German sailors on the SMS Thetis - Crossing the line
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German sailors on the SMS Thetis - Crossing the line
German sailors on the SMS Thetis (the fourth member of the ten-ship Gazelle class, built by the Imperial German Navy) - the crossing-the-line ceremony during the crossing of the equator. Photograph taken in the early 1920s, when the Thetis was a ship of the Weimar Republic Reichsmarine. Date: circa early 1920s
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Media ID 14369323
© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection
Barrels Ceremonial Ceremony Crossing Equator Fourth Gazelle Member Neptune Sailors Thetis Tradition Weimar Blacked Up Crossing The Line
EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph captures a moment of camaraderie and tradition among the German sailors of the SMS Thetis during their crossing of the equator in the early 1920s. The SMS Thetis, the fourth member of the ten-ship Gazelle class built for the Imperial German Navy, is seen here as a ship of the Weimar Republic Reichsmarine. In this image, the sailors are seen engaged in the time-honored crossing-the-line ceremony, a rite of passage for sailors who have yet to cross the equator. The sailors are dressed in ceremonial costumes, their faces blackened with charcoal, as they prepare to be "initiated" by Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. The sailors, some with a mischievous grin, others with a look of trepidation, are gathered around a large gun barrel, which is believed to be the symbolic boundary between the northern and southern hemispheres. The crossing-the-line ceremony is steeped in tradition and is a way for sailors to mark their passage from the "equatorial world" to the "polar world." The ceremony is filled with playful hazing, with the equatorial sailors, or "shellbacks," presiding over the initiation of the "pollywogs," or those who have not yet crossed the equator. The ceremony is meant to ensure good luck and safe passage on future voyages. This photograph is a fascinating glimpse into the past, offering a glimpse into the lives of German sailors during the Weimar Republic era. It is a reminder of the rich maritime traditions that have been passed down through generations and continue to be celebrated by sailors around the world today.
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