about us

The Emden Family

…a family introduction

SMS "Emden" sails in Kiel Canal

Welcome indeed!

We are glad that you are interested in the history of the Emden Family. We want to give you some information about this unique association which rejoins descendants of the Light Cruiser SMS Emden crew from second to fifth generation today.

The history of the family:

Soon after WW I a relatively small number of Crew members of Light Cruiser SMS Emden started their reunification in nearly regular intervals. In 1924 at their first meeting it looked something like this:

Of course in those days it was purely a man’s domain. The meetings became more frequent and when possible took place once a year.

Most of the crew assumed the awarded name suffix “-Emden” which is hereditary. That is why even today most of the family members wear this double-barreled name.

During WW II there was a break with the meetings, but soon after the war the veterans met again despite the economic problems they had at that time.

Their motivation for these meetings was of course remembrance of their operation in East Asia and their shared and successful raids and accomplishment of their mission in the Indian Ocean and Pacific. Their way of fighting the war in a knightly and fair manner under the Commanding Officer Karl von Müller was known and respected throughout the world. For the crew members it had led to a lifelong comradeship.

In 1957 the reunion decided to continue their annual meeting this time with the inclusion of their spouses. Since then these family meetings have been taking place in different cities annually.

The Emden Family today:

By now all the old crew members have passed away. But their descendants decided nearly as a matter of course to continue with the traditional meetings “with bag and baggage”. This is why the meetings currently include the fourth and fifth generation. Eventually it looked like this in 1999 in Mannheim:

We are an informal association, not a registered society. We come together continuing the tradition of our forefathers and remembering their brave and knightly actions. We cultivate our bond of friendship without any necessity, membership fee or rigid organisation

Our annual meeting is voluntarily organized by anyone who wants to do it in his home city, mostly at the weekend and after the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Here is a short overview of the cities where we met during the last years:

2001 Wilhelmshaven

2002 Kleinmachnow/Potsdam

2003 Köln

2004 Emden

2005 Hermannsburg/Südheide

2006 Mainz

2007 Ahrensburg

2008 Kassel

2009 Wilhelmshaven

2010 Speyer

in 2011 the city of Blankenburg (Harz Mountains) is our destination