Deutsche Seemannsmission

The German Seamen's Mission (German: Deutsche Seemannsmission, DSM) is a Protestant organization centered in Germany that provides pastoral and social welfare services to commercial seafarers. It operates seafarers' centers in Germany and internationally, with full-time and voluntary workers. The Mission's offices are in Hamburg.^[1]

It is a member of the International Christian Maritime Association.^[2] As a Christian organization, it sees its work as the extension of neighborly love to seafarers regardless of religion and culture.^[3] The German Seamen's Mission defines its mission as "support of seafarers' dignity" and its goal as the improvement of seafarers' living and working conditions.^[3]

In response to COVID-19, the DSM was actively involved in advocating for^[4] and providing^[5][6] seafarer vaccinations and shore leave.^[7]

Ports with German Seamen's Mission Presence

In Germany

• Hamburg (the Duckdalben International Seamen's Club)^[1][8]
• Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein^[9]
• Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony^[4]
• Sassnitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern^[10][11]
• Glückstadt, Schleswig-Holstein^[12]

International

• Douala, Cameroon^[13]
• Singapore, in partnership with the International Lutheran Seafarers' Mission^[14][15]

Literature

• Reinhard Freese: Geschichte der Deutschen Seemannsmission. Bielefeld 1991. ISBN 978-3-7858-0339-4
• F. M. Harms: Die Geschichte der deutschen evangelischen Seemannsmission. Stettin 1909.
• W. Thun: Werden und Wachsen der Deutschen Evangelischen Seemannsmission. Bremen/Hamburg 1959. (Online)