Kieler Yacht-Club
Encyclopedia
Kieler Yacht-Club or Kiel Yacht Club (as it is called in English), is one of the oldest yacht club
s in Germany
. It is located in the harbor city of Kiel
.
This club is well-known for some of the yacht racing
events it organizes. The main one is the yearly Kieler Woche (Kiel Week
), which is perhaps the biggest sailing event in the world.
In 1972, when the Olympic Games
were held in Munich
, the Olympic sailing competitions took place in the Kiel Bay and this yacht club had a major role in their organization.
" ("Naval Regatta Club"), was established in 1887 in Kiel
by officers of the Kaiserliche Marine
. Prince Heinrich of Prussia
, a yachting enthusiast and German Emperor's Wilhelm II's younger brother, was its patron. In 1891 Wilhelm II became the club's commodore
, bringing his own yacht Meteor I (the former Thistle
) to the club's marina
in Kiel. The same year the club changed its name to "Kaiserlicher Yacht Club
" (Imperial Yacht Club), among other changes introduced, the club allowed civilian members to join.
In 1914, the German Emperor got the fateful news of the assassination of Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand
in Sarajevo
, while he was competing on a regatta organized by the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club. During World War I
the Kiel Week regatta had to be called off. 455 members of the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club died and its club house was transformed into a Lazaretto
. After these difficult years the club almost went bankrupt. William II remained as honorary commodore of the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club, even after the Treaty of Versailles
that brought the German monarchy to an end and forced him to live in exile in Doorn
, the Netherlands.
During Nazi rule
the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club was manipulated by the propaganda machine of the state that made wide use of sports in order to harden the German spirit. This yacht club took part in the organization of Hitler's 1936 Summer Olympics
. In 1937 the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club was forcefully merged with other yacht clubs to form a massive entity, the "Yacht-Club von Deutschland
" (YCvD), "Yacht Club of Germany", to instill unity among German youth. The club's name "Kaiserlicher Yacht Club", deemed by the Nazis not to be in tune with "the spirit of the times", became history and exiled and ailing former Emperor William was stripped of the honorary commodore's title. During World War II
sailing activities were discouraged, the club house was seized by the government and many members of the yacht club died in the war.
In the postwar years
Kiel was under British occupation
, and regulations imposed by the new rulers made yacht clubs in Kiel no longer operative. British officers
ran a "British Kiel Yacht Club", who even revived the Kiel Week regattas in 1946 and 1947, but German citizens were excluded from this military yacht club.
In 1948, Kiel Yacht Club was allowed to be established and during the following decades it experienced a steady growth. After its recovery it became again one of the most prestigious yacht clubs of Germany. In 1982 the celebrations for the Kieler Woche's 100th birthday are organized with a large windjammer
parade to close the event.
In 2007 Kiel Yacht Club ran into serious financial difficulties and had to sell its club house to the ThyssenKrupp
Company.
Yacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
s in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is located in the harbor city of Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
.
This club is well-known for some of the yacht racing
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
events it organizes. The main one is the yearly Kieler Woche (Kiel Week
Kiel Week
Kiel Week is an annual sailing event in Kiel, Germany. It is the largest sailing event in the world, and also one of the largest Volksfest in Europe.- Procedure :...
), which is perhaps the biggest sailing event in the world.
In 1972, when the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
were held in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, the Olympic sailing competitions took place in the Kiel Bay and this yacht club had a major role in their organization.
Historical background
A club for military personnel, the "Marine-Regatta-VereinMarine-Regatta-Verein
The Marine-Regatta-Verein , "Naval Regatta Union", is a yacht club of the German Navy. Its main branch is located in the harbor city of Kiel, and it has branches in different states of Germany. This club promotes both sailing and powerboating...
" ("Naval Regatta Club"), was established in 1887 in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
by officers of the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
. Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
, a yachting enthusiast and German Emperor's Wilhelm II's younger brother, was its patron. In 1891 Wilhelm II became the club's commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
, bringing his own yacht Meteor I (the former Thistle
Thistle (yacht)
Thistle was the unsuccessful Scottish challenger of the seventh America's Cup in 1887 against American defender Volunteer.-Design:The cutter Thistle was designed by George Lennox Watson, with interiors by his brother Thomas Lennox Watson, and built at the D&W Henderson shipyard in Partick on the...
) to the club's marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
in Kiel. The same year the club changed its name to "Kaiserlicher Yacht Club
Kaiserlicher Yacht Club
Kaiserlicher Yacht-Club, "Imperial Yacht Club", was one of the forerunners of the Kiel Yacht Club. Known also as "Küz" from its acronym KYC, it was a prestigious yacht club located in the harbor city of Kiel, Germany. German Emperor Wilhelm II, his younger brother Prince Heinrich of Prussia and...
" (Imperial Yacht Club), among other changes introduced, the club allowed civilian members to join.
In 1914, the German Emperor got the fateful news of the assassination of Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, while he was competing on a regatta organized by the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Kiel Week regatta had to be called off. 455 members of the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club died and its club house was transformed into a Lazaretto
Lazaretto
A lazaretto or lazaret is a quarantine station for maritime travellers. Lazarets can be ships permanently at anchor, isolated islands, or mainland buildings. Until 1908, lazarets were also used for disinfecting postal items, usually by fumigation...
. After these difficult years the club almost went bankrupt. William II remained as honorary commodore of the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club, even after the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
that brought the German monarchy to an end and forced him to live in exile in Doorn
Doorn
Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. On 1 January 2008 the town had 10,052 inhabitants.-History:...
, the Netherlands.
During Nazi rule
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club was manipulated by the propaganda machine of the state that made wide use of sports in order to harden the German spirit. This yacht club took part in the organization of Hitler's 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
. In 1937 the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club was forcefully merged with other yacht clubs to form a massive entity, the "Yacht-Club von Deutschland
Yacht-Club von Deutschland
The Yacht-Club von Deutschland , "Yacht Club of Germany", was a yacht club platform established in 1937 during Nazi rule in Germany.-History:The Sports Office of the Reich was founded in July 1934...
" (YCvD), "Yacht Club of Germany", to instill unity among German youth. The club's name "Kaiserlicher Yacht Club", deemed by the Nazis not to be in tune with "the spirit of the times", became history and exiled and ailing former Emperor William was stripped of the honorary commodore's title. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
sailing activities were discouraged, the club house was seized by the government and many members of the yacht club died in the war.
Establishment of Kiel Yacht Club
Aftermath of World War II
After World War II a new era of tensions emerged based on opposing ideologies, mutual distrust between nations, and a nuclear arms race. This emerged into an environment dominated by a international balance of power that had changed significantly from the status quo before the war...
Kiel was under British occupation
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
, and regulations imposed by the new rulers made yacht clubs in Kiel no longer operative. British officers
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ran a "British Kiel Yacht Club", who even revived the Kiel Week regattas in 1946 and 1947, but German citizens were excluded from this military yacht club.
In 1948, Kiel Yacht Club was allowed to be established and during the following decades it experienced a steady growth. After its recovery it became again one of the most prestigious yacht clubs of Germany. In 1982 the celebrations for the Kieler Woche's 100th birthday are organized with a large windjammer
Windjammer
A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century...
parade to close the event.
In 2007 Kiel Yacht Club ran into serious financial difficulties and had to sell its club house to the ThyssenKrupp
ThyssenKrupp
ThyssenKrupp AG is a German multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Duisburg Essen, Germany. The corporation consists of 670 companies worldwide. While ThyssenKrupp is one of the world's largest steel producers, the company also provides components and systems for the automotive...
Company.