Is the Aurora the Same Ship That Sailed to Helgoland in 1972?

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SUMMARY

The Aurora, originally named Wappen von Hamburg, is a cruise ship built in 1955 that is currently undergoing restoration. It was not the same ship that transported a group of students to Helgoland in 1972; that vessel was the third ship of the same name, constructed in 1965, which operated from 1966 to 2006 before being renamed Mercator II and ultimately scrapped in 2010-11. Helgoland, a small island with a population of approximately 1,300, prohibits cars and bicycles due to its limited size, measuring only about 1 km².

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  • Knowledge of maritime history, specifically regarding cruise ships and their routes.
  • Familiarity with the geographical and cultural significance of Helgoland.
  • Understanding of the historical context of the 1972 study-abroad programs in Germany.
  • Basic awareness of notable figures in physics, such as Werner Heisenberg.
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  • Research the history and specifications of the Wappen von Hamburg and its subsequent iterations.
  • Explore the cultural and ecological aspects of Helgoland, including its regulations on transportation.
  • Investigate the impact of maritime tourism on small island economies.
  • Learn about the contributions of Werner Heisenberg to quantum mechanics and his connection to Helgoland.
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History enthusiasts, maritime researchers, students of physics, and anyone interested in the cultural heritage of Helgoland and its historical significance in maritime travel.

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Today, the CBS Sunday Morning news magazine had a story about the Aurora, a cruise ship built in 1955 that is now being restored as one of the last of its type.



When I heard its original name, the Wappen von Hamburg, and its original service, carrying tourists between Hamburg and the island of Helgoland in the North Sea, my ears perked up. Could this be the ship that I rode on a day-trip to Helgoland with a group of students from my college in 1972, while we were in a study-abroad program in Hamburg?

It turned out, it wasn't. The ship that we rode was actually the third of that name, built in 1965. It served the route to Helgoland 1966-2006. Afterwards it was renamed the Mercator II and was supposed to be converted to a luxury cruiser for Mediterranean and Caribbean service. But that project failed, and the ship was scrapped in Denmark in the winter of 2010-11.

But it brought back memories of that trip to Helgoland, 50 years ago next September.

helgoland.jpg


WappenvonHamburg.jpg


hafen.jpg


I think the Wappen von Hamburg is at the far left of the lineup above, in the harbor. Passengers from all ships had to transfer to shore in smaller boats.

helgoland2.jpg


klipppen.jpg
 
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Those weird red cliffs prompted me to skim the wiki article about the island. It has a current population of about 1300 people. Probably the most peculiar thing I read is that along with cars, bicycles are forbidden on the island. I wondered why they would ban bicycles until I saw on Google Earth that the longest straight line distance is only a mile.
 
You really didn't have to remind us 1972 was 50 years ago. That was uncalled for.
 
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I love the small craft transferring everyone to shore. I guess cruise liners are bigger than the warships that used to be stationed there.
 
OmCheeto said:
Probably the most peculiar thing I read is that along with cars, bicycles are forbidden on the island. I wondered why they would ban bicycles until I saw on Google Earth that the longest straight line distance is only a mile.
The whole island is only about 1 km2 according to Wikipedia. A lot smaller than Mackinac Island (11 km2) in Michigan, which also bans automobiles, except for emergency vehicles, but does allow bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, and has a lot more vegetation.

We had plenty of time to walk out to the far end of the island to see Lange Anna ("Tall Anna"):

tall-anna.jpg


The Wikipedia article about Helgoland reminded me of its physics connection: Heisenberg formulated his version of QM while on vacation here to alleviate his hay fever.
 
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