on an excursion with
the ladies!
(1861)
History
In June 1836, 11 young Hamburg merchants started rowing on the Alster. They put their signatures to a foundation document, which was the beginning of Der Hamburger Ruder Club and thus rowing as an organized sport was first documented in Germany!
The document contains as a goal: "The rowing club is a sociable club, whose main-purpose are common rowing practices".
Already in the first year there is a competition with English rowers, being also merchants living and working in Hamburg´: The earliest letter in the archieve is a letter from Samual Slater writing as secretary of the "Union Boat Club" (an English organization) offering financial assistance to their German friends to help pay for a floating boat house. This took the form of to ten Louis d'Or and is dated 5th November 1836 and addressed to Cesar Godeffrey Esq. treasurer of the rowing club.
Another letter dated 18th July 1837 is signed W. Campell and respectfully requests "Amateurs and Friends of Rowing Matches" to attend a meeting for the purpose of electing a "Direction for the future management of Rowing matches".
In April 1853 the Germania Ruder Club is founded. Both clubs have many athletic and social touch-points, in great times as well as in bad times. Since 1924 the 'Der Hamburger Ruder Club' resided in the boathouse at the "Alsterufer", where we are to this day.
