2 Frédéric Mistral

Unmittelbar donauaufwärts von der buddhistischen Pagode liegt die "Frédéric Mistral" am Donauufer verankert. Es ist dies ein Museumsschiff mit einer über 100 jährigen Geschichte. Das Schiff wurde 1912 gebaut und diente auf der Donau, zum Teil auch für Inspektionsfahrten von Kaiser Franz Josef, wovon auch ein Kaisersalon zeugt. Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg beschlagnahmten es die Franzosen im Zuge der Reparationszahlungen und es stand in Rumänien im Dienste der französischen Donauschifffahrtsgesellschaft (Société Française de Navigation Danubienne SFND) und erhielt den Namen "Frédéric Mistral" nach dem provenzalischen Dichter Mistral.

Im Zweiten Weltkrieg war es in deutschem Besitz, dann nach Kriegsende wieder unter französischer Leitung in Rumänien, wo es schließlich von Franz Scheriau gekauft wurde und nach Wien geschleppt wurde. Nun liegt es hier als historisches Zeugnis der österreichischen Schifffahrt.



(Anmerkung eines rumänischen Historikers)
The boat has the name of a French poet (born 1830 - deceased 1904), given to it when it was navigating under the French company "SFND - Société Française de Navigation Danubienne" in Paris, which was the oldest company working in Rumenia. It was based in Braila, Rumenia. About 10 to 12 ancient steamboats still navigate the Donau today, based in Giurgiu for the "SH - Service Hydraulique" company. The oldest one is the "Tudor Vladimirescu", a paddle driven passenger steamer, built in 1859. The fact that the Donau is not salty is one of the factors causing their high age. The ohter factor for getting this old is their construction, which is very solid to last a long time and as simple as possible to reduce repairments and exploitation costs to a minimum.
As an example we can mention the rudder system, which functions on a long chain, going all along the sides, from the bridge back to the rudder. If it broke, they only had to repair a chain. In a magazine dating from 1990 the "Mistral" was mentionned still working, having 5 men aboard. Till the 1970's these men had their own lifestock aboard, keeping chickens in a cage suspended on the mast in front of the bridge, and a pig (or maybe some pigs) on the rear deck in a cage behind the towing hook. The pig was for doing business along the Donau. The pictures in the magazine I have are dating from 1985 and when I look at Karl Schmid's photo, there is a real wrecking done the last 13 years. In 1985 the boat looked old, but in rather good shape: not too much maintenance, but it had some paint once and a while.
On the kettle-room still figures the brass plate of the steam engine manufacturer : 
"N.V. MACHINEFABRIEK V/H SCHIPPER & VAN DONGEN" at Geertruidenberg (Holland) Some data of the boat: 26.35m long, 5.40m wide, maximal draught 1.80m, speed 17 knots, 250 horsepower, maximal charge: 37 tons, stoked with oil in 1985, crew 8. Engine: alternative - triple expansion, four bladed screw. The superstructure is all steel, except for the bridge, which is wood.