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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German phrase of the day: keine Alleingänge

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has regularly used this phrase over the last several months to justify Germany’s long decision-making process on sending Ukraine modern tanks.

German phrase of the day: keine Alleingänge
Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

What does it mean?

Alleingang literally translates as “a solo effort.” Alleingänge, is its plural. The phrase keine Alleingänge, literally means “no solo efforts,” but it’s probably better understood as “no going it alone.” It’s become one of the most recognisable phrases in Germany’s political debate about how to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia’s invasion.

How do you use it or where might you see it?

You’re reasonably likely to have seen or heard keine Alleingänge over the last few months in newspapers and on German news programs and political talk shows.

In a September 2022 interview with Deutschlandfunk radio, Scholz justified Germany’s reluctance to send heavy weapons – such as modern battle tanks – to Ukraine by saying: “wir werden bei allem, was wir tun, keine Alleingänge machen,” or “We won’t go it alone in anything we do.”

By saying this, Scholz was insinuating that Germany would only send tanks when other countries – particularly the United States – would send tanks.

PODCAST: How Germany changed its mind on tanks and why people are waiting years for citizenship

German chancellor Olaf Scholz at a special meeting at the Bundestag.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz at a special meeting at the Bundestag. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Kay Nietfeld

Ever since then, keine Alleingänge has become a politically charged phrase that’s come to represent an often tense German debate – so much that using it in many conversations with average Germans might leave some of them asking you your opinion of Olaf Scholz.

After months of no decision on tanks, Germany finally agreed this week to send them to Ukraine once the US sent some as well. Scholz supporters might argue that keine Alleingänge was successful in getting Ukraine more powerful weaponry – by making sure many countries were involved.

Scholz detractors might be more likely to use keine Alleingänge in a sceptical or outright mocking tone, arguing the phrase symbolises Scholz’s indecisiveness – or even cowardice – in crisis.

READ ALSO: Ditherer or deal-maker? Jury’s out on Scholz’s tank brinkmanship

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Tagundnachtgleiche

This March equinox marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, and occurs on the 20th this year. Did you know there are two German terms for this day?

German word of the day: Tagundnachtgleiche

Why do I need to know ‘Tagundnachtgleiche’?

You may hear this word a lot on Wednesday, and then probably not again until the autumnal equinox comes in September.

More of a novel term than one for everyday use, Die Tagundnachtgleiche is one you can use to impress German speakers with your knowledge of heavens and the earth, and your expansive vocabulary.

What does it mean?

Tagundnachtgleiche is the German word for equinox, which is the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator, making the day and night equal in length and also marking a change of seasons.

Alternatively the word Äquinoktium is also used for equinox.

Each year contains two equinoxes: a spring equinox (Frühlings-Tagundnachtgleiche or Frühjahrs-Tagundnachtgleiche) and a fall equinox (Herbst-Tagundnachtgleiche).

The spring equinox, which falls on March 20th this year, marks the beginning of spring. From this day forward, daylight hours in the northern hemisphere will continue getting longer until the summer solstice.

READ ALSO: Seven signs that spring has arrived in Germany

The word equinox comes from Latin and literally means “equal night”, meaning that the night is equal to the day (or more specifically that the hours of darkness are equal to the hours of daylight.)

In this case, the German term leaves nothing to be deduced. The word is a short phrase put together – Tag und Nacht Gleiche – meaning “day and night equality”.

Equinox traditions

The Spring Equinox and the beginning of the spring season is cause for celebration in cultures around the world, and is often linked with traditions related to rebirth, renewal and fertility.

Among pre-Christian Germanic tribes such as the Saxons, a spring Goddess called Ostara, was celebrated on the Spring Equinox with a feast day and other traditions such as planting seeds or decorating eggs. Traditional symbols for Ostara included rabbits and ducklings.

It is widely believed that some of these traditions were later adopted and Catholicised, leading to the creation of Easter (Ostern) as we know it today. 

Use it like this:

In diesem Jahr findet die Frühlings-Tagundnachtgleiche zwischen dem 19. und 20. März statt.

This year the spring equinox is between March 19th and 20th.

Glückliche Tagundnachtgleiche!

Happy equinox!

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