Die Kapitäne Christiansen – Naval Memoir, 2nd Ed., Berlin 1933

This offering is a period German hardbound naval memoir titled Die Kapitäne Christiansen, published in Berlin in 1933 by E. S. Mittler & Sohn, one of the most important and prolific military publishers of Imperial and interwar Germany. The volume is bound in burgundy cloth boards with a gilt-stamped spine reading “Christiansen,” and the front cover bearing a gilt heraldic-style emblem. The binding remains structurally sound, with moderate, even toning and surface wear consistent with age. Corners show light rounding, and the spine ends exhibit minor rubbing but no structural failure. The interior text block is clean and complete, printed in traditional German Fraktur type, and illustrated with a total of 55 period photographic plates depicting ships, sailors, naval installations, and scenes tied to German maritime service.

The title page confirms this as the second, expanded edition (“Zweite, erweiterte Auflage”), indicating the work’s continued relevance and readership well into the early 1930s. The table of contents reveals a narrative structure moving from early seafaring and training through active service, wartime experience, and postwar rebuilding, including chapters referencing the Kaiserliche Marine, overseas service, and the long shadow of the First World War on German naval identity. Several chapters focus on seamanship, shipwrecks, and life at sea, underscoring the professional culture of German naval officers rather than purely political themes.

Of particular note is a handwritten dedication on the front endpaper and an additional inscribed page bearing a personalized message and signature attributed to C. Christiansen. While full attribution of the hand is beyond the scope of this listing, the presence of period ink inscriptions adds a layer of individuality and provenance that elevates the volume beyond a standard shelf copy. Such personalized examples are increasingly difficult to source, especially in complete, unaltered bindings.

Historically, Die Kapitäne Christiansen sits at a critical intersection in German military literature. Published during the early National Socialist period but rooted firmly in Imperial and World War I naval tradition, the book reflects the continuity of officer culture, memory, and professional identity that survived Germany’s defeat and the restrictions of Versailles. E. S. Mittler & Sohn served as the intellectual backbone of German military publishing, producing works read by officers, cadets, and military historians alike. As such, this volume is not fiction or propaganda, but a professional memoir-style narrative intended for an informed readership steeped in naval tradition.

From a collector’s standpoint, this book holds strong appeal for students of the Kaiserliche Marine, interwar Reichsmarine culture, and German naval historiography. The combination of original cloth binding, photographic illustrations, second expanded edition status, and period inscriptions places it above the more commonly encountered reprints or library-discard copies. It pairs especially well with Imperial German naval uniforms, documents, or photographic groupings, and would be at home in a focused naval or officer-reference collection.

Condition is very good overall for a 1933 publication. The binding is tight, pages are intact, and the illustrations are clear. There is expected age toning to the paper and light surface wear to the cloth, but no evidence of water damage, loose pages, or repairs. Inscriptions are stable and do not detract from legibility or structure.