Exhibitions
Cuxhaven’s historical passenger-handling facility invites to tours
Follow the path of hundreds of thousands passengers of the shipping company HAPAG (“Hamburg-Amerika-Linie”) from the illustrious dome hall, once the waiting hall for 1st class passengers, to the pier “Steubenhöft”, the so-called “Kai der Tränen” (i.e. “Quay of Tears”).
Leaving for America
The exhibition “Leaving for America” conveys an atmosphere of farewell and departure into an uncertain future. Here, you can relive the stories of emigrants who began their journey in Cuxhaven on the basis of images and documents.
The “Amerikabahnhof” Hapag Hall was constructed between 1900 and 1902, the supplementing shipping pier was extended to today’s “Steubenhöft” between 1911 and 1914, restored in 1953/1954 and provided with the reception building “Steubenhöft”. The facilities served passenger traffic to North America from their commissioning until 1968, while it is used for cruises nowadays.
On 14 March, 1914, the ship VATERLAND (i.e. “homeland”), the largest German-flagged passenger ship ever, departed from the shipping pier “Steubenhöft”, which was put into ser-vice only two months prior, for its maiden voyage towards New York.
100 Years of “Steubenhöft
The exhibition “100 YEARS OF ‘STEUBENHÖFT’” shows the moving history of the pier and the ships which called it their home inside the light-flooded gallery of the reception building “Steubenhöft”.
Towards Canada
However, the gallery inside the building “Steubenhöft” also offers further permanent exhibi-tions: “Towards Canada” deals with more than 50,000 emigrants who moved to the second biggest country worldwide via Cuxhaven after World War II. By the way, an English version of this exhibition is offered inside the German-Canadian Association of Nova Scotia.
Fascination America
“Fascination America” considers the painter George Grosz whose journey through life brought him to Cuxhaven twice: In 1932 due to the departure from “Steubenhöft” en route to the New World and in 1952 as a consequence of his return. Both times, he used Hapag Hall and “Steubenhöft”, the large passenger-handling facility, for the transfers from and towards the USA.
Albert Ballin and Cuxhaven
The exhibition “Albert Ballin and Cuxhaven” is about the general manager of the HAPAG and his actions for Cuxhaven, since it not only owes the expansion to an international port but also the expansion to one of the most important locations for fishery to him.
Location for Cruises – Cuxhaven
“Location for Cruises – Cuxhaven” – Cruises have a deep-seated tradition in Cuxhaven. In 1891, Albert Ballin put into operation a steamer usually serving the liner service towards New York for a journey to the Orient for the first time. It is considered the first luxury cruise in maritime history.
Each of these five exhibitions is located inside the gallery on the 1st floor of the reception building “Steubenhöft”, Albert-Ballin-Platz 1, 27472 Cuxhaven.