Book Bootsmotorenbau im ostdeutschen binnenland (bis 1945)

BOOTSMOTORENBAU IM OSTDEUTSCHEN BINNENLAND (BIS 1945)

BY WOLFGANG RUDOLPH

The present presentation deviates from the scheme of the two earlier regional contributions on engine construction on the German coasts (Baltic Sea Coast 1996, North Sea Coast 1997). In this third part of the investigation, many personal details and a number of desirable details about the respective productions had to remain open. They could no longer be elucidated: the loss of archive material during and after the Second World War was too great, and many things were also destroyed senselessly during reunification (1990). The main sources were the German Reich address book for industry and commerce, the German Reichsanzeiger, the handbook of German stock corporations, the handbook of limited liability companies (GmbH) and a large number of local address books and official telephone directories - in addition to the advertising pages of the leading ones German trade journals (between 1 895 and 1 945): Werft Reederei Hafen, communications from the German Sea Fishing Association, German fish industry, gas engine technology, the oil engine/the economic engine, the motor car, the yacht, motor ship/motor boat and canoeing. Two standard works on German automotive history proved to be interesting new source material (Seherr-Thoss 1974, Gränz & Kirchberg 1975). In the present study, however, only those manufacturing companies are listed for which - e.g. in the cases of Nacke (Coswig), Hering (Ronneburg), Elite (Brand) or VOMAG (Piauen) and FAMO (Breslau) - in advertisements, internal documents or articles in the trade press expressly referred to the use of the manufactured engines as boat or ship propulsion systems. In principle, many older truck engines and car drives could be converted for installation in ships without any major changes. Basically, the not inconsiderable military-technical part of the engine production during the two world wars remains unconsidered: e.g. at Steudel (Kamenz) to drive engineer pontoons and assault boats, at FAMO during the defense of the Breslau Fortress, but also at Klingebiel (Schwerin), Grade (Magdeburg) , VOMAG (Plauen) and others.