Helling GmbH: 150 years of Hanseatic trading tradition

摘要

On 13 November 1863, in Hamburg, Germany, Carl Georg Helling founded a trading company after signing his constitutional oath on the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg, thus becoming a citizen (see accompanying picture). At that time, there was no port in Hamburg. The first one, named 'Sandtorhafen', came into operation in 1866. The sailing ships arriving in Hamburg had to anchor in the roadstead, the so-called 'Vorsetzen', and it was here that the young Carl Georg Helling, just 25 years old, established his depot for sailcloth. Apart from his expertise, all he had was a 1,000 Deutschmark loan from his father, which he had to pay back at 4% interest. He acquired his articles from the company 'Mechanical Weaving Mill Helling Burghozhausen' in North Rhine Westphalia; this excellent quality cloth achieved a medal at the World Exhibition of 1862, in London.