SS Tanais (Greek: Τάναϊς), mistakenly referred to as Danae or Danais (Δανάη / Δαναΐς), was a British-built, Greek-owned cargo ship that German occupation forces in Greece requisitioned in World War II. On 9 June 1944, a Royal Navy submarine sank her off Heraklion, Crete, killing hundreds of deported Cretan Jews, Cretan Christian civilians and Italian POWs aboard. Sources differ as to the number killed; estimates vary between 425 and 1,000.[1]
John Blumer and Co Ltd of Sunderland, England built the ship as Holywood for William France, Fenwick and Company of London. She was launched on 14 December 1906 and completed in January 1907.[2] She was a cargosteamship, and France, Fenwick operated her in the tramp trade.
A Greek shipowner, Stefanos Synodinos, bought her in 1935, renamed her Tanais[3] after the ancient Greek city of Tanais in the Don delta and registered her in Piraeus.
On late 8 or early 9 June 1944 Tanais, escorted by the submarine hunterUJ 2142 and guard shipsGK 05 and GK 06, sailed from Heraklion bound for Piraeus.[6] In her holds were three groups of prisoners: about 265 Jews deported from Chania[7] who had been rounded up a few days before, up to 400 Cretan gentiles linked with the Cretan resistance, and between 100 and 300 pro-Badoglio Italian prisoners of war who had been arrested after the Armistice of Cassibile.[1] Sources differ as to the numbers of Cretan and Italian prisoners. Among those on board the ship were Jews from Crete. On 20 May 1944 276 Cretan Jews were arrested and loaded together with Greek underground fighters on the Tanais which made its way to the port of Piraeus. The plan was to transfer the community to the Haidari concentration camp and from there to deport them to Auschwitz.[8][9][10]
On the morning of 9 June the Royal Navy submarine HMS Vivid sighted Tanais 14 nautical miles (26 km) northwest of the islet of Dia at 35°35′N25°11′E / 35.583°N 25.183°E / 35.583; 25.183. Vivid fired a spread of four torpedoes at a range of 2,400 yards (2,200 m). Two hit Tanais, sinking her in just 12 seconds.[6][11][12] The number of victims is unknown, but it is believed to include most of the people aboard. One source says only 14 people survived;[4] another puts the total rescued at 51.[6]
^ abSpector, Shmuel (2001). The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust. Vol. I: A–J. Yad Vashem; New York University Press. p. 282. ISBN0814793762.
^"Holywood". Sunderland Built Ships. North East Maritime Forum. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
^"Steamers & Motorships". Lloyd's Register(PDF). Vol. II. London: Lloyd's Register. 1936. Retrieved 11 November 2020 – via Plimsoll Ship Data.
^ ab"Tanais". Griechische Schiffsverluste (in German). Das Historische Marinearchiv.
^"Deutsche Mittelmeer-Reederei 1943–1944, Schiffe über 1000 BRT". Mittelmeer-Reederei (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. 21 February 2016.
^ abcHelgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Vivid (P 77)". Uboat.net.
^"1944 Juni". Chronik des Seekrieges 1939–1945 (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. 15 March 2019.
^Fleming 2008, p. 110. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFleming2008 (help)
^Tullia Santin: Der Holocaust in den Zeugnissen griechischer Jüdinnen und Juden (= Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungen. Band 20). Duncker & Humblot 2003, ISBN 3-428-10722-5. Berlin, Freie Univ., Diss., 2001 Santin, p. 26.
^Tarrant, VE (1994). The Last Year of the Kriegsmarine: May 1944 – May 1945. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. p. 117. ISBN1557505101.
^Lettens, Jan (31 December 2018). "SS Tanais (Vivid) (+1944)". Retrieved 12 November 2020.
External linksEdit
"Ναυάγιο Tanais (Δανάη) 9/6/1944 Η εξόντωση των τελευταίων Εβραίων της Κρήτης" (PDF). Ιστοριες Απο Τη Δεκαετια Του '40 (in Greek). January 2016.
