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Red Star Line
 
 
This is the first of two pages devoted to postcards and photographs of the Red Star Line. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order. A selection of Red Star Advertising Postcards & Red Star Menu Cards of is also available.
 
International Navigation Company (INCo), was founded in Philadelphia in 1871. In 1872, a Belgian subsidiary named Societe Anonyme de Navigation Belge-Americaine was formed at Antwerp. They initiated a weekly service in 1873 between Philadelphia and Antwerp, which was marketed as the Red Star Line. Although Belgian-based, the ownership was predominantly American. In 1884, INCo acquired the American Line, followed in 1886 by the Inman Line. All three INCo companies adopted the same black funnels with a white band. Red Star services were later extended to New York, calling at Southampton and Cherbourg (later replaced by Le Havre). Services were also operated to Canada.
 
In 1902, the International Navigation Company (INCo) was renamed the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMMCo), which proceeded to purchase majority share holdings in the Atlantic Transport Line, Dominion Line, Leyland Line and, most importantly, the White Star Line. Ships were regularly transferred between the various fleets in the group, with the White Star Line tending to get the latest, largest and best examples. Although American-owned, many IMMCo fleets ran under the British flag for economic reasons, including the Red Star Line. Red Star operations declined throughout the late 1920s, and ceased in 1934 in the depression. The name lived on for a further two years when the Pennland (2) and Westernland (2) were bought by Hamburg shipowner Arnold Bernstein. He ran them under the German flag as Bernstein's Red Star line, although publicity material still referred just to the Red Star Line. Two Bernstein ships, the Gerolstein and Ilsenstein, also ran under Red Star colours. This venture was terminated only two years later when Bernstein was arrested by the Nazis.
 
 
Red Star Sections:-
Red Star Fleet List - This Page
Red Star Advertising Postcards - Red Star issued numerous advertising cards - Opens New Page
Red Star Menu Cards - A selection of 1908 menu cards - New Page!
 
Ships on This Page:-
Arabic (1926-1929 - 16,786 gt)
Belgenland (2) (1914-1917, 1923-1935 - 27132 gt)
Finland (1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Friesland (1889-1911 - 7,116 gt)
Gerolstein
Gothland (1908-1911, 1913-1925 - 7,755 gt) - Built 1893 ex-Gothic of White Star Line
Ilsenstein
Kensington (1895-1903 - 8,669 gt)
Kroonland (1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Lapland (1908-1933 - 17,540 gt)
Marquette (1905-1914 - 7,057 gt)
Monominee (1905-1914 - 6,919 gt)
Minnetonka (1932-1933 - 21,998 gt)
Minnewaska (1932-1933 - 21,716 gt)
Nordland (1884-1908 - 5,212 gt)
Northland (1915-1919 - 11,905 gt) - ex-Zeeland, later reverted to Zeeland
Pennland (1) (1882-1903 - 3,428 gt) - Built 1870, ex-Algeria of Cunard Line
Pennland (2) (1926-1935) - ex-Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh (1925-1926 - 16,322 gt) - later Pennland
Samland (1906-1911, 1913-1931 - 7,913 gt) - Built 1903, ex-Mississippi, later Belgic of White Star Line
Southland (1915-1917 - 11,899 gt) - ex-Vaderland (2)
Southwark (1895-1903 - 8,607 gt)
Vaderland (2) (1900-1915 - 11,899 gt) - later Southland
Westernland (1) (1883 1912- 5,736 gt)
Westernland (2) (1930-1935 - 16,314 gt)
Zeeland (2) (1901-1915, 1919-1927 - 11,905 gt) - later Northland, reverted to Zeeland
 
Associated Pages:-
Red Star - Page 1 - This Page
Red Star - Page 2
Atlantic Transport Line
White Star Line
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
References:-
www.history.navy.mil - Naval Historical Center
 
Search This Website:-

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Red Star Line Fleet List
 
 
Pennland (1)
(1882-1903 - 3,428 gt)
 
Built 1870, ex-Algeria of Cunard Line.
 
 
Steerage passengers on board Pennland (1).
 
 
 
 
 
Westernland (1)
(1883 1912- 5,736 gt)
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Westernland (1).
 
 
Postcard of Westernland (1).
 
 
 
 
 
Nordland
(1884-1908 - 5,212 gt)
 
Postcard of Nordland.
 
 
 
 
 
Friesland
(1889-1911 - 7,116 gt)
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Friesland.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Friesland.
 
 
 
 
 
Kensington
(1895-1903 - 8,669 gt)
 
Built 1893 - chartered from American Line (another IMMCo company) between 1895-1903.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Kensington.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard covering both Kensington and Southwark.
 
 
 
 
 
Southwark
(1895-1903 - 8,607 gt)
 
Built 1893 - chartered from American Line (another IMMCo company) between 1895-1903.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard covering both Southwark and Kensington.
 
 
 
 
 
Zeeland (2) (1901-1915, 1919-1927 - 11,905 gt)
Northland (1915-1919)
 
Zeeland (2) was built for Red Star Line in 1901. Between 1915-1919 she was named Northland, before reverting to Zeeland. Between 1910-1911 and 1914-1920, Zeeland (2) operated with fellow IMMCo company White Star Line. In 1927 she was sold to Atlantic Transport Line (yet another IMMCo company) as the Minnesota (3), but was scrapped only two years later in 1929.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Colour postcard of Zeeland (2).
 
 
Postcard as Northland.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Zeeland (2).
White extended one deck lower.
 
 
Official Atlantic Transport Line postcard of Minnesota (3).
 
