Augspurg, Victor Hugo

Name:  Augspurg Victor Hugo

Born:  30 September 1891 in Amsterdam,

NO PHOTO YET.

DEAR READER CAN ANYBODY HELP ME WITH SOME FAMILY PHOTOS AND INFORMATION OF WHAT HE DID AFTER HE LEFT THE COMPANY IN 1929.  IF SO PLEASE CONTACT ME AT CaptAlbert1@aol.com.

Editor:

Thus far this is the most mysterious captain of whom I try to unravel the history.  We have his career listing as found in the archives but no personal information. He was made redundant in 1931 together with some other captains due to the depression.

Comparing his career with his peers from the same year of joining the company, he made captain about 6 years later than the others, most likely due to the frequent recalls to the Royal Netherlands Navy. Which he must have liked as he remained a Dutch RNR until 1938.

This is what I know thus far, (a)

As the name indicates the family came from Germany. The first time we know about them is in 1902 when on 23 Aug. 1902 a law is proposed to grant citizenship for the father: Mr. V.J.C Augspurg, together with 10 others. In those days the Dutch parliament had to pass a law each time foreigners wanted to become Dutch.

The father is noted in the application as a merchant in Amsterdam.  The Queen’s consent to the law is given on 12 Jan. 1903 whereby Victor Julius Carl Augspurg has been granted the Dutch Nationality which then automatically included the whole family. It further on states that he was born on 23 Jan. 1856 in Buckowine in Prussia/ Selesia. (Father August Augspurg, teacher ,and Ida Vogt living at Mei in Selesia, Germany.)

Auspurg is the Latin variation for city of Augsburg in Germany but we do not know why his family had taken that name.

Father married on 30 January 1890 in Amsterdam Miss Catharina Margaretha Geertruida de Vries  (03 Feb 1860 –  01 Aug. 1928). She was born in Amsterdam and thus most likely the reason why Augspurg Sr. ended up in Amsterdam and stayed there,

It seems that there were at least 4 children:

H.H Augspurg (who also went to sea but with the Netherland Line and later settled in San Francisco after having married an A. MacCormack)

V.A Augspurg (our captain) born in Amsterdam on 30 Sept. 1891.

Th. Augspurg (who also went into the cigar and cigarette business)

I. Augspurg (daughter who went into teaching and ended up with a PHD in Dutch Literature)

The father showed up on a regular basis in the local newspapers as he settled down in Amsterdam as a Cigar and Cigarette seller and became very active in the local chapter of the Association of Tobacco shop owners.

In Dec. 1900 he published a handbook for shop owners that provided them with complete information and systems to keep their shops operating and how to handle the book keeping. He was instrumental in donating tobacco to the un-employed.

In 1904 he was listed as the chairman of the local section of the National Retail Organization and he seemed to remained being the chairman until at least 1919.

His shop was located in the Ferdinand Bolstraat at nbr. 134 near the Ceintuurbaan where in Jan. 1909 he is connected to a telephone (nbr. 9000). Which was quite advanced for a shop owner in those days. The Ferdinand Bol straat was and is a busy shopping street in Amsterdam and at this number there is still a shop.

In 1906 a Law on the opening times of the shops was debated in the Dutch Parliament in The Hague and Mr. Augspurg Sr. was very active in lobbying the local politicians to get the law phrased in such a way that it met the needs of the shop keepers. The law was passed but some shops ignored the ruling and the protests continued. Around the same time there was the problem that some less savoury elements in the Amsterdam society use cigar shops as a front for prostitution. Again Mr. Augspurg was on the barricades to deal with this.

In 1908 he was on a committee to honour Rembrandt (the painter) with a celebratory procession and other festivities. The parade took place but it is interesting to note that the opponents of the plans used his German background as a reason to stop the plans.  They did not succeed in the slightest.

Mr. Augspurg Sr. passed away on 04 May 1915 in Amsterdam at the age of 69, lastly known to have lived at the Overtoom 550.

20 Feb. 1920 a Th. Augspurg travelling salesman in cigarettes (Ceintuurbaan 80) was declared bankcrupt. (ED: I think this is one of the brothers of Auspurg Sr.)  He moved later to Assendelft and had two daughters.

We do not know why the other two brothers choose for the sea. Because they wanted to or because of economic necessity but in the newspaper an interesting advertisement showed up which might provide a clue:

06 May 1911 advertisement in the local Dutch newspaper: Which notary public, orphanage or inheritance POA is looking for inheritors of the ship’s Captain Johann Wilhelm Molch born in Germany and passed away in the Netherlands between 1860 and 1870. Please send answer to V. Augspurg Amsterdam.

So there must have been some “salt blood” in the direct family or close relations, otherwise why would the father deal with the inheritance.

Brother H H Augspurg:

01 Jul. 1907 finished secondary school

14 Jul. 1907 Enters the Maritime academy in Amsterdam together with his brother V.H

23 De.c 1909 Cadet officer on board ss Koning Willem II  and was part of a note of protest discussed during a  Dutch Board of Inquiry in Amsterdam.

