Peter Kolb, son of a ferryman from Fankel on the Moselle, married his wife Maria, née Boos, in 1910.
In 1921, Peter Kolb became independent and acquired a small, river-worthy motor boat.
This boat was christened with his wife's name, "Maria"; with this boat, he opened scheduled service between Cochem - Beilstein - Briedern.
In 1934, he purchased the motorized boat "Fortuna," which he used for scheduled service and special trips.
In 1937, Peter Kolb acquired a third flat-keeled motorboat and christened it with his daughter's name, "Brunhilde." This boat was used for special trains of the German Reich Railroad.
In 1945, at the end of World War II, our motorized boats were sunk by the Americans with their machine guns. Peter Kolb and his son Karl Michael were able to provisionally patch up the boats and transfer them to the shipyard in Trier. The boats were repaired there and the motors overhauled.
Also in 1945, reconstruction began after the war, and our boats were used as towboats. We managed to keep up the passenger service.
The French occupation forces confiscated our motorboat "Fortuna" in 1946. With the French name "Fortune," this boat was used as a cruise ship during the dedication of the Moselle bridge in Treis-Karden.
The resumption of passenger service beginning in 1950 was very difficult for Peter Kolb and his son because an upswing in tourism occurred only gradually. The tourists returned not least because several well-received movies were filmed on the Moselle.
From 1958 to 1964, the Moselle was channeled for large freight ships. During this period as well, we were underway with our ships as towboats. Two additional towboats were acquired at this time, the "MS Nikolaus" and the "MS Bebbi."
After the work to canalize the Moselle was completed, our boats were no longer suited for passenger service. Nevertheless, we operated scheduled service with two rented passenger ships from Cochem-Beilstein, and Traben-Trarbach-Bernkastel.
To satisfy increasing passenger demands, two new passenger ships were put into service in 1966 and 1967. The first ship was christened with the name of the town "Traben-Trarbach"; the second ship was christened "Maria von Beilstein."
Karl Michael also married: he and his wife Johanna, née Klingenhäger, had six sons (Siegfried, Josef, Rudolf, Nikolaus, Martin, and Matthias) as well as three daughters (Maria, Mechthild, and Franziska), all of whom assisted in the family operation.
To create a living of their own for the children, the family acquired additional passenger ships in the following years. In 1975, the passenger ship "Moselland" (formerly "Neckarperle") was added and in 1976 the passenger ship "Stadt Zell" (formerly "Filia Rheni").
In 1979, Karl Michael Kolb leased the family business at age 65 to the Kolb Brothers, but continued to ride on the ship until he died on May 2, 1966. In 1980, first a Trier excursion company with the ship "Zurlauben" was purchased, and, then in the summer of 1980, another ship, named "Sankt Michael."
A completely new passenger ship was put into operation in 1986; the "Wappen von Cochem" became the flagship of the Kolb Brothers Passenger Ship Service
The next years saw a rapid expansion of the company: just a year after the "Wappen von Cochem," the "Wappen von Bernkastel" was added. From then on, a used passenger ship was acquired annually, in 1988, the "Luxemburg" (rechristened in 2001 with the name "Eurostrand"), 1989 the "Stadt Bonn," 1990 the "Mosella," 1991 the "Wappen von Trier"; 1992 the "Romantica" followed and 1993 the "Gräfin Loretta." An additional passenger ship, the "Theodor Heuss" came two years later, bought in 1995.
On May 2, 1996, the senior and head of the business, Karl Michael Kolb, passed away.
Since the season of 1999, the Cochem excursion company Rudolf Botsch, Ltd. has belonged to the Kolb Brothers' fleet, adding its two ships "Undine" and "Undine II".
In 2001, the Kolb Brothers Passenger Ship Service Partnership was able to look back on 80 successful years. Agencies are located in Cochem, Beilstein, Alf, Zell, Traben-Trarbach, Kröv, Bernkastel, and in Trier. The schedule offers Moselle excursions, excursions through the locks, half-day and day excursions, for example, to Cochem or Traben-Trarbach and Trier or Bernkastel.
The "Undine" was rechristened to "Kloster Machern" in May 2007.
Today, our company comprises 16 passenger ships as well as the Beilstein car ferry "St. Josef," which is only leased. Thus the Kolb company is the largest German private enterprise of its kind.
May this company continue to be as successful as it has been thus far.
And, finally, it remains only to be said:
"MAY GOD BE WITH US" and "BON VOYAGE"
PERSONENSCHIFFFAHRT GEBR. KOLB oHG
Brunnenstraße 4, 56820 Briedern / Mosel
In 1921, Peter Kolb became independent and acquired a small, river-worthy motor boat.
