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

House Flags of German Shipping Companies (v)

Other "V" companies:

See also:

VBW

image by Eugene Ipavec, 9 Aug 2006

Here is another interesting flag found on the following photo: It is the centre one in the back, immediately behind the improvised altar.
See this page for a bit of inland shipping history and explanation of the flag (in German): Briefly, the entity in question – VBW or ‘Verein für europäische
Binnenschiffahrt und Wasserstrassen’ is a non-profit organization based in Duisburg-Ruhrort. The name means “Organization for European Inland Navigation and Waterways”. Founded in 1977 as the result of a merger between the ‘Zentral-Verein für deutsche Binnenschiffahrt’ (Central Organization for German Inland Navigation), founded in 1869, and the ‘Verein zur Wahrung der Rheinschiffahrtsinteressen’ (Organization for the Defence of Rhine Shipping Interests), founded in 1877 – these, too, being non-profit.

The VBW's aim is the promotion of inland navigation in the widest sense thanks to cooperation of all actors including other means of transport.

The Satzung (call it the Rules) of the VBW is reproduced on above page and some interesting flag details are given, but the main thing of course is § 2 i.e. the VBW’s ‘Vereinsflagge’ or organizational flag (I translate): “rectangular, with a diagonal deep-blue cross (saltire, jm), gold-coloured steering wheel and anchor in the centre plus a gold-coloured motto “In the Name of God” on the remaining white fields”.
The text specifies that the motto is meant to symbolize an age-old shipping tradition observed on the beginning of a journey (such as tolling a bell three times, jm). On the accompanying picture, the words are hardly rendered in gold but the above photo shows them.
§ 5.2 specifies that a meritorious plaque in the form of an oval plaque surrounded by the words „EUROPÄISCHE BINNENSCHIFFFAHRT UND WASSERSTRASSEN“ can be awarded, as decided by a general assembly. § 8 b) 2. mentions the existence of an honorary council, established for purposes of representation and promotion, of which all “bearers of the ‘Vereinsflagge’ are among the members.

See the following history page showing the plaque's precursor (coloured picture at the end), explaining that it was established in 1924 (at that time, centred on Rhenan interests only) as an award and also the house flag; that same year, it was awarded for the first time. (By the way, how many famous companies are represented by the men in the painting: Stinnes, Braunkohle, Rhenania, Haniel, Fendel…). See also here. This picture is clickable – giving all the details – and is presented as a ‘Fahrflagge’ i.e. flag for use on vessels; measures 100 by 150 cm and costs 75.00 €. The table flags are much cheaper, of course: You will no doubt have seen the europeanized VBW logo on that website. Let us hope it will never be put on a flag and replace the venerable ‘Vereinsflagge’ !
Jan Mertens, 7 Apr 2006

Fritz Veentjer

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Sep 2005

Fritz Veentjer, Moormerland - white flag bordered red, blue "V".
(Moormerland is SE of Emden, along the Ems river. "Veen" and "Moor" are peatlands.)
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 7 Sep 2005

"Vega"-Reederei

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Mar 2007

"Vega"-Reederei GmbH - The company used a white flag with narrow horizontal red stripes on both edges and a red capital "V" in the centre of the flag. This flag was used until 1937. The shipping company was located in Hamburg though the main branch was in Vienna. The company was established after WWI by Austrian k.u.k. naval officers. Therefore the white and red colour. The only German was Friedrich Dauber who became chief executive officer of the board. In 1937 the Austrians resigned and the company was continued as "Vega-Reederei Friedrich Dauber". Since then the company used the black over red bicolour with white "V".
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; p.232-233.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Mar 2007

Vega Reederei Friedrich Dauber

image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2006

Vega Reederei Friedrich Dauber, Hamburg - flag horizontal black over red, white "V".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2006

F.A. Vinnen & Co.

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Sep 2005

F.A. Vinnen & Co., Bremen - per saltire white and blue.
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995 [lgr95]
Jarig Bakker, 7 Sep 2005

Vinnen Gebrüder #2

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Mar 2007

Vinnen Gebrüder G.m.b.H.#2 - The company was established in 1913 by Gustav Ulrich Vinnen and Carl Vinnen. The last ship was sold in 1927 and the company ended its shipping business. The company was dissolved in 1952.
This variant shows a blue and white flag divided by saltire; all superimposed by a yellow serifed "V" in the centre of the flag.
Source: Jürgen Meyer: "Hamburger Segelschiffe von 1795-1945"; ISBN 3-89225-400-1; Hamburg 1999; p.214ff..
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Mar 2007

Voge & Dacker

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Feb 2005

Voge & Dacker, Flensburg - blue swallowtail, white cross formy with black inside-contour; black "V&D".
Image after Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 7 Feb 2005

H. Vogemann

image by Santiago Dotor, 11 Nov 2003

Dov Gutterman spotted the link of H. Vogemann, Hamburg - red with white V.
Santiago Dotor, 11 Nov 2003

Vorsetzen

image by Jarig Bakker, 6 Nov 2003

Dov Gutterman reported the link of Bernhard Schulte - with (at the bottom of the page.....) Vorsetzen Bereederungs- und Schiffahrtskontor - flag: green with red disk charged with white capitals VBSK.
Santiago Dotor, 6 Nov 2003

Vorsetzen current flag

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 June 2007

Vorsetzen Bereederungs- und Schiffahrtskontor (VBSK) - The current flag is green (RGB(green) = (0/128/57)) with a white roundel in its centre. In the roundel is the silhouette of a modern ship in the same colour as the basic cloth with capital letters "VBSK" of the same colour below the silhouette. Under the inscription is some kind of parabolic red line. I spotted this flag on 16 March 2007 naturally at Vorsetzen (Hamburg).
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 June 2007

VTG

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 Oct 2007

VTG website: “1994, growing involvement of VTG logistics firm, Hamburg (…) VTG and Lehnkering merge in 1998, forming VTG-Lehkering AG. However on 1 January 2004 there was a demerger, VTG remaining active in rail and mineral oil transport and Lehnkering keeping the other logistic activities one of which is inland shipping.”
“In its current form, the VTG Group originated from VTG Vereinigte Tanklager und Transportmittel GmbH , which was founded as a state-owned enterprise in 1951 and privatized in 1962 in the framework of the sale to Preussag - now the TUI Group. During its 45 years of being part of Preussag and later the TUI Group, the VTG Group concentrated on the Wagon Hire business area, but also operated in inland shipping…” which is what interests us here.
The full name may be translated as ‘United Tank Warehousing and Transportation Co.’- the ships, logically, transporting oil and gas - and the house flag is already present in the 1952 ed. of “Flaggen auf dem Rhein”.

On a blue flag is placed the erstwhile company logo in white: a circle, winged on its right side – rendered as three horizontal stripes, growing smaller while going downwards – contains the initials ‘VTG’ of which the central letter ‘T’ is much larger than the other two. The entire design rather than the circle is centred on the field. There has been a combined VTG-Lehnkering logo.
Jan Mertens, 18 Oct 2007

VTG other flag

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 Oct 2007