07 Feb. 1912 passed the exam for 3^rd mate.

In the announcement of his father’s death he is listed as living in San Francisco.

Sister Ida Augspurg

Born 18 Jul. 1890 at Amsterdam passed away 10 April 1988 at Utrecht listed as Doctor Ida A.

18 Jul. 1907 Passed admittance exam for University on 18 July 1907 for Literature

29 May 1911 Passed first stage exam at university

17 Jun. 1915 Passed doctors exam in Dutch literature at the University of Amsterdam Cum Laude

Finished working at the national middle school in Coevorden on 01 Sept. 1921 and took a job as teacher in the Dutch language on 25 Sep. at the HBS for ladies in Rotterdam. Passed away on 10 April 1988.

(ED: The announcement of her passing was put in the newspapers by her two nieces so I think that she never married)

V.H Augspurg:

He joined the Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart in Amsterdam on 27 August 1906 and the profession of his father is then noted as Travelling Salesman living at the Ferdinand Bolstraat 134 in Amsterdam (b) In the school records it is noted that on 13 July 1907 he received a 2nd prize for (ED: we assume) a thesis about Natley, the rise of the Dutch Republic”.

On 14 July 1907 he goes to the 2^nd class  Kweekschool  (The later Captain CHP Coster is in 3^rd class) and his brother H.H. Augspurg joined him there as he came with a higher secondary school grade into the school (In this class was J, Munnik, also a later HAL Captain)

On 19 July 1909 he passed final school exam together with J. Munnik and is placed as cadet with the Holland America Line in November 1909 on board the ss Soestijk (I). He returned to school on 23 December 1909 with a very good sea-going attest.

On the 08th. of  February 1911 he passed his 3^rd mates exam and is honourably dismissed from the Academy on 10 October 1911, being noted for having a good attest for skills, good behaviour and  a good attest from his cadet year.

Apart from re-joining the Holland America Line he his also called up for duty with the Royal Netherlands Navy on 09 March 1911 and was assigned to the “torpedo group”. However due to being at sea, his actual serving time was postponed 3 times in a row until appointed Ensign. (e)

His Netherlands Royal Navy Career:

27 Jun. 1923 Approved by Royal Consent for admittance as Netherlands Royal Navy Officer. Appointed confirmed on 01 July 1913 and called up for duty on 12 Dec. 1913. Appointed Ensign extraordinaire 2^nd class effective 2 Jan. 14 and placed on board HMS Atjeh.  (In the same announcement, CHP Coster is dismissed for leave for HMS Atjeh)

10 Jul. 1914 Passed 2^nd mate exam (Together with the later Captain PHG Verhoog while the later captain    C van Beek passes the first mate exam)

01 Jul. 1915 Promoted to Ensign extraordinaire First class.

03 Jun. 1917 Place on board HMS Brinio

11 Sep. 1920 Passed exam for First Mate

04 Oct. 1920 Promoted to Lieutenant 2^nd class KNMR

29 Jun. 1925 Placed on board HMS Gelderland as 2^nd lieutenant

07 Jun. 1928 Placed at Station Willemsoord

01 Jul. 1928 Transferred from Station Willemsoord to HMS Hertog Hendrik

30 Sep. 1928 End of training period on HMS Gelderland and placed on indefinite leave with an honory discharge and promotion to Lieutenant First Class on 15 Jan. 1929

23 Feb. 1932 Stationed at The Hague to follow a course at the Army School

28 Sep. 1938 retired from the Dutch Royal Navy with full honours.

His Holland America Line career:

He joined HAL on 15 November 1909 and was assigned to the ss Soestdijk (I) the first cargo ship of the company built in 1900. Halfway through his cadet ship he is transferred to the ss Rijndam (I) which 18 years later will also be the first ship he is captain on.

After passing his 3rd Mate’s license he rejoined the company and was assigned the the ss Rotterdam (IV) the flagship of the company which had come into service in 1908. Then he  sailed on a large number of different ships with a large number of recalls to the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Promoted in 1914 to 2nd officer she sailed for a period on the ss nieuw Amsterdam (I) the 2nd important passengership in the HAL fleet. This was in line with the company’s promotion system from youngest in rank/ smallest ship up to oldest in rank sailing on a Senior ship. When he was promoted to 1st Officer / Chief Officer  he was assigned to the ss Sommelsdijk (II) one of the older cargo ships.

He remained on the cargo ships until 02 October 1928 when he was suddenly assigned to the ss Rijndam (I). After  3 months he was promoted to captain on 01 January 1929. This was a most peculair situation for the HAL as normally only Sr. Captains were assigned to the passengerships regardless of how old the ships might have been.

