Press release to announce the launch of the association "m/s Charlesville vzw".
Press release
A new Flemish heritage trust, the MS Charlesville vzw seeks
public support for the conservation of the last so- called Congo
boat The Charlesville is the last remaining so-called Congo boat,
which formed the link between Belgium and our former Colony from
1951 to 1967. Since then, she has spent many years in the port of
Rostock as the MS Georg Bchner. Although the ship is protected
under the German heritage legislation, her preservation is not
assured and an urgent and permanent solution to save the vessel is
required. Since the beginning of 2013, many volunteers and other
interested parties, both in Flanders and in Germany, have devoted
themselves to preserving the ship for future generations. In order
to co-ordinate the efforts of the volunteers in Flanders, a
non-profit association has been set up: the MS Charlesville vzw or
Friends of the Congo boat MS Charlesville. MS Charlesville vzw: its
purpose and activities: The primary goal of the association is to
save and preserve the Charlesville for future generations. In view
of its link with the maritime history of the city of Antwerp, the
relocation of the Charlesville to the planned citys maritime park
would be highly appropriate. This does not, however, exclude other
places for the vessels conservation, either in Germany or in
Belgium. The association wishes to work together with all partners
and people of goodwill in both countries: private individuals,
businesses, societies and public authorities both in Flanders and
in Germany. The association offers all interested parties and
volunteers a common platform where they can contribute to the
discussion concerning the conservation and relocation of the ship.
In this manner, the association wishes to broaden the public debate
around the conservation, the restoration, the interpretation and
presentation of this unique Congo boat. The MS Charlesville vzw
will play a supporting role in studying the history of the ship as
well as the historical context within which it functioned. For this
reason, the association is collecting as much as possible
information, documentation and reports concerning the ship and this
over its entire lifespan, including: The period 1951 to 1967 as the
Charlesville The years 1967 to 1977 when it was the training ship,
Georg Bchner, commissioned by the DSR (Deutsche Seerederei
Rostock), and From 1977, in Rostock, as a youth hostel and training
ship The association is entirely independent and wants to unite all
those who do like to contribute to the preservation of this former
Congo boat, MS Charlesville, including volunteers as well as
numerous experts from the maritime and heritage sectors.
Conservation of the Charlesville The association aims at
bringing the government, the private sector and the voluntary NGOs
together, so that they would join forces at conserving the ship and
at projecting its future. For these reasons the association
believes that: The greatest attention should be given to the ships
heritage values. In this process both Flemish and German heritage
interests should be served harmoniously. The search for an
appropriate solution has to take place in close consultation and
collaboration with the Flemish government, the city of Rostock, the
state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and their respective heritage
agencies the 'Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed' in Flanders and the
'Amt / Landesamt fr Kultur und Denkmalpflege' in Rostock /
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Guaranteeing the monument status, hereby
meaning the legal protection of the ship is a condition sine qua
non to save it for the future. First meeting: The association plans
to hold its first meeting in Antwerp in two months time. Everyone
is welcome. The date, time and place will be announced shortly. We
communicate via the following media: - www.charlesville.be - FB
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ms-Charlesville-vzw/ - twitter
@charlesvillebe - issuing regular newsletters. For further
information contact: Johan Thibaut (Chairman) email
[email protected] mobile 0486/390629 Bjorn Aerts
(Secretary) email [email protected] mobile 0475/900938
Appendices 1. A short history of the Charlesville/Georg Bchner 2.
Photographs of the ship in the port of Rostock in January 2013
Appendix 1: A short history of the Charlesville/Georg Bchner The
MS Charlesville was built by the shipyard John Cockerill SA in
Hoboken, Antwerp, as the last of a class of five ships, namely the
Elisabethville, the Leopoldville, the Baudouinville/Thysville, the
Albertville and the Charlesville. As of 1895, a total of 32 -ville
ships assumed the liaison between Antwerp and the Belgian Congo;
first, for the Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo (18951930) and,
thereafter, for the Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal)
(19301988). The shipping line CMB that provided shipping services
under Belgian flag between Antwerp and the Belgian Congo, had
suffered significant losses during the Second World War, and was
fortunately able to offer her services again between Antwerp and
Matadi, thanks to this new fleet, and this on a fortnightly basis.
The first ship taken into service was the Albertville, next the
Leopoldville and then the Elisabethville. The last two ships of
this class, the Baudouinville and the Charlesville, were somewhat
larger than the previous three, had more passenger accommodation
and were slightly faster (16,5 knots as opposed to 15 knots). For
this reason the speed of the other three was also adapted. th On
March 6 1951, the MS Charlesville departed on her maiden voyage to
the Congo and, following the independence of the Congo in 1960, she
remained on the AntwerpMatadi service. nd During the night of
December 22 and on December 23th 1963, the ship fulfilled an
important role in the rescue of survivors from the burning cruise
liner, the Lakonia, a former Dutch colonial passenger ship, the
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. In 1967 the Charlesville was sold to the
East German shipping company, VEB Deutsche Seerederei of Rostock
and was commissioned for the CubaMexico service and as a training
ship for seamen. She was renamed the Georg Bchner after the German
writer (18131837). In 1977 she was taken out of active service, but
continued to serve as a training ship, after almost 15 000 mariners
had had their first experience of the ocean aboard her. After the
fall of the Berlin Wall, the ship was used for various purposes; in
the past few years as a youth hostel/hotel. In January 2013 the
vessel was threatened with sale for scrap: that fate was averted,
thanks to the alert response of a number of volunteers both in
Germany and in Belgium. At present, a solution is being sought to
preserve the ship as part of our maritime heritage. With the
disappearance of all the remaining -ville boats of the CMB, the MS
Charlesville is now, by pure chance, the sole survivor of these
famed Congo boats. Thanks to its original construction and
interior, the heritage value of the ship remains intact.
Appendix 2: Images of MS Charlesville The photographs below of
the ship in Rostock date from the beginning of January 2013 and are
available for free publication as long as the permission of MS
Charlesville vzw is acknowledged. For high-resolution files, please
contact: [email protected]
