The Gneisenau, Remembered 125 Years Later

Despite the passage of time, the Gneisenau shipwreck—which occurred on this day 125 years ago—not only remains alive in the collective memory, but also in the DNA of the city. In fact, Málaga proudly bears the title of 'Very Hospitable' on its coat of arms, partly due to the mass response of the people of Málaga, who watched in horror that morning of December 16, 1900, as the German frigate sank in sight of the coast, right at the East Dock. The fierce storm that broke out that Sunday morning left the crew with no options. 41 of them died in that disaster.

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The memory of all of them, the survivors and the people of Málaga who assisted the victims, has marked the complete schedule of events planned for this Tuesday at each of the sites where 125 years ago the city of Málaga became 'Very Hospitable.' It is also symbolic but highly effective that the celebrations have been organized by the German community residing in the city, which has not forgotten that help and which, more than a century later, is represented in the German Consulate in Málaga and the German Economic Forum in Andalusia.

Last month, together with the city council and the port, they launched a series of four lectures that this Tuesday culminated with the main events of this December 16. The most emotional was the floral tribute to the victims of the shipwreck resting at the English Cemetery. The monument to the 41 men who died in the shipwreck—including the captain and some officers—took place this morning at the foot of the mausoleum, which stands precisely thanks to an extraordinary contribution made by the German consulate in 2022. The event was presided over by the German consul in the city, Franko Stritt Grohe, and the military attaché of the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Madrid, Colonel Markus Bungert; along with a broad representation of the descendants of the families that helped the survivors, some even taking sailors into their homes.

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The tribute to the victims at the cemetery on Avenida de Príes, which opened its doors around the year 1831 to provide a dignified burial for non-Catholic deceased, is set to become the central event of this Tuesday. First for its symbolism, but also because this monument has been visited numerous times throughout this century by representatives of German crews anchoring in Málaga, who took the opportunity to pay their respects and tribute to their deceased compatriots.

The East Promenade is another reference point in the schedule of the day's events, with a commemoration right at the site of the shipwreck and a concert by the German Navy Band Kiel. This band also features this Tuesday, at four in the afternoon, in a joint performance with the Cruz de Humilladero Music Band in the Patio de los Naranjos, as a prelude to the ecumenical religious service that will take place from 6:00 pm in the Cathedral. All events are open to the public, invited, 125 years later, to symbolically join the hand that Málaga extended to the Germans at the East Dock, which fortunately remains alive in the 21st century.