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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German Advent word of the day: Der Nussknacker

These beloved wooden figurines are said to be good luck and to fight away malevolent spirits from the home.

German Advent word of the day: Der Nussknacker
Photo: Depositphotos

What does it mean? 

Der Nussknacker translates to “the nutcracker,” a classic Christmas symbol. Die Nuss refers to “the nut,” while Der Knacker comes from the verb knacken, “to crack.” 

A traditional nutcracker figurine is handpainted. Many are mass produced today. Photo: DPA. 

Where does it come from? 

Functional wood nutcrackers have been used in Germany since the 14th or 15th century. While the exact origin of the nutcracker man is unknown, legend goes that a wealthy farmer in the town of Seiffen in Saxony offered a reward for anyone in the village who could design a better way to to shell nuts. All the craftsmen had a different solution, but the farmer chose the puppet maker’s doll who cracked nuts in its mouth. 

The design of the nutcracker figurine was perfected in the late 17th century in the Erzgebirge, or “Ore Mountains” region of Germany. The handmade wooden figures often contained over 100 individual parts and took the form of a soldier, knight, or king. 

They became popular gifts and eventually became associated with the Christmas season due to the widespread use of nuts in the traditional Stollen and biscuits popular during the season and the need for an easy way to crack them. 

They became well-known in other European countries in the 19th century and then gained mass popularity in the United States after the Second World War, when many American soldiers stationed in Germany brought them home as souvenirs. 

The first mass production of nutcrackers in factories was started in the 1870s by Friedrich Wilhelm Füchtner, now known as the “Father of the Nutcracker” in Germany. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ballet also increased the worldwide fame of the jolly figurines. 

Visitors to the Erzgebirge will find Europe’s only Nutcracker museum, as well as handcrafted wooden nutcrackers, which are also on sale around the world in specialty Christmas shops during the holiday season.

Nutcrackers await their top hats at a workshop in Seiffen, Saxony. Photo: DPA. 

Example sentences 

Wir fahren ins Erzgebirge, um handgemachte Nussknacker zu kaufen.

We are going to the Erzgebirge to buy handmade nutcrackers.

Die Nussknacker wurden in den fünfziger Jahren in den USA sehr beliebt. 

The nutcrackers became very popular in the US in the 1950s.

 

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Rechtsruck

The word describes a trend in German politics that has been worrying many foreigners.

German word of the day: Rechtsruck

The word Rechtsruck comes up from time to time in German politics. It was recently plastered all over the German headlines the day after the European parliamentary elections, for example.

If you want to discuss the mood of the country’s voters in broad terms, Rechtsruck is a good term to have up your sleeve.

What does it mean?

Der Rechtsruck (pronounced like this) can best be translated as a lurch to the right.

It describes a sudden shift in politics to favour right-wing parties, and in some cases, the right-wing extremist and right-wing populist parties like Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

Disillusionment with Germany’s centre-left government is peaking presently, and it appears that voters are increasingly turning to the right-wing CDU/CSU and the far-right AfD in elections and opinion polls.

This played out in the recent EU elections with the coalition parties losing 21 points between them, while the CDU/CSU emerged victorious and the AfD significantly increased their vote share.

READ ALSO: What do Germany’s far-right gains in EU elections mean for foreigners?

Beyond elections, ein Rechtsruck can also denote a more general embrace of conservative and right-wing ideas, such as a socially conservative stance on marriage or the LGBTQ+ community. This can play out as a lurch to the right within parties themselves, if more hard-line voices gain influence while moderates are left on the side-lines. 

Alongside Rechtsruck, you may also come across the term Rechtsrutsch, which means a slide to the right or a right-wing landslide. This version is more extreme, and usually means that a far-right party has unexpectedly made huge gains in an election.

Though it hasn’t happened too much recently in Europe, there is of course such a thing as a Linksruck: a lurch to the left in which left-wing voices suddenly gain influence in parties and elections. 

Use it like this:

Was ist der Grund für den aktuellen Rechtsruck in der deutschen Politik? 

What’s the reason for the current shift to the right in German politics?

Viele Ausländer machen sich Sorgen über den Rechtsruck in Deutschland. 

Many foreigners are worried about the shift to the right in Germany.

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