Der CLUB
Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club, also known as Der CLUB for short, is not only one of the oldest sports clubs in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, but also one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world.
The practice of a technically demanding sport on Hamburg’s inland waterways in connection with a cultural CLUB life is the aim of the CLUB.
The good mixture between old and young, including the school and youth rowing, as well as rowing at all levels are the basis for the solidarity of the members and the social and professional networking among each other. The high rowing-minded approach of some members has resulted in lasting sporting success since the foundation – Olympic gold and further participation in the Games, numerous world and European championship titles as well as victories at German championships and championships in other countries.
Professional trainers, a dedicated committee and numerous highly motivated members make the CLUB successful and unique.
History & Legacy
As one of the oldest sports clubs in the Hanseatic city, the CLUB has always maintained its tradition of promoting and developing rowing and being committed to competitive sport. This long tradition makes us proud, but even more so for the club members it is an obligation for the future.
The CLUB is the oldest rowing club in the world founded outside England and one of the largest in Germany after four first foundations in England, of which the Leander Club in Henley, England, is the most important.
Opening Hours of the Bar
Monday – Friday: 17:00 – 23:00
Teusday: 7:30 – 9:30 Breakfast
Companionship
Rowing has been the primary reason for almost all CLUB members to join the Der Hamburger and Germania Ruder Club. Besides the training conditions, the social aspect is certainly another reason for many to choose the CLUB:
It brings together personalities of all ages and from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. You will find not only the law student, but also the classic Hanseatic shipping merchant, the doctor, the employee, the management consultant or the master craftsman. The talks that follow the training at the bar will be continued at the numerous cultural events. These include celebrations, lectures and much more. The fact that the CLUB tie is often worn with the dark jacket is not perceived by the members as a constraint.
No wonder that many personal connections and sometimes very good friendships are developing, whose bonds still hold even when one or the other has been drawn into the distance for training or professional reasons. The connection to the CLUB and its members remains usually also with the foreign members. Each foreign member is welcomed amicably in the boathouse, as soon as also only one short attendance takes place in the rowing homeland.
Leitmotif
The CLUB combines challenging rowing in all its diversity with attractive social activities while maintaining and developing its traditions.
The CLUB is an intergenerational community that creates lifelong bonds. Personal commitment of the members, solidarity and fairness form the basis for this.
This Leitmotif was unanimously adopted by the Annual General Meeting in 2006.
Professional Sport
The CLUB is primarily defined by professional sports.
When the CLUB was founded in 1836, one of its main goals was sports competition. The CLUB traditionally benefits from successful racing rowers to world champions and Olympic participants. This creates role models that motivate young people to row and train. This is the basis for the healthy existence of the CLUB also in the future. Sporting success also attracts seasoned rowers to the CLUB, who are coming to Hamburg for the first time. One example of this is the very successful participation of the CLUB in the newly created German Rowing League (RBL) in 2009. Successful racing rowers hardly have to think about where to find their rowing home when they move to Hamburg. According to the motto “Nothing is more successful than success”.
Consequently, everything is done to train and promote young rowers. This is guaranteed by dedicated trainers, supervisors and trainers.
Recreational Sport
Rowing as a recreational sport is actively practiced in the CLUB.
Ideally, the former competitive rowers will remain dedicated to competitive sport and occasionally continue to participate in regattas, which are announced for all age groups, performance classes and distances when rowing. Very often these athletes stay at the CLUB and practice rowing there into old age.
A large number of other members of all ages, spread over different groups with different performance ambitions, are active in sport at the CLUB and row regularly with passion. “Sideline beginners” are actively integrated after they have completed a good rowing training as beginners in the CLUB or found their way into the CLUB as an external.
Furthermore, hiking rowing is one of the sporting activities. Members of the CLUB were among the pioneers of this special rowing experience at the beginning of the 20th century. Rowers of the CLUB can be found all over the world – in Germany, all over Europe and even overseas, e.g. around New York.
