Word of the Week 12 April 2024
anklagen
to accuse – This word has the separable prefix an– attached to the verb klagen (to complain). The latter is derived from an Old Germanic word of Indo-European origin describing a cry of pain or grief.
This week it is the German state that has been angeklagt. It has had to face charges brought by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice in the Hague that it has failed to meet its obligations under the Genocide Convention of 1948 by failing to prevent and indeed by assisting the actions of the Israeli state against the Palestinian people. Germany rejects the Anklage and maintains that because of the Holocaust it has a perpetual responsibility to stand up for Israel’s security. Germany has been one of Israel’s staunchest supporters and the second largest suppplier of arms to the country after the USA, increasing its export of weapons in the last six months by a factor of ten.
Back in Germany itself, an international symposium titled ‘Palestine Congress’ was to be held in Berlin with the slogan ‘Wir klagen an!‘ (We accuse!); it called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the opening of the border and the release of aid and other measures. In Germany, where expressions of solidarity with Palestinians and criticism of Israel are severely repressed, the symposium has been the subject of outrage by politicians and media. Unable legally to ban the event, the authorities froze the bank account of the Jewish group organising it, Jüdische Stimme (WOTW 08.03.2024), put pressure on potential venues, and barred the entry of international participants including the British surgeon and Rector of Glasgow University, Ghassan Abu-Sittah. Just two hours after the symposium started with 250 participants, 900 police officers moved in and closed it down, arresting several Jewish people, including one for holding a sign saying ‘Jews against genocide’.
While Federal Interior Minister Nacy Faeser spoke of her satisfaction with the “tough crackdown” by the police, the organisers and other groups have expressed their dismay at the attack on constitutional rights of expression and assembly. There are likely to be more Anklagen from both sides to come.
“Ich klage an …!“ – Emile Zola
Word of the Week 15 March 2024
der Feiertag
Day of celebration – WOTW celebrates its fourth birthday this week! Feiertag also commonly means public holiday, so feel free to take the day off.
A list of the last year’s words is below. For four years WOTW has featured a word every week, a total of over 200 words, prompted by what has been going on in Germany: pandemic, sport, politics and life in general. WOTW will continue, but will no longer appear every week. An email will let you know when there is a new post.
“Niemand ist so sehr Atheist, dass er nicht die christlichen Feiertage mitfeiern hülfe.” – Friedrich Hebbel (1813-1863), German playwright and poet.
German Word of the Week 