S - H. Vogemann

We made several voyages under the flag of Panama with the
result that our ships could sail, whereas others had already been laid up. The
captain and crews were then extremely grateful that they had employment,
albeit at a lower wage, while their colleagues were unemployed. However, in
the year 1932, availability of cargoes became so low and freighting so bad
that we were also obliged to lay up the “Vogtland” in spite of her being under
the flag of Panama. As her class had expired and we decided to avoid the
high classification costs in view of the poor market situation, we then sold
the ship to be dismantled for the price of M 50,000, as far as I can remember.
However, the National Socialist government had as little sympathy for the
change of flags as the previous government, they passed a law that only those
ship-owners who did not have any ships sailing under a foreign flag should
Vogemann ships under the flag of Panama
The changing flagging practices by the Vogemann shipping company in 1931
caused considerable indignation in the German workers movement. On 16th
February 1931, the newspaper “Welt am Montag” published a satirical poem by
the writer Erich Mühsam in reference to this and which loosely translates as:
For Vogemann’s, national honour stands well
to the fore,
And they consider anyone who goes against it
to be a swine.
Their black-and-red steel-helmeted
fighting spirit ever glows
For their German Fatherland threatened by
treason.
The company shows it to the Republic
And with Die! and Hurrah!
Vogemann waves the Panama
With Fridericus brass music
Down with the jack! - Oh dear!
Vogemann splits its sides with laughter,
And the Panamanian flag
Cheerfully flutters from the “Vogtland” mast.
Vogemann’s has a positive attitude to govern- The crew goes hungry, the company saves,
ment as long as it is of use to them.
Full speed ahead for business!
Otherwise the shipping company shouts: Off to sea for the Fatherland,
Sucks Boo to Panama! Treason!
For which Fatherland? How apt! …
Should Vogemann’s pay high taxes from the That is Germany’s heather
profit? No way!
(There are a lot of Vogemann’s there!)
Should they not care about social obliga- Black-white-reddish in nature
tions when hiring sailors?
And in the ledger – Panama!
Chapter 1 – History of the H. Vogemann Company 1886 – 1946 35
Black day on Wall Street:
The historic stock market crash
heralds the Great Depression.
Erich Mühsam