A Tribute to the Swedish American Line
The White Viking Fleet
12 Years on the Internet

.
.
.

SAL Reunions

SAL reunions, past and present.

Regardless of which ship we sailed on, or which year - the memories we share are the same!


Updated Jan 27, 2009

SAL Reunion in 2010

The next reunion at Onsala Herrgård is being planned for September 11, 2010.
More information will be posted later.



Updated Oct12, 2009

Photos from the Reunion in Onsala, 10-11 October 2009

SAL enthusiast L-O Rydén, grandson of crew member Bertil Bärgström,
has sent us photos from the reunion in Onsala, 10-11 October 2009.


Updated Sep 28, 2009

SAL Reunion at Onsala Herrgård, Sweden,
October 10 - 11, 2009

All crew members and friends of the Swedish American Line are welcome
to this reunion at Onsala Herrgård (Onsala Manor), near Kungsbacka,
on the Swedish west coast.

Saturday, October 10
10.00-12.00

Check-in at Onsala Herrgård. Morten Olsson, owner and reunion organizer, will be there to welcome you. Morten has been active in the interntional cruise trade for nearly 20 years.

12.00 Lunch buffet will be served in the small dining room. Information about the reunion activities.
13.30 Departure by bus to Marinmuseet in Varberg.
15.30 Departure back to Onsala Herrgård.
16.15

Afternoon coffee. Morten will present a slide show about the construction of cruise ships at the Italian shipyard Ferrari-Fincantieri in La Spezia, 1999

17.30 The bar will be open, featuring friendly prices.
19.00 A pre-dinner drink is served, followed by a three course dinner, including wine, coffee & avec.

Sunday, October 11
08.00 - 10.00 Breakfast.
10.00 A morning walk to Båt- & Sjöfartsmuseet, the Maritime Museum, in Onsala.
12.30 Lunch at Onsala Herrgård.
14.00 Check-out time.
   
Price PER person in Swedish kronor, special rate offered by Onsala Herrgård AB:

One night stay in a double room, 1095:-, including all meals, i.e. two lunches with light beer or mineral water, afternoon coffee, a 3 course dinner with wine and avec, and breakfast day 2, bus transportation to Varberg round trip.

Single room accommodation, 1295:-, same conditions as above.

No accommodation; day 1, 695:-, day 1 and 2, 795:-.

The arrangements above cannot be combined.

Additional: 30:- (ord. 50:-) entrance fee to Varbergs Marinmuseum and 25:- to Onsala Sjöfartsmuseum, to be paid at the entrance.

Varbergs Marinmuseum has a large collection of memorabilia from the Swedish American Line.

Promotional films from the Swedish American Line and the last film shot on board the Gripsholm in Tampa, will be shown non stop on the in-house TV system

Bookings are to made directly by phone to Onsala Herrgård, +46 300 39575.

Refer to the SAL reunion.

The manor's home page: www.onsalaherrgard.se
Please note: Bookings can only be made by phone, no email resevations.

The total cost is to be paid before September 25 to bank account 90204521361, Länsförsäkringar Bank, Sweden.
Important: Your name and the number of persons must be stated as a message to the receiver.

Questions will answered by Morten, +46 709 83 98 15.

You are very welcome!



Updated June 11, 2009

Photos from the SAL Reunion in Luttach

Gerhard Kummer has just returned from the SAL reunion in Luttach, Sudtirol, where everyone had a wonderful time. See photos from the reunion here.



Updated April 8, 2009

Reunion Organized by Markus Hofer, June 5 to 7, 2009


Updated December 11, 2008

SAL Friends Meet in Spain

Heinz Krapf, crew member on the Kungsholm from 1965 to 1972, has sent photos from a get-together in September 2008 in Calpe, Spain, with friends from the good old days. Juan lives in Benidorm, Heinz and Siggi have a house nearby, Gerhard lives in Solna (Stockholm), and Birgitta and Herbert live in Göteborg.

Gerhard Kummer, Heinz Krapf, Siggi Krapf, Juan Martinez, Birgitta and Herbert Baumann in Calpe.


Siggi Krapf and Juan Martinez.


Juan Martinez and Birgitta Baumann.

Juan Martinez and Gerhard Kummer.


Gerhard Kummer and Heinz Krapf. 

 

Updated October 17, 2008

Reunion in Salzburg 2008

Schloeg Johann, (Kungsholm May 1971 to May 1974), and Schauer Manfred, are organizing a reunion in Salzburg, Austria. Please spread the word, and contact Schloegl Johann for more information.

