Beckett in Hamburg - 2nd October 1936

Friday, 2nd October 1936

Arrival. First Walks.

On 29th September 1936, Samuel Beckett sets out on his travels to Germany*, leaving the Southern-Irish harbour of Cóbh aboard the US passenger liner Washington, arriving in Hamburg at dusk on 2nd October. Initially, he resides at the Hotel Lloyd at Steintorwall, directly opposite the central station.

*Samuel Beckett spent nine weeks in Hamburg – from 2nd October to 4th December 1936. He visited a further 18 cities before leaving Germany on 1st April 1937 by plane from Munich. His plans of returning to Hamburg once more were never put into practise.


Hotel Lloyd		Inner Alster Lake

Central station

Landungsbrücken
(Landing Bridges)



View of town hall		Reeperbahn

Washington, United State Lines:
24,289 GRT, 214x26m Passengers:
580 cabin class, 400 tourist class

Bus to Hauptbahnhof... Wandered round by Binnenalster, Lombardsbrücke, Jungfernstieg, Adolf Hitler Platz (once Rathsmarkt)... Alsterdamm, Glockengiesserwall, Steintorwall (where hotel is) & Mönckebergstraße...
The 2 Alsters are lovely... Reeperbahn extraordinary, long boulevard running west... A rise of Montparnasse to nth.

Tried Fremdenverkehrsverein in Hbf. for a family. They had nothing but Pensions & advised me to look in Fremdenblatt...