taz.de
Sinking of the "Tanaïs": The End of Crete's Jewish Community
On June 9th, 1944, the German ship "Tanaïs", carrying approximately 300 Jewish people from Chania, Crete, and other prisoners, was torpedoed by a British submarine, resulting in the deaths of all aboard; a German-Greek project now commemorates this event and the end of Crete's 2,300-year-old Jewish community.
- How does the German-Greek project seek to address the historical event and its lasting impact?
- The sinking of the "Tanaïs" highlights the devastating impact of Nazi persecution on the Jewish community of Chania, Crete. The incident, long forgotten, is now the focus of a collaborative project using theater and education to raise awareness and remember the victims. The project uses the former synagogue in Chania as a performance space.
- What was the fate of the Jewish community of Chania, Crete, and what is the significance of the "Tanaïs" incident?
- On June 9th, 1944, a British submarine torpedoed the German ship "Tanaïs", killing all 300 Jewish people from Chania, Crete, and other prisoners onboard. This event marked the end of a 2,300-year-old Jewish community on Crete. A German-Greek project commemorates the 80th anniversary of this tragedy.
- What is the significance of the contrast between the current use of the former Jewish quarter of Chania and the events of 1944?
- The contrast between Crete's current popularity as a tourist destination and the horrific events of 1944, particularly the sinking of the "Tanaïs", underscores the importance of historical memory. The project aims to confront the ignorance of some German tourists who visit the island today, highlighting the site of the former Jewish quarter now a tourist area and the hotel built on the former Jewish cemetery.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The narrative structure emphasizes the tragedy of the Tanaïs sinking and the destruction of Chania's Jewish community, using evocative imagery and a strong emotional tone. The headline (if one existed) would likely reinforce this focus. The description of modern-day tourism serves primarily to highlight the dissonance between present-day obliviousness and past atrocities, rather than providing balanced historical context. The choice to foreground the theatrical performance underscores its role in raising awareness, further emphasizing the emotional and memorial aspects of the story.
Language Bias
The language is largely factual and informative, but terms like "terrorisierten" and "Massaker" evoke strong negative emotions. Describing the tourists' attitude as "Ignoranz" is also a loaded term. More neutral alternatives could be used, such as "persecuted" or "atrocities" instead of "terrorisierten" and "Massaker," and "unawareness" or "lack of knowledge" instead of "Ignoranz." The repeated emphasis on the suffering and destruction contributes to the overall emotional tone.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the sinking of the Tanaïs and the fate of the Jewish community of Chania, but provides limited context on the broader situation of Jews in German-occupied Crete or the wider impact of the Holocaust. While the loss of the Jewish community is highlighted, the article omits discussion of other forms of persecution or resistance experienced by the broader Cretan population under Nazi occupation. This omission, while perhaps due to scope, might unintentionally diminish the scale of suffering and limit the reader's complete understanding of the historical context.
False Dichotomy
The article doesn't explicitly present a false dichotomy, but the juxtaposition of modern-day tourism in Chania with the historical tragedy of the Tanaïs could implicitly suggest a simplistic contrast between carefree enjoyment and horrific suffering. It risks portraying a binary opposition between the past and present, neglecting the complex relationship between historical memory and contemporary life.
Gender Bias
The article uses gender-neutral language for the most part, referring to "Schauspieler:innen" and "Schüler:innen." However, a deeper analysis of the theatrical performance itself would be necessary to determine if there are any gender imbalances in representation or character development within the play itself. The provided text does not offer enough information to assess this comprehensively.
Sustainable Development Goals
The project aims to remember the victims of the Holocaust and promote reconciliation between Germany and Greece. The play "Die Schatten neben dem Sonnenschirm" confronts the past and encourages reflection on the consequences of war and persecution. This contributes to SDG 16 by fostering justice, accountability, and peace.