21. 22. + 23. November 2008

SALZBURG

johann.schloegl@gmail.com

www.hotel-kendl.at

HOTEL GASTHOF KENDL (OBERGNIGL)

  EICHSTRASSE 70

  A-5023 SALZBURG

+43 662 64 06 46


Salzburgernocke


There will be a meeting in HAMBURG from
--- HANSEATIC + HAMBURG---
tel. 040 370960

www.seemannsheim-hamburg-de e-mail : info@seemannsheim-hamburg.de


 

Reunion in Austria in September 2007

Read more here

Many thanks to Sepp Zirngast for this information.



Reunion Photos 2000 - 2005

Photos from the SAL reunion in Stockholm, May 2000.

More photos from the SAL reunion in Stockholm, May 2000.

Photos from the SAL reunion in Göteborg, May 2002.

More photos from the SAL reunion in Göteborg, May 2002.

Click here for the first photos from the reunion in
Stockholm, August 27, 2005

Even more photos from the reunion in Stockholm 2005 and from Mona Lisa here!

Photos from the reunion in Austria in September 2005. have been restored.
Click here!


 

Stockholm 2005


The participants of the 2005 SAL reunion on Mona Lisa's bridge wing.
Photo by L-O Rydén.


Mona Lisa, ex Kungsholm, leaving Stockholm on August 27, 2005
Photo by Lasse Olsbrand, on board the tugboat TUG

An informal and casual reunion was held on August 22, 2005, when Mona Lisa, ex Kungsholm, visited Stockholm. 35 former SAL crew members, officers and friends, were overwhelmed by the friendly hospitality of Captain Nick Giannakopoulus, his fellow officers on the bridge, the Hotel Manager and the Cruise Manager on board the Mona Lisa.


Mona Lisa's Commander and Lars Hemingstam at the reunion
Photo by Asko Salkola

Many thanks to Ms Jutta Wewer of Holiday Kreuzfahrten, and Captain Giannakopoulus, for making this reunion such a success!


 

 

About SAL
SAL Timeline

Life as a
Crew Member
Passenger
Area

Benny Doverhagen
Seaman

Exchange and
Repatriation Ships
During WWII
Rune Dahlstrand
Gripsholm Barber
During WWII
Torkel Tistrand
Sea Personell Manager
Curt Dawe
Chief Purser
Carl-Gustav Kruse
Chief Purser
Hugo Billén
Chief Purser
Evert Eriksson
Chief Purser
Asko Salkola
Purser's Office
Stigbergskajen
Göteborg
Pier 97,
New York
The SAL Office in
New York
Hanna Owen
Singer
The Entertainers The Folk Dance
Teams
C-G Quant
Chief Steward
Volker Roloff
Chief Steward
Franz Havranek Wine Steward Juan Martinez
Waiter
Lars Warlin
Assistant Waiter
Björn Wallde
Crew member
Tommy Stark
Crew member
Lois MacNeil
Stewardess
C-G Edhardt
Assistant
Deck Steward

Reunions Film Clips Passenger
Database
Picture Gallery
Link Library FAQ News
Archive
 
Home

More than 100 web pages developed and maintained by Lars Hemingstam ©1998-2010
Email us

Regardless of which ship we sailed on or which year - the memories we share are the same!

.
.
.

 

Recommended Books

Updated Sep 7, 2009

Waterline - Images from the Golden Age of Cruising

John Graves

Örjan Slätte, ex Information Officer on the Gripsholm, recommends Waterline - Images from the Golden Age of Cruising by John Graves, published by the National Maritime Museum in London in 2004. It is based on photos by Marine Photo Service, which were acquired by the museum in 1996 The book features many photos from SAL cruises.

Buy at amazon.co.uk
 

Please note that the book's edition at Amazon.co.uk may not have the Kungsholm on the cover.

Örjan Slätte, Informationsofficer på Gripsholm, rekommenderar boken Waterline - Images from the Golden Ages of Cruising. Boken är utgiven år 2004 av National Maritime Museum i London som 1996 förvärvat Marine Photo Service (MPS) samlingar. Redan omslagsbilden föreställer Kungsholm 1953 med två vattenskidåkande ynglingar i fronten. MPS fanns i många rederier och där finns många mycket bra foton från SAL:s kryssningar. Våra fotografer var mycket yrkesskickliga med konstnärlig talang. Man kan förmoda att de tidvis kände för att fotografera annat än leende, välklädda pax med cocktailglas i hand. Fina miljöer från fartygens "omvärld".
Anser boken vara av god kvalité. 255 sidor, inkl. noter. Här i Göteborg hittade jag den i Haga i en butik som köper in restupplagor (remainders) och säljer till bra pris, ca 160 sek. "Böcker som vi gillar till pris som ni gillar": Bokrummet i Haga, Skolgatan 11, 413 02 GÖTEBORG, bokrummet, tfn 031-7010028. De har ett traditionellt antikvariat, Bokmalen, Haga Nygata 16.



