der
Geiselnehmer
📖 Meaning of "der Geiselnehmer"
Der Geiselnehmer translates to hostage-taker. It refers to a male person who unlawfully detains one or more other people (Geiseln - hostages) to achieve a specific goal, such as demanding ransom (Lösegeld), safe passage (freies Geleit), or forcing a certain action.
The female form is die Geiselnehmerin (the female hostage-taker).
⚠️ This term has strong negative connotations and describes a serious crime.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
-er → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. almost all -euer nouns are neutral. 3. There are many -er words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar and Declension: Der Geiselnehmer
"Geiselnehmer" is a masculine noun. Its definite article is "der".
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Geiselnehmer |
| Genitive | des | Geiselnehmers |
| Dative | dem | Geiselnehmer |
| Accusative | den | Geiselnehmer |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Geiselnehmer |
| Genitive | der | Geiselnehmer |
| Dative | den | Geiselnehmern |
| Accusative | die | Geiselnehmer |
Example Sentences
- Die Polizei verhandelte stundenlang mit dem Geiselnehmer.
(The police negotiated with the hostage-taker for hours.) - Die Forderungen des Geiselnehmers waren unrealistisch.
(The hostage-taker's demands were unrealistic.) - Niemand traute sich, dem Geiselnehmer zu widersprechen.
(Nobody dared to contradict the hostage-taker.) - Spezialeinheiten konnten den Geiselnehmer überwältigen.
(Special forces were able to overpower the hostage-taker.) - Mehrere Geiselnehmer waren an der Tat beteiligt.
(Several hostage-takers were involved in the act.)
🗣️ Context and Usage
The term "Geiselnehmer" is primarily used in contexts related to crime, news reporting, legal proceedings, and security discussions.
- News: Reports on hostage situations (Geiselnahmen) in banks, airplanes, or other locations.
- Police/Military: In operational reports and planning rescue missions.
- Law: In indictments, judgments, and legal discussions regarding hostage-taking (compare § 239b StGB in Germany).
- Psychology/Sociology: When analyzing the motives and behavior of perpetrators.
It's a specific term clearly distinguished from other perpetrators like Entführer (kidnappers, who often move their victim to another location) or Erpresser (blackmailers, who don't necessarily detain someone), although overlaps can occur.
🧠 Mnemonics
Remembering the Article: Think of a male person (der Mann) who takes (nimmt) a hostage. The Nehmer (taker) is grammatically masculine: der Geiselnehmer.
Remembering the Meaning: The word is composed of "Geisel" (hostage) + "Nehmer" (taker, from the verb "nehmen" - to take). So, the Geiselnehmer literally takes a hostage.
↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Entführer: Kidnapper. Someone who abducts a person (often moving them elsewhere). Can overlap with hostage-taking but isn't identical.
- Kidnapper: English loanword, often used for child abduction (Kindesentführung).
- Täter (einer Geiselnahme): Perpetrator (of a hostage-taking). A more general description.
🚨 Caution: Although "Entführer" (kidnapper) is often used synonymously, "Geiselnehmer" specifically emphasizes holding people to enforce demands on the spot.
😂 A (Very Cautious) Joke
German: Warum nehmen Geiselnehmer selten Urlaub? Sie haben Angst, die Kontrolle abzugeben!
English: Why do hostage-takers rarely take vacations? They're afraid of giving up control!
(Note: Hostage-taking is a serious crime. This joke is purely a play on words and not intended to trivialize reality.)
📜 Poem about the Situation
German:
Im Raum die Angst, die Luft steht still,
Ein Fremder lenkt den freien Will'.
Der Geiselnehmer, Wort und Tat,
Hält Schicksal fest auf schmalem Grat.
Die Zeit verrinnt, die Hoffnung bangt,
Bis Freiheit neu erlangt.
English Translation:
In the room, fear, the air stands still,
A stranger directs the free will.
The hostage-taker, word and deed,
Holds fate tight on a narrow reed.
Time slips away, hope fears and sighs,
Until freedom newly lies.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich nehme, was mir nicht gehört,
Doch nicht Geld, nicht Gut, das schnell verzehrt.
Ich nehme Menschen, halte fest,
Bis mancher Wunsch erfüllt, der Rest?
Mein Handeln Furcht und Schrecken sät,
Wer bin ich, der so Unheil mäht?
English Translation:
I take what isn't mine by right,
But not money, nor goods consumed in light.
I take people, hold them fast,
Until some wish is met, the cast?
My actions sow fear and dread,
Who am I, who such havoc spread?
Solution: Der Geiselnehmer (The hostage-taker)
ℹ️ Other Information
Word Composition
The word "Geiselnehmer" is a compound noun formed from:
- Die Geisel: Hostage - a person held as security or for ransom.
- Der Nehmer: Taker - derived from the verb "nehmen" (to take), indicating a person who takes something.
Together, the meaning is: Someone who takes hostages.
Legal Context
In Germany, hostage-taking (Geiselnahme) is a felony defined in Section 239b of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch - StGB) and is punishable by imprisonment of no less than five years.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Geiselnehmer?
The noun "Geiselnehmer" is masculine. The correct article is der: der Geiselnehmer (the hostage-taker). The female form is die Geiselnehmerin.