30 MILESTONES – THE HISTORY OF KD PICTURES AND SOUND
" bring the history of KD
to life
The countdown has begun. In just a few weeks, on June 11, Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH will celebrate its 200th anniversary with a grand ceremony. But the anniversary excitement has been building among KD leadership KD quite some time KD .
For over three years, we have been working on this special anniversary with great passion and a keen eye for detail—all while keeping our day-to-day operations running smoothly. In an interview with “RheinZeit,” Marketing Director and Authorized Signatory Nicole Becker looks back on the early days of a company history that is inextricably linked to the Rhine, and offers a glimpse of what guests, partners, and friends of KD can look forward to KD anniversary year.
How did it all begin 200 years ago?
June 11, 1826, is considered the official founding date of the Prussian-Rhenish Steamship Company, one of the predecessors of today’s KD. On that day, Prussian Minister of the Interior Friedrich von Schuckmann approved the company’s articles of incorporation. The company had already been established in October 1825. Its first president was the Cologne merchant and politician Peter Heinrich Merkens, a true pioneer and visionary of his time. He worked with great dedication to reestablish Cologne as a major commercial hub.
Regular service between Cologne and Mainz began on May 1, 1827, with the wooden side-wheel steamer “Concordia.” Later that same year, a second ship, the “Friedrich Wilhelm,” was put into service—marking the beginning of a success story on the Rhine.
It all started in Cologne. When does Düsseldorf come into the picture?
Düsseldorf followed just a few years later: as early as 1836, the Steamship Company for the Lower and Middle Rhine was established there. Today’s KD thus KD from two historical sources—much like the Rhine itself, which, as is well known, also originates from two source rivers, both in Switzerland: in the Gotthard Massif and at the Rheinwaldhorn near the San Bernardino Pass.
Back to the predecessors of KD. In 1853, the companies from Cologne and Düsseldorf merged to form the Cologne and Düsseldorf Joint Venture for Rhine Steamship Navigation. The final merger took place in 1967. The joint venture became Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG, now known as KD .
A company history spanning two centuries is, by its very nature, eventful, exciting, and full of variety. How can this history be made accessible to the general public?
This year, we’re celebrating 200 years KD want to bring our history to life for everyone under the hashtag #kdmoments. We’re showcasing around 200 stories, faces, and secrets in a modern and eye-catching way across our social media channels, our newly redesigned website, and our print publications—most notably *RheinZeit*. For anyone who wants to stay up to date, I recommend our newsletter and our Instagram channel. There, we regularly share new, exciting, and surprising content from the KD. A special highlight is our exclusive anniversary Storybox, which we developed specifically for our 200th anniversary. A true collector’s item for anyone who wants KD and experience the history of KD
What is that?
Based on the “Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Storybox” project, KD special edition has been created to mark the 200th anniversary of KD . It combines a high-quality print publication with a professionally produced audio drama and digital content. A total of 30 milestones from the company’s history are presented as mini-audio dramas, some of which feature charming animations.
The result is truly impressive. Above all, the emotional depth and the dynamic quality of the animations—the story really comes to life here. For a moment, it even seems as though our founder, Peter Heinrich Merkens, is back among us.
For its innovative product, the “Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Storybox,” the Lindner & Steffen agency in the Taunus region secured the support of the Association of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany and the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Tourism Association. The 30 milestones in the history of KD , some of which are animated, KD also available on our website:kd.
On what basis were the 200 stories, faces, and secrets you mentioned selected for the anniversary?
We are very pleased that all the existing material on KD from our archive—which until a few months ago was in a rather disorganized state—has now found a permanent home at the Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv in Cologne. Photos, posters, timetables, menus, and many other documents are in the best of hands there. While these historical artifacts previously existed only in a building at the Niehl Harbor, they now truly speak to us after having been professionally processed and will continue to do so. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to Dr. Ulrich S. Soénius, the director of the Rheinisch-Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv, and his team for their outstanding work and support.
You’ve been working for KölnDüsseldorfer for 28 years. What surprised or impressed you while browsing through the archives?
I am deeply impressed by the colorful timetables from the 19th century. They demonstrate the great effort, care, and attention to detail that went into the work even back then. I was particularly moved by the company diary kept by Margrit Villinger, who served as authorized signatory at the time, documenting the years 1939 through 1952. Three notebooks containing copies of the text have been preserved. The originals are considered lost. This makes it all the more valuable that these records have resurfaced. Such discoveries impressively demonstrate how important it is to preserve the history of KD future generations. For me personally, this is a matter close to my heart.
“Preserving the history of KD future generations is something that is truly close to my heart.”
, KD