2025 - May - Papenburg and the Meyer Werft

Papenburg surprised us in many ways. The town is not exactly around the corner for us, so we had never visited before. Visiting the Meyer Werft had been on my wish list for quite some time.

While the visit to the shipyard was impressively as expected, the town itself surprised me even more. Papenburg was a blank slate for me – so unusual that I really want to share my experience.

We arrived on Saturday, May 17th, around 7 PM. The sun was still pleasantly in the sky, so we set off for a little exploration. The city is crisscrossed by various canals – the main canal runs right through the center. Everything looked extremely well-maintained, birds were chirping, but something was missing: people.

We were almost alone. The shops had already closed, and there was no one to be seen on the streets either. No cars, no pedestrians; it was almost eerie, like someone had just “beamed” all the people away. Quite spooky.

Is everyone here already in bed at this hour?

In the end, we did find a few open restaurants and were able to eat very well. Our first impression, then: beautiful, quiet, and romantic – especially with the canal and the historic ships on it. Some of the photos I uploaded even reminded friends of the Netherlands. And this impression is not misleading: the Dutch border is only a few kilometers away, and there are many parallels both geographically and culturally.

Papenburg was founded in the 17th century as the first German peat colony for peat extraction. A branched canal system was built for transporting the peat. The first ships for this purpose probably came from the Netherlands – but soon they began to build them locally.

Over time, more than 20 wooden shipyards emerged in Papenburg. The ancestor of the later founder of the Meyer Werft also moved to the town due to the favorable economic conditions. The family name was originally “Jansen” – but according to a local anecdote, the pastor is said to have said upon arrival: “I already have enough Jansens in the congregation. From now on, you will be Meyer.”

In 1795, Willm Rolf Meyer acquired a plot of land and founded his own shipyard. The decisive step came in 1874 when Joseph Lambert Meyer began the construction of iron ships. Initially mocked, this step would prove to be visionary.

Today, Meyer Werft is one of the leading shipyards in the world – particularly in the construction of cruise ships. Warships are expressly not built here. The company remains family-owned but had to rely on state aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, like many other businesses in the industry.

A visit to the shipyard is definitely worthwhile – either individually or as part of the so-called Premium Tour, where you are picked up by bus at Meyers Mühle.

This beautiful historic mill, by the way, does not belong to the shipyard (despite the same name) and is not located on its premises. It is situated on the main canal in the city center and can also be visited.

Additionally, there are other mills in Papenburg – for example, the Bockwindmühle, which lies a bit outside but is also idyllically located by a canal.

Our conclusion:

If you want to spend a relaxed weekend in a well-maintained, quiet place – with historic charm, beautiful nature, and the opportunity to visit a modern company like Meyer Werft – Papenburg is just the right place. Those who stay longer can also make excursions to the North Sea or nearby Holland.