About 3,600 shipbrokers, agents, bankers, lawyers and others celebrated the 70th Eisbeinessen pork knuckle feast in style, with near-neighbour Austria this year’s partner country.
The Hamburg and Bremen Shipbrokers’ Association event — held every year since 1948 on the first Friday in November — saw plenty of schnapps and lager flowing as guests from around the world gathered at the Hamburg Messe.
It was the first Eisbeinessen since the merger of the Hamburg and Bremen associations.
Chairman of the association Christian Koopmann referred to the close links between Austria and Hamburg, including Austria being the first country to open diplomatic representation in 1570.
He also mentioned how the Austrian government assisted Hamburg as long ago as the 1857 financial crisis by providing a silver bond totalling 10 million “Bancomark”.
Among the guests at Eisbeinessen were Dr Peter Tschentscher, educated as a medical doctor and molecular biologist, who was elected mayor of Hamburg last March after his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, became vice chancellor of Germany
Andreas Stepan, chairman of Verein der Osterreichischen Schiffsagenten, which promotes the interests of shipbrokers and agents in Austria, highlighted that with 80 block trains each week in and out of Austria, Hamburg was his landlocked country’s most important port.
Celebrations
Among the guests at Eisbeinessen were Dr Peter Tschentscher, educated as a medical doctor and molecular biologist, who was elected mayor of Hamburg last March after his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, became vice chancellor of Germany.
Although numbers attending Eisbeinessen are below the peak of about 5,000 in 2010 — a reflection of various factors including the volatile freight markets — it remains one of the largest maritime gatherings in the world.
Partner countries in recent years have included Canada, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark and Sweden. Prior to the dinner, a reception was held in Hamburg’s Chamber of Commerce in honour of Austria.
