[Below: Another postcard in the set (above) of WHW (Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes, or Winter Relief of the German People), but without the overprint. This postcard has a lot going on! It's canceled on December 28, 1938 and was sent Registered to New Jersey. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. Wow, what a mess.]

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[Below: A rather beautiful WHW/KDF postcard from 1940. This says 'Schaffende Sammeln Schaffende geben' (Creators Collect Creators Give). Click to enlarge.]

[Below: A rather beautiful WHW/KDF postcard from 1940. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Same postcard, different WHW stamp. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: This KdF postcard says:

'Erste Sammlerschau
der KdF. Ortssammlergruppe'

(First collector's show
the KdF. Local collector group).

Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Postcard reverse. It is canceled on October 27, 1940. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Cancel close-up.]

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[Below: These three KdF postcards say:

'7. KWHW-Reichs-Strassensammlung'

(7th KWHW Reich Road Collection).

I'm guessing these are wildflowers that grow beside the road. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. The cancel says 'Schaffende sammeln Schaffende geben' (Creators collect, creators give). Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Postcard #4, 5 and 6. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Here is a used example with a non-KdF cancel/stamp.]

[Below: Close-up.]

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[Below: This is a sheet made for collectors from 1943. At the bottom it says: '3 Jahre Wehmachtbetreuung' (3 years Wehmacht support).]

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[Below: This postcard, from January 9, 1938, celebrates 'Stamp Day', at the top it says: 'Deutsche Sammler Gemeinschaft' (German Collector Community).]

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[Below: This postcard, postmarked on October 27, 1940, is adverising a stamp collectors show, at the top it says: 'Sammlerschau der KdF Ortssammlergruppe' (Collector's show of the KdF local collector group). At the bottom it says: 'Erste Briefmarkenausstellung der Ortssammlergruppe Berlin=Schöneberg in der NS.=Gemeinschaft "Kraft durch Freude" am 26. und 27. October 1940 im alten Schöneberger Rathaus' (First stamp exhibition of the local collector group Berlin=Schöneberg in the NS.=Community "Strength through Joy" on October 26th and 27th, 1940 in the old Schöneberg town hall).]

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[Below: The reverse is blank.]

[Below: Close-up.]

[Below: Same postcard but with additional airmail stamp sent on February 10, 1938.]

[Below: Reverse.]

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[Below: Strength Through Joy sports program tax stamp.]

[Below: Strength Through Joy tax stamp.]

[Below: This is a 'Kraft durch Freude' (Strength through Joy) Hitler Youth savings stamp.]

[Below: These are 'Kraft durch Freude Sparkassen' (Strength Through Joy Savings Banks) stamps. Let me explain the strange little face. Look closely at the face, from the left it says 'DSGV' which stands for 'Deutscher Sparkassen-und Giroverband' (German Savings Banks Association). Note that most of these stamps shown here have the little face.]

[Below: These are 'Kraft durch Freude Sparkassen' (Strength Through Joy Savings Banks) stamps, in a block of four.]

[Below: This 'Hörermarke' is another Strength Through Joy stamp, although I'm unsure what it was for. 'Hörer' means 'listener', perhaps this had something to do with the radio?]

[Below: The is a KDF sports accident insurance.]

[Below: Sheet of Strength Through Joy tax stamps. Herborn is a historic town in Hesse, Germany.]

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[Below: The back of this picture (seen below) has a description that reads:

'Erhaltung und Förderung der Schaffenskraft Das ist eine der wichtigsten Aufgaben, die sich die deutsche Arbeitsfront gestellt hat. Mit Hilfe der für diesen Zweck geschaffenen Einrichtungen wie "Schönheit der Arbeit" und "Kraft durch Freude" haben unzählige Betriebe im ganzen Reich, ganz besonders in den Jahren vor dem Kriege, hierin schon vieles geleistet.

Atlantic, April 22, 1944'

(Preservation and promotion of creative power. This is one of the most important tasks that the German Labor Front has set itself. With the help of the institutions created for this purpose, such as "Beauty of Work" and "Strength through Joy," countless companies throughout the Reich have already achieved a great deal in this regard, especially in the years before the war.

