^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

House Flags of German Shipping Companies (j)

Other "J" companies:

See also:

Josef Jaegers

image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 Sep 2007

Found on p. 55 of ‘Flaggen auf dem Rhein’ (i.e. Flags on the Rhine, Duisburg 1952, 4th ed.), a former Josef Jaegers, Aschaffenburg house flag with company seat identified as Aschaffenburg which is a town on the River Main, to the East of Frankfurt/Main.
The current house flag is described as having “a blue field with three white wavy lines, lowered to fit in a white lozenge bearing a blue stylized initial ‘J’ (…) the lozenge is surrounded by red-white-green lines (starting with red from the inside), not counting the white fimbriation separating them from the blue field”.
The only difference with the attached flag image is the presence of two initials ‘J’ – the left one higher than the other – no doubt evoking the founder's name.
As explained on the Jaegers ‘History’ page, the firm was indeed founded in 1919 by Josef Jaegers being at first a general cargo operation, then - from 1963 on - a tanker company. By 1970 Jaegers had become an “associate” of Stinnes. This information seems to indicate that the double J must have disappeared in 1970 at the latest.
Jan Mertens, 5 Sep 2007

Reederei Jaegers

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Sep 2006

Here is the flag of the important Jaegers Group of companies with Reederei (shipping company) Jaegers GmbH at Duisburg as the core firm. The recently renewed homepage, English version, says it all in one sentence (slightly edited): “Your partner on Europe’s waterways from the North Sea to the Black Sea for transports of mineral oil, chemical products, liquid gas and products at a permanent temperature”.
In order to keep track of the group’s ramifications (not all firms are German) it is better, I feel, to organize my comments around the various countries instead of sending a sprawling message. As stated on the site, the combined fleet counts at least 180 vessels representing 270.000 metric tonnes’ capacity.

Jaegers’s history is found on this page (a few highlights follow): Founded by Josef Jaegers at Frankfurt in 1919, starting out as a traditional shipper; 1958-1963 conversion of the fleet into tankers; from 1970 onwards owned by Stinnes but returned to family control in 1995, taking over the Stinnes tankers into the bargain; take control of SRN-Alpina and Beckmann fleets in 2000; Chemgas bought from Vopak in 2003 leading not only to control of CFT-Gaz (French) but also to ocean-going shipping. Jaegers is now inland tanker #1 in Europe.

Shown all over the site – as a drawing, and on photos – is the characteristic house flag: a blue field with three white wavy lines, lowered to fit in a white lozenge bearing a blue stylized initial ‘J’. Interestingly, the lozenge is surrounded by red-white-green lines (starting with red from the inside), not counting the white fimbriation separating them from the blue field.

Alas, the company did not reply to my request for information so I venture a wild guess: the red-white-green represents North Rhine-Westphalia.
Jan Mertens, 13 Dec 2006

Jaluit Gesellschaft

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

Jaluit-Gesellschaft - The company used a red flag with white serifed dotted capital letters "J.G:" in the centre.
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; cover inside.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Mar 2007

The Jaluit-Gesellschaft (=company) was founded on 21 December 1887, located in Hamburg.
The company aimed to become the main trading company (=Hauptfaktorei) of the archipelago of Jaluit in the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific which was led previously by the Deutsche Handels-und Plantagengesellschaft (German Trading and Plantation Company) and by Robertson & Hersheim (Hamburg). The company also organized the shipping and trading to the Gilbert-Islands and the Caroline Islands. The basic capital in the beginning was 125,000 Marks. The company spent the costs of administration and therefore gained the right to possess lands without owners to exploit Guano banks and to fish pearls. The administration was led by an imperial Captain of Land (germ.: Landeshauptmann) and German civil servants. In 1892 the company bought also the US-factories in the protectorate. In 1900 the company paid its shareholders a bonus on shares of 12% and earned 151,955 Mark i.e. more than the basic capital.
Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaluit_Gesellschaft.
.
There is a contradiction between the source above and the article on FOTW website. The white flag is said to have been used since 1885. According to wikipedia however the company was established in the end of 1887. I presume the white flag was hoisted for administrative purposes in the archipelago and the red flag was used on the companies ships.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Mar 2007

Jantzen & Thormählen

image by Jorge Candeias, 2 Jan. 2005

The flag is white with a red border all around and black initials in the white part. This time, the initials are quite large, occupying practically all the available space, and are "J&T", with the & smaller than the two main letters..
Jorge Candeias, 2 Jan. 2005

Following the example set by Woermann, their former employees Jantzen and Thormählen became business partners active in Cameroon (firm founded 1875); the combined influence – commercial but inevitably also political - of these firms was so important that Germany was moved to found a colony there.
Sources: This website and this one.
Jan Mertens, 20 Apr 2007

Jess - Poll

image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2005

Reederei Walter Jess (Jess - Poll), Rendsburg - blue flag, white diamond, red "J-P".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2005

J. Johannsen

image by Jarig Bakker, 29 Aug 2005

J. Johannsen, Lübeck - flag red over white with countercharged triangles over all.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 29 Aug 2005

J. Johanssen & Sohn (i.e. Son) is one more German towage firm presented on this Seatowage page, about halfway down: We see a striking house flag, horizontally divided red above white with a large diamond, touching all edges, counterchanged – so the upper stripe contains a white triangle based on its lower edge and the lower stripe, its red mirror.
The following may serve as a presentation of this venerable firm.
Direct link to photo showing tug ‘Claus’ flying that flag (just visible, to the right of the national flag) and – for good measure – showing it on the funnel as well.
Company website, in German (English version not yet available): briefly presenting Johanssen’s activities: mooring, towing, and related services such as
transporting material and personnel to offshore establishments. The ‘Flotte’ (i.e. fleet) section offers detailed information on the three tugs operated at present (North Sea, Baltic).
History highlights gratefully lifted from the ‘Historie’ (i.e. history) section: Founded by Cpt Joachim Johanssen and son Eduard at Lübeck in 1896, operating harbour barges and tugs. On the death of Joachim (1926), youngest son Otto inherits the firm. In 1936 Johanssen operates 7 tugs and 60 barges. After WWII steamers are replaced by motorized vessels.
1961: Otto’s daughter Jutta leads the firm after his death – introducing towage on the high seas in 1969 - inheriting from her mother in 1971. On Jutta’s death in 1973, her nephew Claus Schäfer takes over business. Continuing modernization of fleet, starting offshore deliveries in 1986 and introducing a maritime oilfield tanker one year later. Fifth generation – Michael Schäfer - at the helm since 2007.
Jan Mertens, 6 Aug 2008

Frachtcontor Junge

image by Jorge Candeias, 2 Feb 1999

Frachtcontor Junge & Co. - A red flag, on its centre a small white lozenge bearing two black crossed mining (?) tools.
Santiago Dotor, 10 May 2005

Jüngerhans

image by Jarig Bakker, 13 Nov 2003

Here is the website of Reederei Jüngerhans with flag: white with blue border outlined white; in center white diamond outlined blue charged with blue J.
Dov Gutterman, 2 Nov 2003

Klaus Jürgens

image by Jarig Bakker, 12 Oct 2005

Klaus Jürgens, Glückstadt - white flag, red saltire; in center blue diamond, white "KJ".
(Glückstadt is northwest of Hamburg in Schleswig-Holstein)
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 12 Oct 2005