15 April 1912

Do you remember that date? No? Are you sure? Yes, I know that you couldn’t have been alive back then but I can assure you that I’m not playing jokes on you…

It was the date a big tragedy in human history occurred. I’ll help you a little further: A lot of films, books etc. centre on that topic, and I suppose most of you will know one of the most famous films by James Cameron… You still don’t have a clue? Come on: Ship, iceberg…? Yes, on 15 April 1912 Titanic sank.

And a hundred years later I wonder why so many of us are so well-informed about her maiden voyage. I don’t think that Cameron deserves the credit (although his film is a masterpiece in my point of view); I rather assume that it’s the deep shock that still lingers on. Approximately 1,500 people died, among them some of the wealthiest people of that time. But what was the reason? Yes, surely, the iceberg, but I think it was human megalomania in the first place. How could anyone possibly think that a ship was unsinkable? Why haven’t there been enough boats? Back then, the people were simply overconfident and really believed that stuff. And they really believed that it was necessary to divide people into different classes. That made it really hard for the third class; they had very small chances to survive…

But what was the good thing about the sinking of Titanic? Well, we learned from it. We learned that we’re not god-like and that everything can be destroyed (even when it’s declared unsinkable). And what’s even more important: In an emergency case every passenger on a ship will have a seat in a lifeboat…

Once, mankind thought to be stronger than nature and we had to learn it the hard way: In remembrance of ca. 1,500 victims who had to die a hundred years ago…

15/04/2012