Atlantic, April 22, 1944)

There are a few things of note here. Look at all the natural sunlight, the clean working environment and even the addition of plants. Many American workers, in comparison, literally lived in shanty towns.]

[Below: Photo reverse.]

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[Below: The "Strength Through Joy" flagship "Robert Ley". A beautiful marvel of its time, 25,000 tons. This shows the launching of the "Robert Ley".]

[Below: The "Robert Ley", note the Strength Through Joy sign on the chimney of the ship.]

[Below: The "Strength Through Joy" flagship "Robert Ley".]

[Below: Everything the Allies touched turned to death and ruin. The once beautiful and proud ship after Allied terror bombs. It laid in the docks in Hamburg until 1947, when the British stole her remains from the German people and towed it home to scrap it.]

[Below: Click on the picture below to see more period photographs of the "Robert Ley" ship on its maiden voyage in the North Sea. Photos by Hugo Jaeger. Wow, check out the swastikas near the ceiling... beautiful.]

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xxx

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xxx

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[Below: The KDF sister ship of the Robert Ley -- The Wilhelm Gustloff. It suffered the tragic fate of being sunk by a Soviet submarine at the war's end, losing nearly 10,000 lives. It was loaded with civilians (mostly women, children, and elderly) and the wounded, who were fleeing west in advance of the Soviet murder machine.]

Below is a photo book of the Wilhelm Gustloff...

[Below: Pack of 12 photos like the first twelve in the booklet above. Front.]

[Below: Pack of 12 photos like the first twelve in the booklet above. Reverse.]

[Below: Rare Wilhelm Gustloff menu. Reverse/front.]

[Below: Rare Wilhelm Gustloff menu. Inside.]

[Below: 2020 Wilhelm Gustloff postage stamp from Sierra Leone.]

[Below: 2020 Wilhelm Gustloff postage stamp from Maldives.]

[Below: 2020 Wilhelm Gustloff postage stamp from Madagascar.]

[Below: Wilhelm Gustloff, the man. The KdF cruise ship was named after Swiss/German National Socialist Wilhelm Gustloff, who was murdered by a Jew in 1936.]

[Below: Rare autographed picture of Wilhelm Gustloff. Thanks W.!]

[Below: English newspaper article.]

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[Below: Here is a menu from the Norddeutscher Lloyd "Berlin".]

[Below: Inside menu.]

[Below: Inside menu. The back is blank.]

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[Below: Here is a postcard canceled on June 6, 1938 from the 'Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen "Berlin".]

[Below: Note that this postcard was canceled on June 6, 1938 and honors the Condor Legion who fought in Spain on Franco's side.]

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[Below: Here is a postcard from the 'Norddeutscher Lloyd "Bremen".]

[Below: Here is a postcard canceled on October 1, 1937 from the 'Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen - Vierschrauben-Turbinen-Schnelldampfer "Bremen"' (North German Lloyd Bremen - Four-Screw Turbine Fast Steamer "Bremen").]

[Below: Close-up.]

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[Below: Postcard of the 'Hansa'. This ship was built in 1923 and was sunk by a mine in the Baltic Sea on March 6, 1945. In 1949 the Russians raised it and repaired it, renaming it Sovetsky Sojus.]

[Below: Reverse.]

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[Below: This Strength Through Joy is a large two-sided card. It says: 'Einladung zu einer Urlauberfahrt zu Lande' (Invitation to a holiday trip on land).]

[Below: Close-up.]

[Below: Reverse.]

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[Below: This was sent registered to the Strength Through Joy organization from the Saar on February 14, 1944.]

[Below: Close-up.]

[Below: Reverse shows receiving mark.]

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[Below: This was sent from the Conte Verde of the Lloyd Sabaudo shipping line, in an official envelope, to another ship of the LLoyd Sabaudo Line, c/o Dotti Ricccardo, the radio telegrapher of the S.S. Conte Biancamano, harbored in New York. It was sent registered from Genova, Italy on February 12, 1926, and received in New York on February 24, 1926.

The Conte Verde had a fascinating history marred by tragedy. She was first launched in 1923 at a shipyard in Scotland. The first class accommodations had a capacity of 450 passengers, second class was 200 passengers and third class was 1,780 passengers. Additionally, 400 crew members were on board. The ship had ten decks, designed and furnished in luxurious Italian classical style.

