The Berta von Lassan is one of the older traditional sailing ships still sailing on the Baltic Sea and an impressive example of maritime craftsmanship. Built in 1910 at the Junge shipyard in Wewelsfleth on the Unterelbe, it was the only ship from this yard specially built for the shallow waters of the Haffe and Bodden in Pomerania.
Because the ship was not restricted by lock or bridge dimensions, it was built with a clipper bow and a pronounced sailing ship stern.
As a so-called Besanewer with a flat keel and a two-masted rig of the ketch type, it was perfectly suited for coastal shipping on the North and Baltic Seas. Notably, the Berta sailed for nearly half a century without an engine – a rarity even for that time.
With a ship length of 18.30 meters (24 meters including the jib boom), a width of 4.60 meters, and a sail area of approximately 147.50 square meters, she is among the larger ships in her class. Thanks to her shallow draft of only 1.10 meters, she can also navigate shallow waters—such as the Bodden area near Greifswald, the Barther Bodden, and the Achterwasser.
After years of neglect in the former East Germany, during which she lay ashore as a wreck and was about to be scrapped, a new chapter began in 1985: Captain Jörg Friedrich from Leipzig bought the Berta and restored her over fourteen years with great dedication and expertise.
In 1993, the Berta returned to the water—not as a cargo ship, but as a traditional sailing vessel. The completion of the rigging (masts and sails) was only finalized in 1999.
Today, the Berta von Lassan sails regularly on the Baltic Sea and participates in maritime events such as the Hanse Sail in Rostock and the Rum Regatta in Flensburg. Multi-day voyages are also regularly offered.
The Berta represents a way of sailing as it once was – calm, powerful, and crafted by hand. She connects a distant past with the present and shows that preserving maritime traditions doesn’t have to be a dusty affair, but can be lively and meaningful.
Book your adventurous and exciting journey on the Berta von Lassan here and learn more about the ship.
