Last modified: 2008-01-05 by jarig bakker
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The ‘Bundesverband der Deutschen Binnenschiffahrt e. V.’ („Federal Union
of German Inland Navigation“) or BDB, in short – is a non-profit organization
which aims to further the interests of all involved parties: private persons,
firms, authorities of any kind including Land and federal governments,
industry, labour unions, and various bodies such as the Central Commission
for Navigation on the Rhine. Seat: Duisburg, with website.
Should you want to know more about this subject, the site (in German only)
offers a number of reports and papers, gives full details of its structure
and the various technical committees; details the area covered i.e. the
German waterways; shows the differences between sorts of vessels; discusses
loads; offers links to related entities and member firms I’m only too happy
to explore!
In short, BDB wants to defend inland navigation as a serious and competitive
means of transportation.
BDB flags are offered here
(images are clickable). Flag, desk size, 100 x 150 cm, 49.00 €. A
table flag measures 15 x 25 cm and costs 18.00 € (without mast) or 25.50
€ (with mast): a blue flag with stylized blue-white waves in the lower
part which can also be described as white containing three blue waves.
In the upper fly, the BDB logo ‘db’ is placed.
Jan Mertens, 28 May 2006
This is not a firm – rather it is a local German shippers’ (bargemen’s) society: ‘Gemeinschaft Harener Binnenschiffer’ i.e. Society of Haren Shippers. We already know the source, the website dedicated to the inland vessel ‘Aviso II’; Select ‘Schiffstaufe’ (top of page), then have a look at clickable photos, fifth of row 6 and first of row 7 (bottom row) from which this image was taken (stern copyright notices on this website…).
This beautiful but complicated flag is obviously inspired by the Haren/Ems
arms. Blue with a yellow-above-white saltire, its centre bears a brown
steering wheel inside of which said saltire does not appear; rather, three
white sails placed 1 and 2 bearing black initials ‘G’ (top) and ‘H’ plus
‘B’ (bottom) are put in front of three spokes. Three other spokes
appearing between the sails bear a kind of yellow sleeve while the central
knob of the steering wheel is white with the year ‘1979’ (rendered in blue?).
With other local and nautically minded organizations, the GHB promotes
the local shipping
museum (German only), or helps instruct first aid volunteers (page
1 “Seminare
in Haren”, German only), and is otherwise engaged in defending its
members’ rights and interests. It should be said that shipping has
long been – and still is – a traditional pursuit in and around Haren/Ems.
Jan Mertens, 24 Oct 2006
As announced, another interesting flag found on the following photo will be presented: 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, 28 May 2006