Hamburg-America Line Sailor’s Service Record Book-Sept 1914 S.S. Pontos

Original Hamburg-Amerika Line (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft / HAPAG) sailor’s Dienstzeugnisbuch (Service Certificate Book), documenting the employment of a crewman aboard the steamship SS Pontos during the opening weeks of the First World War.

The interior is completed in period ink and records the sailor’s service from September 5, 1914, to September 25, 1914, just weeks after the outbreak of World War I. The document includes the crewman’s name, position as a trimmer (coal stoker), dates of service, employment evaluations, reason for discharge, and original handwritten signatures from ship officers.

The cover bears the owner’s name and remains complete with its original binding. These service books were issued to merchant mariners and served as an official employment and conduct record throughout their careers, making surviving examples an excellent addition to any maritime or WWI collection.

Condition:
Very good original condition with expected age-related wear. The cover is intact with light edge wear and toning. Interior pages remain clean and legible, retaining strong handwritten entries and original signatures.

An excellent historical artifact for collectors of:

• Imperial German maritime history
• Hamburg-Amerika Line (HAPAG) memorabilia
• World War I documents
• Merchant marine collectibles
• Early 20th-century shipping and ocean liner history

A scarce, fully completed service record from one of Germany’s most famous shipping companies, dating to the first month of World War I.