Youth Empowerment
The fostering of youth and the formation of a community of generations has always attracted special attention in the CLUB.
This high value was underlined by the CLUB in the founding period of the German Rowing Youth through the relative independence of its own youth department (JA). The YES has its own statutes, its members elect its own board, which represents their interests – also in the CLUB board – and manages the budget decided by the annual general meeting of the CLUB also as far as possible independently. Even in this way, children’s and young people’s suggestions and wishes can often be implemented quickly.
As one of the first rowing clubs ever, the CLUB developed and built appropriate, child-friendly boats for children and young people in order to meet the sporting requirements of the new generation.
The CLUB traditionally attaches great importance to a modern and very well maintained boat park, from the race eight to the beginner’s one. Of course, top athletes need first-class boat material at the highest level. But also amateur sportsmen of all characteristics should enjoy perfect, well maintained material – racing boat, gig boat and hiking boat. As one of the first rowing clubs, the CLUB developed and built boats suitable for children and young people. Meanwhile boatyards have taken over the further development, so that the appropriate boat material is also available for the training of the new generation.
CLUB Life
Not all members of the CLUB are still very active in sports, but they remain members, because they cultivate friendships in the CLUB and also take part in interesting cultural and social events. These include traditional evening events as well as the “family celebrations” associated with rowing and the Club’s internal regatta. The CLUB invites well-known personalities from politics, culture and sport to lectures, organises book presentations, concerts, summer festivals and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The focus for personal exchange is the bar in the boathouse. Here we meet in the evening for a chat, but also for breakfast after the morning rowing. CLUB members can also use the bar during the opening hours of the catering trade for business or personal meetings with external parties.
Foundation
The aim of the Club Foundation is to support rowing in Hamburg and in particular to safeguard and promote the continued existence and development of the Der Hamburger and Germania Ruder Club.
In addition to the maintenance of the boathouse and its furnishings, the CLUB must also ensure that the boat park is suitable for sports and members. Here, the commitment in competitive sports should be promoted as well as the possibilities of mass rowing sports for young and old. The CLUB Foundation makes a financial contribution for these tasks.
Sustainability
The Club-Stiftung im Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club was founded in 2000 with a capital of 135,000 DM with the aim of securing long-term funds for the CLUB and rowing in Hamburg. Today it is considerably enlarged by endowments. But it must continue to grow in order to fulfil its purposes.
Contributions to the foundation can be made directly for the purpose of the foundation on the one hand and by adding to the capital on the other. The purpose of the foundation is financed from investment income, i.e. the CLUB budget. Such donations are not only helpful for the CLUB, they also convey the awareness of doing a good work for a good cause in the community.
The CLUB Foundation is recognized as a non-profit organization. Grants are therefore not burdened by taxes. Thus members and friends, for whom the CLUB has meant a lot in their lives, can do much good with testamentary donations.
The assets of the Foundation are administered by the Board of Trustees, to which no members of the Board of Directors of the CLUB may belong. This guarantees an independent guarantee of the capital for the purpose of the foundation. The members of the Board of Trustees are always willing to provide information and advice on funding opportunities.
Foundation council
Jürgen Warner (Vorsitzender)
Holger Dressler (stellv. Vorsitzender)
Jost Plesse
Bastian Seibt
Christoph Wegner
Boathaouse
The hub of CLUB life is the boathouse on the western bank of the Außenalster in the heart of Hamburg.
On the ground floor are the boat halls, sports and changing rooms. The upper floor accommodates generous social rooms including a terrace with an unobstructed view over the Alster and a bar, the “living room” of the CLUB. In addition to CLUB events, the social rooms also regularly host private festive events for CLUB members.
Our tenant and gastronomy partner “Nord Event” provides for the physical well-being of the members after rowing in the morning and evening as well as at festivities with its excellent quality of food, drinks and service.
Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club von 1836
Alsterufer 21
20354 Hamburg
040 44 87 94