Mooring-Beer for S71 "Gepard" at Marinemuseum Wilhelmshaven

The German Navy Museum invited with the paper shown below for a Mooring-Beer for museumsboat S71 "Gepard" at June 18th 2016 at 11.00 lct. Unfortunately  one or the other problem arose in sending to invitations to the addressees so that some Sponsors and some members of Förderverein Museums-Schnellboot did not receive their invitations in time.

The boat had litterally been worked at until the last minute by employees of the museum and members of Förderverein-Museums-Schnellboot for the celebration. At the same time the last jobs on the interactive information-systems and the information-tables onboard were accomplished. Förderverein Museums-Schnellboot erected a stand in lee of  "Libelle", at which the Senkblei-booklets and "Jaguar"-posters were offered and the new flyers of the association were laying. Also the banner of the association and the article from the Wilhelmshavener Zeitung of June 15th 2016 "The big cat now is hunting for visitors" under glas were shown. 

Interested in theStand of the Association- Picture: V. Groth

Also the super polished bell od the boat was hanging at ist regular spot. 

Ship's Bell S71 "Gepard" - Picture: F. Frandsen

The brass-band "Die Original Friesländer" provided with background music for the ceremony. 

As welcome KAdm a.D. Gottfried Hoch held a speech in which he pointed out the role of Förderverein Museums-Schnellboot which had contributed much for the success of the project "S71 Gepard".

KAdm a.D.  G. Hoch during his Welcome Address - Picture: F. Frandsen

Admiral Hoch also emphazied that all sponsors, which had contributed until a certain day to the success of the project were shown on a table of sponsors in amidships between the startcontainers for MM38.

Upper Part of the Sponsor-Table - Picture: F. Frandsen

After KAdm a.D. Hoch's welcome address greetings followed by the German Navy, represented by Kpt.z.S. Deertz, by the representative of Sparkasse (Savings Bank) Wilhelmshaven, Rolf Brandstrup, by the representative of Lürssen-Shipyard, Klaus-Jürgen Kilian, and by the chairman of Förderverin Museums-Schnellboot,  Kalle Scheuch, who empahazised the efforts of the"the heroes" who had during wind with 8 Beaufort from Southeast and heavy seas re-established the towing-connection between tug and  boat three times and finally he handed over the godfather-document of the association over S71 "Gepard" to the director of the museum, Dr. Stephan Huck. 

Kalle Scheuch during his Greeting - Picture: V. Groth

The Godfather-Document

In continuation Dr. Huck gave an introduction to the newest exponate of the German Navy Museums before he opened the boat for the visitors and offered free-beers sponsored by the Jever Brewery and free of kost saucages and Labskaus (a traditional seaman's food).

Dr. Huck during his Introduction in the new Exponate - Picture: V. Groth

Finally four former "Gepards", three of them in uniform, thereamong also OMaat Norman Griesch, one of the "heroes" and the members of Förderverein Museums-Schnellboot went to the B-Deck to call out in the afternoon the traditional saying of the "Gepard"-complement at her mooring-beers:

"Rau ist die See, die Mannschaft ist hart, das geilste Boot, der "Gepard".

(The Sea is rough, the crew is hard, the best boat "Gepard") 

Exercising the "Gepard"-Saying - Picture: F. Frandsen

The three former "Gepards", Norman Griesch, Christoph Jungesblut, und Peter Duszynski spontaneously became members of Förderverein Musums-Schnellboot. 

The Chairman with the three new Members - Picture: F. Frandsen

The first Visitors going Aboard S71 "Gepard" - Picture: F. Frandsen

For all former "Gepards", the Museum, and Förderverein Museums-Schnellboot as well as for the many guests the ceremony was a remarkable event.