Updated July7, 2008

MERCY SHIPS
by David Miller

Buy at amazon.co.uk
 

 


Mercy Ships

 

During World War 2 the Drottningholm and the Gripsholm were used as repatriation ships and made 33 voyages to exchange prisoners of war, diplomats, women and children, between the warfaring nations. David Miller has written a book about the exchange and repatriation voyages,with an emphasis on the British experience. It is loaded with facts about these voyages of mercy.

Read more about all the exchange and repatriation sailings during WWII here.


 

M/S Kungsholms inredning
Ett mästerverk i svensk
art deco

Anne Marie Ericsson

Första M/S Kungsholm, Amerikalinjens stora passagerarfartyg, byggdes på 1920-talet. Det gick mellan Göteborg och New York. Arkitekten Carl Bergsten fick uppdraget att hålla i den påkostade inredningen som skulle visa för världen vad svenska konstnärer kunde åstadkomma. Under andra världskriget togs fartyget i beslag av amerikanarna för att användas i trupptransporten till Europa. Inredningen revs då ner och förstördes. Anne-Marie Ericsson har letat i arkiv och museer efter beskrivningar, ritningar och gamla fotografier för att försöka rekonstruera denna makalösa uppvisning i svensk inredningskonst.
Köp boken här: Adlibris

 

Amerikabåtarna
Från emigranter till miljonärer

Christer Winberg

Christer Winberg, professor i historia vid Göteborgs universitet, har skrivit en bok om SAL som bygger på bevarat samtida material från Svenska Amerika Linien på Landsarkivet och Sjöfartsmuseet i Göteborg. Det omfattar exempelvis reserapporter, minnesberättelser och personligt färgade reseskildringar. Författaren har också samlat in eget material genom intervjuer med f.d. anställda.
Köp boken här: Adlibris

 

 

Andrea Dorias undergång
Britt-Marie Mattsson

I Andrea Dorias undergång berättar Britt-Marie Mattsson den fascinerande berättelsen om kollisionen, den heroiska räddningsaktionen och det rättsliga efterspelet till den mycket uppmärksammade olyckan - sin tids Titanic. Mattssons far var vid tiden för olyckan informationschef vid Svenska Amerika Linien. Britt-Marie Mattsson har träffat flera av de överlevande och intervjuat dem för denna bok. Hon har bland annat talat med vittnen som ger information som kan kasta nytt ljus över vad som egentligen orsakade den fruktansvärda kollisionen. Boken är rikligt illustrerad i svartvitt.
Köp boken här: Adlibris



SAL enthusiast Bob Zeschin has recommended
Kungsholm - Europa - Columbus C
by Nico Guns

A book about the Kungsholm of 1953.
Primarily Dutch text, but with English language insertions, captions and a full summary at the end of the book.


Journalist Per Fält has recommended
The Grand Cruise by Cecil Roberts, published in 1963. It tells the story of an Around The World Cruise on the Kungsholm of 1953. The book can from time to time be found on eBay.


"Såna" på Amerikabåtarna
Arne Nilsson

SAL har skildrats i böcker, dokumentär-filmer, journalfilmer och tidningsartiklar. Oftast är det glamouren som uppmärk-sammats men en grupp har alltid saknats i beskrivningarna: homosexuella män. Såna på Amerikabåtarna är en välskriven, lättläst och underhållande studie av en värld som gått i glömska.
Köp boken här: Adlibris


De Flytande Palatsen
The White Viking Fleet
Algot Mattsson

From the very inception of the line in 1915, the ships of the Line attracted much attention on both sidesof the Atlantic. Not only did they represent the bonds between the old country and the new, they also represented new concepts in service, decor, and furnishings as well as in art and handicraft. Published in 1987. This book can be found on Amazon.


 


Huset Broström
Algot Mattsson

Huset Broström för tankarna till Forsythesagan och Onedinlinjen. Inget svenskt företag har upplevt så stor dramatik som just Broströms. Detta är den dramtiska berättelsen "inifrån Huset", om det som skedde i det som syntes ske. Utgiven 1980.



Out of the Fog

Algot Mattsson

Out of the Fog is an American edition of a Swedish book by Algot Mattsson, who was the information officer for SAL, the owner of Stockholm, the ship that collided with Andrea Doria in 1956. The book describes the collision from the perspectives of both ships as well as the heroic rescue of hundreds. Testimony given at the hearing is also included as is a legal opinion by the American editors, one of whom was directly involved with the case.



Vägen mot Väster

Algot Mattsson

Detta är en berättelse om den dramatiska färden över Atlanten, från de hårda och riskfyllda överfarten med små lastskutor i mitten av 1800-talet, till lyxresorna med Amerikalinjens sista skepp. Utgiven 1982