In 1932 she serviced Trieste and Shanghai via Suez, Bombay, Colombo, Singapore and Hong Kong in 24 days. In 1937 her streak of bad luck began. On September 1, 1937 she collided with a Japanese ship during a 'extraordinarily large typhoon' in Hong Kong. She ran aground off the shores of Cape Collinson, a cape in Hong Kong. Her repair took a month and she was back in service.

From 1938-1940 she took Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria to Shanghai, ultimately taking 17,00 Jews. In 1940, at the start of the war, her operation was suspended indefinitely and she was confined to Shanghai. In 1943, after the Italian Armistice, the Conte Verde was scuttled in Shanghai by her Italian crew to prevent the Japanese from capturing her.

The Japanese raised and repaired her in July 1944, but she was then bombed by a B-24 on August 8th of that year. The Japanese would then raise and repair her a second time, renaming her the Kotobuki Maru, converting the ship into a troopship. On July 25, 1945 she was beached by damage from an aircraft raid in Japan, finally being scrapped in 1949.]

[Below: Envelope reverse, showing a number of receiving stamps.]

[Below: Close-up.]

[Below: The Conte Verde in 1923.]

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[Below: This is a booklet called 'Across the Atlantic from the 'Deutschland' ship on November 12, 1931. Click to see inside.]

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[Below: This is a letter, on Hamburg-America Line stationary, from the 'Dampfer Njassa' ship from February 6, 1933. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a menu from the Hamburg-America Line, from the 'Milwaukee' ship from October 8, 1930. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a music program from the Hamburg-America Line, from the 'Hamburg' ship from September 1, 1927. Click to see more.]

[Below: This is a music program from the Hamburg-America Line, from the 'Hamburg' ship from August 29, 1927. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a special New Year's Eve music program from the 'S.S. America' ship from December 31, 1928. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a booklet called 'Across the Atlantic' that honors the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, from the 'New York' ship from June 5, 1930. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a menu from the 'Amerika' ship from January 3, 1906. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a booklet from from the S.S. Amerika, January 5, 1906. This was part of the Hamburg America Line. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a menu from from the S.S. Amerika, January 4, 1906. This was part of the Hamburg America Line.]

[Below: Embossed seal.]

[Below: This is a menu from from the S.S. Amerika, January 7, 1906. This was part of the Hamburg America Line.]

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[Below: This is a schedule called from the United States Lines, from the 'New York' ship from December 1, 1927. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a postcard menu from the 'Monte Pascoal' ship from July 15, 1931. Click to see more.]

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[Below: This is a postcard menu from the 'Monte Pascoal' ship from July 16, 1931. Click to see more.]

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[Below: Menu postcard from a cruise on the 'Monte Pascoal' from July 20, 1931. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: Menu postcard from a cruise on the 'Monte Pascoal' from July 21, 1931. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: Menu from a cruise on the 'General Artigas' from March 18, 1933. Click to enlarge and see reverse.]

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[Below: This is a music program and menu from the S.S. America from July 11, 1929. Click to see more.]

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[Below: 'Monte Olivia' Strength Through Joy cruise to Norway postcard from July 1935. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: 'Oceana' Strength Through Joy cruise menu from March 10, 1938. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: Stationary from the 'George Washington', from the Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen line. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: Stationary from the 'Kronprinzessin Cecilie', from the Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen line, from February 10, 1908. Click to see more.]

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[Below: Postmarked in Bremen, on May 13, 1937, to a steamer ship then re-directed to the S.S. Neptun ship. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: Postmarked in Italy on January 21, 1937 and sent from the S.S. Lloyd Triestino to Hamburg, Germany. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Postmarked on board the S.S. Lloyd Triestino. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Seven page letter on S.S. Lloyd Triestino stationary. Click to read the letter.]

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[Below: Postmarked on a sea voyage on the S.S. Bremen from Bremen to New York on June 23, 1937 and sent to Austria. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Letter on ship stationary within. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse of letter within. Click to enlarge.]

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[Below: This was sent from Munich to New York via the S.S. Bremen and postmarked on July 6, 1934. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Reverse. This was sent from a lawyer. Click to enlarge.]

[Below: Close-up. Click to enlarge.]