Marinejugend Bremerhaven e.V.

History

The club's history goes back far into the last century. Three local naval comradeships founded the Marinejugend in Bremerhaven in 1929. From 1933 the club was forcibly integrated into the National Socialist youth organisation. It was not until 1959 that members of the Bremerhaven naval comradeship revived the club. A fundamental change in club leadership first occurred in the early 1970s when the board was no longer made up of members of the naval comradeship. Since then there has been no direct connection to anything military and the club is today a normal water sports club; only its name still recalls those earlier times. A permanent site was not found until 1968. Stops along the way included the THW boat shed at the old Geeste bridge in 1962, parts of the decommissioned ice factory at the old harbour as a clubhouse in 1964, and in 1967 a move to the former Kuhr company site at the new harbour and permission from the Old Harbour museum trust to use the lightship ELBE 3 as a youth hostel. In 1968 a lease was signed for a plot at the new harbour and construction of a wooden boat shed began. For many years successful sailing training for young people was offered there near the Loschen lighthouse. Over time 10 Optimist dinghies and 3 sailing dinghies were acquired for training. The club also owned 2 sailing cutters used for pulling. In summer months cutter sailing on the Weser was a fixed part of youth work. The motor launch Condor, a former Bundesmarine transport boat, accompanied sailing trips and tent camp journeys up the Weser. Up to 60 young members sometimes took part in club days on the water of the New Harbour. In the mid-1990s the club again faced an uncertain future when Ocean Park plans threatened the long-standing site. The site had to be abandoned in 2002 for redevelopment of the new harbour area. After a long search, with the help of the city of Bremerhaven a solution was found in the fishing harbour. For two years during construction the club lived out of crates and suitcases in a hall at the Motorenwerke until the new site was ready in 2004. This period of upheaval brought significant losses in membership. The new club grounds with clubhouse and moorings on Herwigstraße in the fishing harbour are shared with two other relocated water sports clubs. The 50th anniversary of the re-founding was celebrated in the boat hall in 2009. After difficult years the club is back on a good course. Membership numbers have stabilised and the fleet of club boats has been maintained. A large number of private boats and yachts also use the moorings. Like all sports clubs, the club is working to attract young members after the Corona period.

Boat types