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# Basler Rheinschiffahrt, Switzerland

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Last modified: 2026-08-21 by martin karner
Keywords: basler rheinschiffahrt | crosier | basel |
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image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 10 April 2006

♦ photos: obverse, reverse (27×18 cm | ricardo.ch)
♦ photo: GMS Basel source
♦ photo (1960s): GMS Axalp source

See also:

- Swiss Maritime Companies
- Switzerland

Basler Rheinschiffahrt is a precursor company referred to Bragtank AG, which flew a similar flag, but with blue stripes.
Jan Mertens, 10 April 2006

The flag shows the black bishop's crozier of Basel Stadt half canton and a small red square in the canton containing the well-known white, couped Swiss cross. On the Binnenvaart site you will find several photos showing that house flag, as well as a drawing:
http://www.debinnenvaart.nl/schependb/inhoud.php?action=tel&id=1309 [photos not archived]
http://www.debinnenvaart.nl/schependb/inhoud.php?action=tel&id=2011 [photos not archived]
http://www.debinnenvaart.nl/schependb/inhoud.php?action=tel&id=2012 [photos not archived] showing the vessels "Zürich", "Uri", and "Unterwalden" respectively.
As to [a part of] the history of this firm, there is the following source (in German), indirectly providing some information [connection with Basler Personenschifffahrt]: http://bpg.ch/index.php?nav=5&thema=geschichte [retrieved].
Brag or BRAG must have existed before 1927 [It was founded on 8.4.1925], as it started a tourist line in direct competition with the Basler Personenschiffahrts- Gesellschaft which had to close down in 1928 (Brag's German-built ships were less costly). In the course of the years, Brag – being essentially a transport firm – invested in tourist shipping but dropped out of this business at being taken over in 1968 (which incidentally resulted in the resurrection of its old rival).
There may well be a connection with Ultra-Brag AG, also established at Basel (second url is English version):
http://www.ultra-brag.ch/ [2006 version]
http://www.ultra-brag.ch/index_e.html [partially archived] and the description provided certainly seems familiar, having been founded in 1925 and being an internationally active Swiss logistics and river navigation firm domiciled in Basel, but there is no evidence of a house flag I believe – the company logo would be nice on a flag, that is certain –, and anyway the similarity of names may be accidental.

Jan Mertens, 23 July 2006