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ORIGINAL NAZI BOOKLET ADVERTISING ELBE RIVER CRUISES FOR 1937

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Elbe-Fahrten is a 48-page booklet published by Sächsische-Bömische Dampfschiffahrt AG (SBDA) of Dresden, with information about their Elbe River cruises. The company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1936 and their fleet consisted of 26 modern and comfortable river cruise ships.

This 5-½ x 7-½ inch glossy paper booklet printed for the 1937 tourist season contains different cruise itineraries and options. Evening entertainment cruises starting and returning to Dresden as well as multi-day itineraries up and down the Elbe river and cruises for school children.

There is background information of historical sights as well as pictures of the company’s ships (many with Nazi swastika flags), locations visited, scenery and views from ships, locks, wine making equipment, etc.

Dresden artist Rudolf Rüffer provided two illustrations dated 1936, one of them showing mechanics working on an airplane at the Junkers factory in Dessau (shown right). Rüffer also designed the striking cover art.

This 86 year old German Elbe River cruise advertising booklet is in very nice, little-used condition and has no writing and no odor. This kind of travel ephemera was meant to be discarded after the tourist season was over, to make room for next year’s advertising. It is rare to find a 1937 Nazi era example of Elbe-Fahrten in this condition!