Emigrant dreams at the Red Star Line Museum Antwerp

Antwerp is not only known for its diamonds and the impressive Grote Markt – it is also the place where stories of dreams, hope and new beginnings are told.

The Red Star Line Museum tells the moving stories of the emigrants who left Antwerp for the New World between 1873 and 1934.

Red Star Line shipping company

The Red Star Line shipping company was founded in 1873 and connected important European port cities with ports in North America, in particular New York, Philadelphia and later Boston. The main route led from Antwerp via Southampton or Liverpool to North America.

Ships of the Red Star Line

The main purpose of the Red Star Line was to transport emigrants from Europe to the United States and Canada. Some of the most famous ships of the shipping company were:

• S.S. Vaderland
  The SS Vaderland was one of the first of the fleet and symbolized the beginnings of the Red Star Line. It served as a gateway to the New World for many emigrants.
• S.S. Lapland
  This ship was one of the largest and best known of the fleet. It was prized for its spacious decks and comfort.
• S.S. Belgenland
  This ship was the pride of the fleet and was known for its luxurious furnishings. It was popular with wealthier passengers and later used for cruises.

The ships of the Red Star Line were technically advanced for their time and were regularly modernized to meet the requirements of transatlantic traffic. For example, many ships in the fleet, such as the “S.S. Belgenland”, were equipped with state-of-the-art steam turbines, which enabled higher speeds and greater stability at sea. The ships were also designed to carry thousands of passengers at a time. The “S.S. Lapland”, for example, could carry almost 2,500 passengers. Very important for passengers and crew, the Red Star Line ships were equipped with additional lifeboats, reinforced steel hulls and better navigation systems. The aim was to prevent disasters like the Titanic.

How to travel

The majority of passengers traveled in third class, which was cramped and simple. There were bunks with mattresses, common rooms and fixed meals. The shipping company attached great importance to making the travel conditions as bearable as possible for emigrants. Compared to other shipping companies, the Red Star Line offered third-class passengers a relatively higher standard. For example, the ships were equipped with modern sanitary facilities to prevent illness. There were separate dormitories for men and women and regular health checks.

While the Third Class was designed for emigrants, the Red Star Line ships offered luxurious accommodation for wealthier passengers and business travelers in First and Second Class. The ships were known for their elegance and comfort. These passengers had comfortable cabins with running water, electric lighting and heating. Passengers enjoyed sumptuous dining rooms, luxurious lounges and promenade decks and were treated to sumptuous menus prepared by renowned chefs on board.

Who was on board?

Millions of emigrants, mainly from Germany, Poland, Russia and Eastern Europe, who ventured to the New World in search of a better life, boarded the ships.

The passenger lists list the names of countless families. There were travelers who set off alone, often laboriously financed by family members who wanted to give them a better life.

There are also many famous names on the passenger lists. Albert Einstein, the world-famous physicist, emigrated from Germany in 1933 due to persecution by the National Socialists and traveled aboard a Red Star Line ship. The legendary composer and lyricist Irving Berlin traveled with his family from Russia to America as a child and thus began a career that shaped American music history. Golda Meir, who later became Prime Minister of Israel, also traveled with her family to the United States this way as a young girl.

Between 1873 and 1935, more than two million people traveled on the ships in search of a better life.

A place full of history

The Red Star Line Museum is located in the original warehouses of the shipping company of the same name on the banks of the Scheldt. From here, millions of people embarked on the journey to North America in the hope of a better life. The historic halls, where luggage was inspected and health checks were carried out, now house the permanent exhibition and regular temporary exhibitions on special themes.

Albert Einstein and the Red Star Line: an escape to freedom

The Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp shows Einstein’s escape in great detail in the permanent exhibition. We walked along the display boards and exhibits with an audio guide. I don’t know whether it was because of “Albert Einstein”, which I find thematically super interesting, or because of the way the audio guide narrated – I really listened to every sequence. It was just super exciting.

Albert Einstein was already known worldwide in the 1920s, not only for his groundbreaking work on the theory of relativity, but also for his commitment to pacifism and his Jewish background.

When the National Socialists seized power in 1933, the situation for Jewish intellectuals and scientists worsened dramatically. Einstein, who was living in Germany at the time, quickly became the target of anti-Semitic agitation. His house in Caputh was searched, his property confiscated and threats were made against him and his family.

Einstein had already decided to leave Germany in 1932. He initially stayed in Belgium, where he was granted asylum. However, as the political situation in Europe became increasingly uncertain, he decided to emigrate to the United States.

In 1933, Albert Einstein boarded a Red Star Line ship to make the journey across the Atlantic. The exact route took him from Antwerp to New York. Einstein traveled in first class, which afforded him greater comfort and privacy during the crossing.

At the end of his journey, Einstein arrived at Ellis Island, the famous arrival point for immigrants in the United States. Records show that as a prominent passenger, Einstein received preferential treatment and was not subjected to the strict immigration controls that applied to other Third Class passengers. The United States scientific community immediately offered him support, and Einstein accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

The permanent exhibition: stories that get under your skin

The museum tells the stories of the emigrants, from their arrival in Antwerp to their crossing of the Atlantic. Personal objects, photos, letters and interactive installations bring the past to life.

During the tour, we enter the former boiler room of the warehouses. Here we learn a lot about the history of the buildings and the shipping company. I find the ship models very exciting, which give me a first impression of the fleet and life on board. The exhibition is still very factual here, but that should change quickly.

Things get very emotional in the next rooms. We begin to follow the emigrants’ routes. The voyages to Antwerp are illustrated using examples. The insights into the fates of individual families are particularly moving. How did it feel to leave their homeland behind? What hopes and fears accompanied them?

Once in Antwerp, the passengers had to reach the Red Star Line building. We learn what their journey looked like from entering the building to boarding the ship. What happened to their luggage, what did they experience themselves? You couldn’t just go on board like that. Every passenger went through a precisely defined procedure and it was always possible that the shipping company would prohibit them from boarding the ship.

A highlight of the museum is the replica of a Red Star Line ship deck, where you can experience the cramped conditions and challenges of a crossing. The differences between the travel classes are also clearly shown here.

Finally, the emigrants reach Ellis Island and their new life.

I particularly liked the fact that this journey is not just “portrayed”. It is illustrated through a wide variety of media, and I particularly like the fact that it is always about real stories. The focus is on the lives and experiences of some of the characters. Their expectations, their hopes, their disappointments and the start of a new life in America are discussed. I had the feeling that I was experiencing everything personally and could often empathize with them.

Viewing platform

You should definitely not forget to visit the viewing platform. At the end of the tour through the museum, we went up high to experience an unusual view over Antwerp.

The viewing platform does not offer the usual view of the city’s sights. Here you look out over the Scheldt and can also see a small part of the port facilities. This view is, of course, deliberately chosen. Here you can see the place from where the ships with the emigrants departed, from where the journey to a new life began.

Tip

In Bremerhaven, we have already learned about emigrants in a great museum. Information can be found in the article “German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven”.

Visitor information

Address

Montevideostraat 3,
2000 Antwerpen

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