October 19, 2023
sinking, tanais, tanais, greek, Τάναϊς, mistakenly, referred, danae, danais, Δανάη, Δαναΐς, british, built, greek, owned, cargo, ship, that, german, occupation, forces, greece, requisitioned, world, june, 1944, royal, navy, submarine, sank, heraklion, crete, k. SS Tanais Greek Tanais mistakenly referred to as Danae or Danais Danah Danais was a British built Greek owned cargo ship that German occupation forces in Greece requisitioned in World War II On 9 June 1944 a Royal Navy submarine sank her off Heraklion Crete killing hundreds of deported Cretan Jews Cretan Christian civilians and Italian POWs aboard Sources differ as to the number killed estimates vary between 425 and 1 000 1 HistoryNameHolywood 1907 35 Tanais 1935 44 NamesakeTanais 1935 44 OwnerWm France Fenwick amp Co 1907 35 Stefanos Synodinos 1935 41 Mittelmeer Reederei 1942 44 OperatorWm France Fenwick amp Co 1907 35 Stefanos Synodinos 1935 41 Mittelmeer Reederei 1942 44 Port of registryLondon 1907 35 Piraeus 1935 41 Hamburg 1942 44 BuilderJohn Blumer amp Co SunderlandYard number193Launched14 December 1906CompletedJanuary 1907IdentificationUK official number 123769 code letters HJWG until 1933 call sign GDCL 1934 35 call sign SVAK 1935 41 Fatesunk by air attack 26 May 1941 torpedoed 9 June 1944General characteristicsTypeCargo shipTonnage1 545 GRT 965 NRTLength244 4 ft 74 5 m Beam38 0 ft 11 6 m Draught16 ft 7 in 5 05 m Depth15 8 ft 4 8 m Decks1Installed power214 NHPPropulsion3 cylinder triple expansion engineSpeed10 knots 19 km h Crew12 14 anti aircraft gunners Contents 1 The ship 2 Sinking 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksThe ship EditJohn Blumer and Co Ltd of Sunderland England built the ship as Holywood for William France Fenwick and Company of London She was launched on 14 December 1906 and completed in January 1907 2 She was a cargo steamship and France Fenwick operated her in the tramp trade A Greek shipowner Stefanos Synodinos bought her in 1935 renamed her Tanais 3 after the ancient Greek city of Tanais in the Don delta and registered her in Piraeus On 26 May 1941 during the Battle of Crete the Luftwaffe sank Tanais in Souda Bay She was raised repaired and taken over by Mittelmeer Reederei de MMR a company controlled by the German government that operated merchant ships in the Mediterranean theatre of the war MMR used her to carry cargo and people between the Aegean Islands and Greek mainland 4 5 Sinking EditSee also The Holocaust in Greece On late 8 or early 9 June 1944 Tanais escorted by the submarine hunter UJ 2142 and guard ships GK 05 and GK 06 sailed from Heraklion bound for Piraeus 6 In her holds were three groups of prisoners about 265 Jews deported from Chania 7 who had been rounded up a few days before up to 400 Cretan gentiles linked with the Cretan resistance and between 100 and 300 pro Badoglio Italian prisoners of war who had been arrested after the Armistice of Cassibile 1 Sources differ as to the numbers of Cretan and Italian prisoners Among those on board the ship were Jews from Crete On 20 May 1944 276 Cretan Jews were arrested and loaded together with Greek underground fighters on the Tanais which made its way to the port of Piraeus The plan was to transfer the community to the Haidari concentration camp and from there to deport them to Auschwitz 8 9 10 On the morning of 9 June the Royal Navy submarine HMS Vivid sighted Tanais 14 nautical miles 26 km northwest of the islet of Dia at 35 35 N 25 11 E 35 583 N 25 183 E 35 583 25 183 Vivid fired a spread of four torpedoes at a range of 2 400 yards 2 200 m Two hit Tanais sinking her in just 12 seconds 6 11 12 The number of victims is unknown but it is believed to include most of the people aboard One source says only 14 people survived 4 another puts the total rescued at 51 6 See also EditSS PetrellaReferences Edit a b Spector Shmuel 2001 The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust Vol I A J Yad Vashem New York University Press p 282 ISBN 0814793762 Holywood Sunderland Built Ships North East Maritime Forum Retrieved 12 November 2020 Steamers amp Motorships Lloyd s Register PDF Vol II London Lloyd s Register 1936 Retrieved 11 November 2020 via Plimsoll Ship Data a b Tanais Griechische Schiffsverluste in German Das Historische Marinearchiv Deutsche Mittelmeer Reederei 1943 1944 Schiffe uber 1000 BRT Mittelmeer Reederei in German Wurttembergische Landesbibliothek 21 February 2016 a b c Helgason Gudmundur HMS Vivid P 77 Uboat net 1944 Juni Chronik des Seekrieges 1939 1945 in German Wurttembergische Landesbibliothek 15 March 2019 Fleming 2008 p 110 sfn error no target CITEREFFleming2008 help Chandrinos amp Droumpouki 2018 pp 30 31 sfn error no target CITEREFChandrinosDroumpouki2018 help Tullia Santin Der Holocaust in den Zeugnissen griechischer Judinnen und Juden Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungen Band 20 Duncker amp Humblot 2003 ISBN 3 428 10722 5 Berlin Freie Univ Diss 2001 Santin p 26 Tarrant VE 1994 The Last Year of the Kriegsmarine May 1944 May 1945 Annapolis MD Naval Institute Press p 117 ISBN 1557505101 Lettens Jan 31 December 2018 SS Tanais Vivid 1944 Retrieved 12 November 2020 External links Edit Nayagio Tanais Danah 9 6 1944 H e3ontwsh twn teleytaiwn Ebraiwn ths Krhths PDF Istories Apo Th Dekaetia Toy 40 in Greek January 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sinking of the SS Tanais amp oldid 1152157153, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