 
 
 
 
Vaderland (2) (1900-1915 - 11,899 gt)
Southland (1915-1917)
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Vaderland (2).
 
 
Postcard of Vaderland (2).
 
 
Postcard of Vaderland (2).
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Finland.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Finland.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Finland.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Finland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kroonland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
 
Kroonland was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1902, she was operated commercially for the next fifteen years, mainly trading between New York and Antwerp, Belgium, until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. In 1915 she transited the Panama Canal to the Pacific, and in 1916 began service between the United States and Great Britain. On 20 May 1917, some weeks after the U.S. had entered the conflict, Kroonland was en-route to Liverpool when she was damaged by a German submarine's torpedo. Following repairs, the ship returned to service. She was formally taken over by the U.S. Army in February 1918 and made one round-trip voyage to France between then and early April.
 
Transferred to the U.S.Navy later in that month, she was placed in commission as USS Kroonland (ID # 1541). Five more round-trip voyages, carrying American troops to France, were made before the 11 November 1918 Armistice ended the fighting. On 10 July 1918 she had an encounter with an enemy U-Boat, but emerged unhurt and may have damaged the submarine with gunfire. After the Armistice Kroonland began bringing veterans home from the former war zone, work that continued until September 1919. She was decommissioned at the beginning of October 1919 and returned to her owner. The steamer resumed commercial operations in 1920, initially between the U.S. and Europe and, after 1923, between the East and West Coasts by way of the Panama Canal. Kroonland was scrapped in 1927.
 
Military history from www.history.navy.mil where there are more images of the crew etc.
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Kroonland.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Kroonland.
 
 
Postcard of USS Kroonland at Hoboken, when in use as a troopship.
The image as printed (left) is reversed, corrected on the right hand image below.
 
 
Postcard of USS Kroonland in camouflage, when in use as a troopship.
Scan: www.history.navy.mil
 
 
 
 
 
Marquette
(1905-1914 - 7,057 gt)
 
Built 1897, chartered from Atlantic Transport Line.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Marquette.
 
 
Official Red Star Line postcard of Marquette.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Marquette.
 
 
 
 
 
Monominee
(1905-1914 - 6,919 gt)
 
Built 1897, chartered from Atlantic Transport Line.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Monominee.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Monominee.
 
 
 
 
 
Lapland
(1908-1933 - 17,540 gt)
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland, plus the card back.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Antwerp-published postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Postcard of Lapland.
 
 
Postcard of Lapland.
 
 
 
 
 

Belgenland (2)
(1914-1917 & 1923-1935 - 27132 gt)
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland.
 
 
Two similar Red Star Line postcards of Belgenland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland, used on a world cruise.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland, plus the card back.
The original route showing Cherbourg has been overprinted and amended to Havre.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Belgenland.
 
 
Postcard of Belgenland at Antwerp.
 
 
Postcard of Belgenland at Antwerp.
 
 
Postcard of Belgenland in the Panama Canal.
 
 
 
 
 

Pittsburgh (1925-1926 - 16,322 gt)
Pennland (2) (1926-1935)
 
Pittsburgh was built in 1920 for the American Line. She was chartered to Red Star Line under this name from 1925-1926, when she was purchased and renamed Pennland.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Pittsburgh.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Pennland, plus the card back.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Pennland, in the final Bernstein-owned period.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arabic
(1926-1929 - 16,786 gt)
 
Arabic was built in 1908 as the Norddeutsche Lloyd ship Berlin (2). She was handed over to the British as a war reparation and re-entered service with the White Star Line in 1921 as the Arabic (3). Between 1925-1929 she served with Red Star Line under the same name, before reverting briefly to White Star Line service in 1930. Arabic (3) was scrapped in 1931.
 
 
White Star Line postcard of the Arabic (3)
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of the Arabic (3)
 
 
C.R.Hoffman postcard of the Arabic (3)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Westernland (2)
(1930-1935 - 16,314 gt)
 
Westernland was originally the Regina, launched for the Dominion Line (another IMMCo company) in 1913, but construction was held up by the war. She was eventually completed as a cargo ship in 1918. Regina was converted into a passenger ship in 1922, by which time the Dominion Line's passenger services had ceased, but she entered passenger service with White Star Line (another IMMCo company) on their White Star-Dominion Line service, wearing Dominion funnel colours. In 1929 Regina passed to the Red Star Line, and was renamed Westernland. In 1935 Westernland was sold to the Hamburg-based Arnold Bernstein Line, although still marketed as Red Star Line. She received red star emblems on her funnels. Bernstein's Red Star Line closed in 1937, with his arrest by the Nazis.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Westernland.
 
 
C.R.Hoffman photographic postcard of Westernland.
 
 
German Red Star Line postcard of Westernland, in the final Bernstein-owned period.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Minnetonka
(1932-1933 - 21,998 gt)
 
Minnetonka was built in 1924 for Atlantic Transport Line, and was chartered by Red Star Line between 1932-33.
 
 
Atlantic Transport Line postcard of Minnetonka.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Minnetonka, plus card back.
 
 
 
 
 

Minnewaska
(1932-1933 - 21,716 gt)
 
Minnewaska was built in 1923 for Atlantic Transport Line, and was chartered by Red Star Line between 1932-33.
 
 
Atlantic Transport Line postcard of Minnewaska.
 
 
Red Star Line postcard of Minnewaska, plus card back.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gerolstein
 
German Red Star Line postcard of the Bernstein-owned Gerolstein.
 
 
 
 
 
Ilsenstein
 
German Red Star Line postcard of the Bernstein-owned Ilsenstein.
 
 
 
 
 
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