Registration Number on German coasters

[Leslie]

I have a number of old coaster photographs taken after World War II which show a number painted under the ship name on the bows of German coasters. What was this numbering system called and what purpose did it serve? Was any number range related to the port of registry and by what year did this practice cease to be a requirement for painting on the hull?

I would be grateful for guidance on understanding more about this practice.


Smooth Seas to all


Leslie

[Tham]

Hello Leslie,
after WWII the Allied Control Council, in German "Alliierter Kontrollrat" ordered the few German ships left to fly the signal flag "C" instead of any national ensign, and under the name a "Kontrollratsnummer" asigned by the Council supposed to be marked, I don't know how long this system was in force and what kind of system was behind. Only that X obviously stood for ships which were intended to be handed over to the Allies. The matter was discussed here partly before: www.forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=50490. If you have pictures of German coasters, here are people who are very interested in those photographs. There is an extra thread about the coasters: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37&start=2130.
rgds
Tham

[Leslie]

Good Evening Tham,

Many thanks for your guidance which is much appreciated. I will certainly try and scan these few old photographs as I believe that such records should not reside in an album or in a box and never see the light of day, but should be shared with those who would enjoy them. I will look for them in the next few days and attempt to put them on!

Apologies for not being able to converse in German!

Every good wish


Leslie

[Peter Hartung]

Hello, Leslie!

Thanks for your interesting inquiry. Let me add the following information/answer to your questions:

Beginning with the 12th of November, 1946 until the 23rd of February 1951, the westgerman trading vessels (in the british-/american post-war-zone) had to fly the flag "Stander C". C means surrender or capitulation. The Allied Powers did not allow to pay any respect to this "flag of shame". After the new westgerman post-war-constitution ("Grundgesetz") came into force in 1949 (Article 22: "The german flag is black-red-golden") finally the german parliament passed their new "flag law" for the commercial fleet in 1951. In addition this was the end of the registration number ("Kontrollratsnummer") and the "Stander C" below the vessels names, one of the first steps in the beginning post-war-sovereignty of West-Germany and their fleet of trading vessels. A similar regulation for the soviet post-war zone ("SBZ", later GDR) is unknown to me. The GDR-Flag in black-red-golden with hammer and dividers had been established in 1958.

Hope this may assist.

Best regards
Peter Hartung