die
Geiselnahme
📜 What exactly does "Geiselnahme" mean?
Die Geiselnahme (feminine, article: die) refers to the violent and unlawful deprivation of liberty of one or more persons (Geiseln - hostages) in order to extort a specific action, tolerance, or omission. This can include, for example, demanding ransom money, the release of prisoners, or political concessions.
It is a serious criminal offense. The word is composed of Geisel (hostage) and Nahme (taking, from the verb nehmen - to take).
⚠️ It's important to distinguish Geiselnahme from a simple kidnapping (Entführung), although the lines can sometimes blur. In a Geiselnahme, the focus is on extorting a third party (e.g., the state) by threatening the hostage.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
🧐 Grammar of "die Geiselnahme" in Detail
The word "Geiselnahme" is a feminine noun. The article is always "die".
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Geiselnahme |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Geiselnahme |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Geiselnahme |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Geiselnahme |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Geiselnahmen |
| Genitive | der | Geiselnahmen |
| Dative | den | Geiselnahmen |
| Accusative | die | Geiselnahmen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Polizei verhandelte während der Geiselnahme stundenlang mit den Tätern.
(The police negotiated with the perpetrators for hours during the hostage-taking.) - Eine Geiselnahme stellt eine extreme psychische Belastung für alle Beteiligten dar.
(A hostage-taking represents extreme psychological stress for everyone involved.) - Nach der Beendigung der Geiselnahme wurden die Opfer medizinisch versorgt.
(After the end of the hostage-taking, the victims received medical care.) - Leider gab es in der Geschichte viele tragische Geiselnahmen.
(Unfortunately, there have been many tragic hostage-takings in history.)
🗣️ How is "Geiselnahme" used?
The term "Geiselnahme" is mainly used in contexts related to crime, terrorism, security, and law. It is often found in news reports, legal texts, and police situation reports.
- News/Media: Reporting on criminal acts or terrorist attacks. Example: "Die Nachrichtenagentur berichtete live über die Geiselnahme im Stadtzentrum." (The news agency reported live on the hostage-taking in the city center.)
- Legal Context: Defined as a specific criminal offense in the penal code (e.g., § 239b StGB in Germany).
- Security Forces: Used in operational briefings and reports by police or military.
- Historical Context: Describing past events.
Although Entführung (kidnapping) sounds similar, Geiselnahme more strongly implies the element of extorting third parties through the captivity.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Nouns ending in -nahme (like Ausnahme - exception, Aufnahme - recording/reception, Einnahme - income/intake) are almost always feminine (die). Think: "Die act of 'Nahme' (taking) the hostage is feminine."
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone 'nimmt' (takes - 'Nahme') a person as a 'Geisel' (hostage) to force something. The image of the forceful taking helps anchor the meaning of hostage-taking.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
✅ Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Menschenraub (zu Erpressungszwecken): (Abduction for extortion purposes) - Similar, emphasizes the 'robbing' of people.
- Freiheitsberaubung mit Nötigung/Erpressung: (Deprivation of liberty with coercion/extortion) - Legally more precise, describes the elements of the crime.
- Entführung (mit Erpressungsabsicht): (Kidnapping with intent to extort) - Can be used synonymously if it's clear that third parties are being extorted.
❌ Antonyms (opposites):
- Freilassung: (Release) - The act of letting the hostages go.
- Befreiung: (Liberation/Rescue) - The forceful or strategic rescue of the hostages.
- Sicherheit / Freiheit: (Security / Freedom) - The state without a hostage situation.
🚨 Caution: Entführung alone can also mean simply taking a person away without the intent to extort third parties (e.g., parental child abduction).
😂 A Little Joke (related to 'taking')
Warum nehmen Skelette nie etwas übel?
Weil sie nichts auf die Rippen kriegen!
Translation: Why do skeletons never take offense?
Because they can't 'get anything on their ribs'! (A pun: 'etwas übel nehmen' means to take offense, 'etwas auf die Rippen kriegen' means to gain weight/put meat on one's bones).
(A very harmless joke, as the topic of hostage-taking does not lend itself to humor.)
📜 A Short Poem about Geiselnahme
Mauern aus Angst, die Zeit steht still,
Ein fremder Wille, kalt und schrill.
Die Geiselnahme, ein dunkler Pakt,
Wo Freiheit stirbt im Täter-Akt.
Ein Hoffen bangt, ein Atem schwer,
Auf Rettung, Licht, komm doch hierher.
Translation:
Walls of fear, time stands still,
A foreign will, cold and shrill.
The hostage-taking, a dark pact,
Where freedom dies in the perpetrator's act.
A hope trembles, a heavy breath,
For rescue, light, come hither yet.
🧩 Who am I? A Riddle
Ich bin ein Akt der Gewalt, kein Spiel,
Ich nehme Freiheit, verfolge ein Ziel.
Personen halte ich fest, gegen ihren Willen,
Um Forderungen Dritter zu stillen.
Mein Name beschreibt das Nehmen und die Not.
Was bin ich, das so sehr bedroht?
Lösung: die Geiselnahme
Translation:
I am an act of violence, not a game,
I take freedom, pursue an aim.
I hold people fast, against their will,
To satisfy demands from others still.
My name describes the taking and the plight.
What am I, that poses such a threat and fright?
Solution: die Geiselnahme (hostage-taking)
💡 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Geiselnahme" is a compound noun, composed of:
- die Geisel: A person held as a pledge or security. The word comes from Old High German 'gīsal', which originally meant 'surety' or 'pledge'.
- die Nahme: An archaic or nominalized form of "nehmen" (to take). Still common in compound words like Geiselnahme, Festnahme (arrest), Einnahme (income/intake), Ausnahme (exception).
Context:
Hostage-takings (Geiselnahmen) are often linked to political motives, terrorism, or serious crime and require complex responses from security authorities and negotiation teams.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Geiselnahme?
The noun "Geiselnahme" is feminine. The correct article is always die. Example: Die Geiselnahme lasted several days.