This boat was christened with his wife's name, "Maria"; with this boat, he opened scheduled service between Cochem - Beilstein - Briedern.
In 1934, he purchased the motorized boat "Fortuna," which he used for scheduled service and special trips.
In 1937, Peter Kolb acquired a third flat-keeled motorboat and christened it with his daughter's name, "Brunhilde." This boat was used for special trains of the German Reich Railroad.
In 1945, at the end of World War II, our motorized boats were sunk by the Americans with their machine guns. Peter Kolb and his son Karl Michael were able to provisionally patch up the boats and transfer them to the shipyard in Trier. The boats were repaired there and the motors overhauled.
Also in 1945, reconstruction began after the war, and our boats were used as towboats. We managed to keep up the passenger service.
The French occupation forces confiscated our motorboat "Fortuna" in 1946. With the French name "Fortune," this boat was used as a cruise ship during the dedication of the Moselle bridge in Treis-Karden.
The resumption of passenger service beginning in 1950 was very difficult for Peter Kolb and his son because an upswing in tourism occurred only gradually. The tourists returned not least because several well-received movies were filmed on the Moselle.
From 1958 to 1964, the Moselle was channeled for large freight ships. During this period as well, we were underway with our ships as towboats. Two additional towboats were acquired at this time, the "MS Nikolaus" and the "MS Bebbi."
After the work to canalize the Moselle was completed, our boats were no longer suited for passenger service. Nevertheless, we operated scheduled service with two rented passenger ships from Cochem-Beilstein, and Traben-Trarbach-Bernkastel.
To satisfy increasing passenger demands, two new passenger ships were put into service in 1966 and 1967. The first ship was christened with the name of the town "Traben-Trarbach"; the second ship was christened "Maria von Beilstein."
Karl Michael also married: he and his wife Johanna, née Klingenhäger, had six sons (Siegfried, Josef, Rudolf, Nikolaus, Martin, and Matthias) as well as three daughters (Maria, Mechthild, and Franziska), all of whom assisted in the family operation.
To create a living of their own for the children, the family acquired additional passenger ships in the following years. In 1975, the passenger ship "Moselland" (formerly "Neckarperle") was added and in 1976 the passenger ship "Stadt Zell" (formerly "Filia Rheni").
In 1979, Karl Michael Kolb leased the family business at age 65 to the Kolb Brothers, but continued to ride on the ship until he died on May 2, 1966. In 1980, first a Trier excursion company with the ship "Zurlauben" was purchased, and, then in the summer of 1980, another ship, named "Sankt Michael."
A completely new passenger ship was put into operation in 1986; the "Wappen von Cochem" became the flagship of the Kolb Brothers Passenger Ship Service
The next years saw a rapid expansion of the company: just a year after the "Wappen von Cochem," the "Wappen von Bernkastel" was added. From then on, a used passenger ship was acquired annually, in 1988, the "Luxemburg" (rechristened in 2001 with the name "Eurostrand"), 1989 the "Stadt Bonn," 1990 the "Mosella," 1991 the "Wappen von Trier"; 1992 the "Romantica" followed and 1993 the "Gräfin Loretta." An additional passenger ship, the "Theodor Heuss" came two years later, bought in 1995.
On May 2, 1996, the senior and head of the business, Karl Michael Kolb, passed away.
Since the season of 1999, the Cochem excursion company Rudolf Botsch, Ltd. has belonged to the Kolb Brothers' fleet, adding its two ships "Undine" and "Undine II".
In 2001, the Kolb Brothers Passenger Ship Service Partnership was able to look back on 80 successful years. Agencies are located in Cochem, Beilstein, Alf, Zell, Traben-Trarbach, Kröv, Bernkastel, and in Trier. The schedule offers Moselle excursions, excursions through the locks, half-day and day excursions, for example, to Cochem or Traben-Trarbach and Trier or Bernkastel.
The "Undine" was rechristened to "Kloster Machern" in May 2007.
Today, our company comprises 16 passenger ships as well as the Beilstein car ferry "St. Josef," which is only leased. Thus the Kolb company is the largest German private enterprise of its kind.
May this company continue to be as successful as it has been thus far.
And, finally, it remains only to be said:
"MAY GOD BE WITH US" and "BON VOYAGE"
PERSONENSCHIFFFAHRT GEBR. KOLB oHG
Brunnenstraße 4, 56820 Briedern / Mosel
Company History
