Helkvertlance & Harvard

Helkvertlance & Harvard (H&H), also written historically as Helkvertlance and Harvard, Helkvertlance und Harvard, H+H etc. is an Aerahwut shipbuilding and engineering company, Founded in Zoetstel in 1877 to specialize in steel-hulled ships, its most famous product is the battleship Champion.

In the 1930s its owners established the Zoetsteler Flugzeugbau aircraft manufacturer. Following a difficult period after the fall of Schmesteranist Aerah, H&H revived its fortunes by allowing a change of ownership. In Late 1941 it became a subsidiary of Brausewetter and continues to supply both the military and civil markets. The company also carries out related activities, managing a dockyard in Zoetstel and undertaking maintenance and repair of large Ocean Liners. Since the acquisition, it has been concentrated in three areas: Warships (new construction), Ocean Liners and merchants (repairs) and “yacht refitting.”  The company has been in operation, building ships and other large machinery, more or less continuously for 67 years.

Early History
Helkvertlance & Harvard was founded on 29 July 1877, by Thorwald vir Helkvertlance and Eckard Harvard as a general partnership, to build steel-hulled ships. It established a shipyard on the island of Cunard, near the Free City of Zoetstel, covering 15,000 m² with 250 m of water frontage and three building berths, two suitable for ships of up to 100 meters length. The company name was shown with the ampersand, as H&H.

Initial business was confined to ship repairs, although H&H managed to build and later sell a three-masted barque, the Patriot. Eventually, the first new-build order arrived for a small cargo paddle-steamer, the Festung, and the business took off. By 1882, the company had gained a reputation for quality and punctuality and was prospering.

Initially, their products were steel-hulled sailing ships designed for long sea voyages. At that time steamships had a relatively short range, while many of the advantages of steel construction still applied to sailing ships as much as to steam. The company built its first steamship in 1890, while still continuing to build sailing ships until the late 1930s.

The Nottebohm era, 1921-1941
When Eckard Harvard died, his two sons Andre and Felix took over. Thorwald vir Helkvertlance remained as head Chairman. By this time the company was in financial crisis, so the Harvard brothers diversified into aircraft, setting up the Zoetsteler Flugzeugbau in the summer of 1922.

With the rise of Nottebohm to power in 1921, Aerah began to rearm and both companies became increasingly involved in the program. The shipyard built both civilian craft and warships for the government, including the battleship Champion.