Bremer Vulkan

Infobox Defunct Company
company_name = Bremer Vulkan AG
company_
fate = Bankrupt
successor =
foundation = 1893
defunct = 1996
location = Bremen-Vegesack, Germany
industry = Shipbuilding
key_people =
products =
num_employees = ~22,000
parent =
subsid =

Bremer Vulkan was a German shipbuilding company, located in Bremen-Vegesack. It was founded in 1893 when a group of investors bought an old shipyard that Johann Lange had opened on September 21, 1805.

Bremer Vulkan made a few U-boats under a licence from the Germaniawerft in Kiel. However, it is better know for constructing the second ship to raise a submarine, SMS "Cyclop". Originally the ship was planned to be built at the Kaiserliche Werft at Danzig.

During World War I Bremer Vulkan constructed 8 Mittel U U-boats for the [Kaiserliche Marine] . Later, in World War II, 74 different VII U-boats were constructed for the Kriegsmarine.

Bremer Vulkan built both passenger and cargo ships, tankers, Fishing vessels, container ships, submarines and other naval ships. In the 1980s it was one of the largest shipyards in Germany.

In the mid 1990s Bremer Vulkan faced serious financial difficulties and went bankrupt in 1996, finally closing the shipyard in 1997. At that time Bremer Vulkan was the largest shipyard employer in Germany, with over 22,000 workers and the demise was a traumatic event. The refusal of creditors and the government to bail out the firm caused mass demonstrations and violent protests.

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