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Bodensee (Lake Constance), German Fleet
Deutsche Reichsbahngesellschaft (From 1920)

The various state railways were combined into the Deutsche Reichsbahngesellschaft to provide a single administration for services throughout Germany, but the previous state-based regional administrations continued. It was not until later in the 1920s that the company was in a position to begin the renewal of its ageing steamer fleet. With the exception of PS Stadt Uberlingen (of 1929), this was achieved with the introduction of large motor vessels and the use of the recently developed Voith-Schneider propeller system. Ten steamers were withdrawn in the period leading up to the Second World War with nine remaining at the beginning of hostilities, four of which survived well into the post-war era, being withdrawn between 1958 and 1962 and replaced.  

Above : Paddle Steamer Stadt Meersburg, seen at Meersburg in 1952. Photo by Ian Stewart 

PADDLE STEAMERS INHERITED FROM THE STATE RAILWAY COMPANIES

Wurttemberg

König Karl (1890-1933)
Königin Charlotte (1892-1943)
König Wilhelm (1901-1938)
Württemberg (1903-1945)
Friedrichshafen (1909-1945)
Hohentwiel (1913-1962)

Baden

Mainau (1858-1928)
Baden (1871-1934)
Greif (1877-1933)
Zahringen (1888-1960)
Uberlingen (1895-1928)
Stadt Konstanz (1901-1937)
Stadt Meersburg (1902-1960)

Bavaria

Kempten (1869-1931)
Augsburg (1879-1931)
Nurnberg (1890-1937)
Munchen (1892-1958)
Lindau (1905-1959, Hoyerberg from 1945)
Bavaria (1912-1949)



NEW BUILD

Stadt Uberlingen (1929-1963)


Above; Stadt Uberlingen, of 1929, the last paddle steamer for lake Constance (Bodensee) and the only paddle steamer ordered by the combined German Railways (Deutsche Reichsbahn).
It was also the last paddle steamer ordered for alpine or pre-alpine lakes.
Source : BSB Archiv / Wikicommons : Published under CC https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Ordered : 1927
Built by : Christof Ruthof at Mainz-Kastel, Germany
Length : 60.5 m
Engines :  1180 HP, 868 Kw
In service : 21st September 1929

Based at Konstanz, harbour conditions favoured paddle propulsion although the operators were embarking on a renewal programme involving motor ships
Poor fuel economy meant that her use beyond the main summer season was restricted
However, oil shortages during World War II meant that Stadt Uberlingen was in continuous service whilst the motor ships were often laid up
Withdrawn in 1963 after consideration of re-engining with a diesel-electric unit was rejected
Scrapped during 1965

 LARGE MOTOR VESSELS OF THE 1930s
Allgau (1929-1999, scrapped in 2002)
Augsburg (1931-1968)
Ravensburg (1931-1967)
Kempten  (1931-1988, scrapped in 2001)
Deutschland (1935-2005, later renamed Rhin-et-Danube, Lindau, Deutschland and finally Uberlingen, scrapped in 2006)

Remaining in service

Baden (1935)
Schwaben (1937)
Karlsruhe (1937)




Above : MV Baden of 1935, the oldest of three surviving motor ships of the German BSB fleet, seen in July 2022 in a photo by Gordon Stewart

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Lake Constance Historical - German Fleet