Bur for some reason the company decided to veer away from this system and after November 1928 the ship did not have a regular captain anymore. Instead several Sr. Chief Officers and Jr. Captains made a voyage with her. So also Victor Augspurg who was in command during voyage 203. Departing from Rotterdam on 02 January 1929 and after calling at Boulogne Sur Mer sailing to New York and from there the same way back again. Arriving in Rotterdam on 30 January 1929. The ship went for scrap near the end of May 1929 after having made 4 more voyages with 4 different captains in command.

And then the company records stop. Also he did not surface anywhere in any newspaper records.  Captain Augspurg was just turning 30 years old, had  not had any issues (at least not any reported ones) that might have blemished his career but nor further information has been traced..

At the moment we assume, subject to verification that he was dismissed from Holland America due to the depression. It was the companys policy to purge from each rank first those who were not married, then if needed more, those who did not have children. As far as is known Captain Augspurg was not married so he might have been one of several captains who in the period 1930 – 1931 were discharged.  Maybe he returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy, maybe he did something else.

There is a “Council Registration card” in the City Archives of Rotterdam which indicated that he came to Rotterdam on 13 January 1919 with no registered address apart from the HAL head office on the Wilhelminakade.  The same card gave as final information that he left Rotterdam on 12 November 1924 and moved to Germany. (Witha scripted note: Oels in Schlesien Parkshasse 10) Did he return to Germany because there was no work in the Netherlands ? But this would be strange as he did not retire from the Royal Netherlands Navy until 1938.

Sailing List: (c)

Date:                    Function:                            Ship:                                    Wages and/or remarks.  (c)

15 Nov. 1909       Cadet                               Soestdyk                             Fl 10,–

23 Feb. 1910       Cadet                                Rijndam               Fl 10,–

20 Jul. 1910         Cadet                               Nieuw Amsterdam           Fl 15,–

13 Dec. 1910      Temporary dismissed for study

27 Feb. 1911       4^th. Officer                         Rotterdam                         Fl 30,–

01 Mar. 1912      4^th. Officer                         Rotterdam                         Fl 40,–

13 Oct. 1912       Hospitalized in New York having contracted scarlet fever. Dismissed from there on 26    Nov. 1912 and returns home per ss Rotterdam

13 Dec. 1912      3^rd. Officer                         Sommelsdijk                      Fl 60,–

20 Nov. 1913      3^rd. Officer                         Nieuw Amsterdam           Fl. 70.—

25 Dec. 1913      Temporary dismissed to join Royal Netherlands Navy Reserves

10 Jun. 1914       Passed 2^nd Mates exam

22 Jun. 1914       2^nd. Officer                          Nieuw Amsterdam           Fl 100,–

01 Aug. 1914      Temporary dismissed due to the mobilization of the country

11 Sep. 1916       2^nd. Officer                          Maasdijk                             Fl 130,–

22 May. 1917     Temporary dismissed due to the mobilization of the country

01 Jan. 1919       2^nd. Officer                          Rotterdam                         Fl. 130,–

05 Sep. 1919       2^nd. Officer                          Nieuw Amsterdam           Fl. 215,–

22 Mar. 1920      Ashore to study for first Mates ticket passed exam Sept. 1920

01 Oct. 1920       1^st. Officer                           Sommelsdijk                      Fl 320,–

27 Feb. 1922       Temporary ashore for Royal Navy Reserve

08 Nov. 1922      1^st. Officer                           Andijk                                  Fl 285,–  (ashore 25 july 1924)

14 Aug. 1924      1^st. Officer                           Dinteldijk                            Fl 285,– (ashore 15 May 1925)

01 Jul. 1925         temporary ashore for the Royal Netherlands Navy Reserve

01 Oct. 1925       1^st. Officer                          Maasdijk                             Fl 290,–  (ashore 25 Mar. 1926)

24 Apr. 1926       1^st. Officer                          Stadsdijk                             Fl. 290,–

03 May 1926       1^st. Officer                          Eemdijk                               Fl 290,–

01 Oct. 1925       Pay raise                                                                                Fl. 295,–

01 Apr. 1927       Pay raise                                                                                 Fl. 305,–

12 May. 1927     1^st. Officer                           Ashore                                   Fl. 305,–

17 Jun. 1927       1^st. Officer                           Dinteldijk                            Fl. 305,– (ashore 03 jun. 1928)

07 jun. 1828        To the Netherlands Royal Navy Reserve. Returns on 08 Sep. 1928

02 Oct. 1928       1st. Officer                         Rijndam                                Fl 305,–

01 Jan. 1929       Captain                                 Rijndam                               Fl 560,–

30 Jan. 1929                                                    end of records

Sources:

(a) Various Dutch Newspapers as accessed by the Search engine Delpher.

(b) Comportementsboeken Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart as held by the Archives of the city of Amsterdam

(c) Stamboek Personnel records of the Holland America Line archives as held by the Municipal Archives of the city of Rotterdam

(d) Photos. Captain Alberts Collection.

(e) Militairy records as held by the Archives of the City of Rotterdam.

Last updated: 23 November 2025