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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German phrase of the day: Als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet

If you have dared to step outside in Germany over the last few days, it's likely you've ended up resembling something closer to a drowned rat than a human. This evocative German phrase describes the kind of weather that leaves you soaked to your skin. 

German phrase of the day: Als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet
A brave cyclist in the pouring rain in Frankfurt, Hesse, on June 29th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Gollnow

Germany has been experiencing some fairly apocalyptic weather over the last week. One moment you are lying in the park, bathing in glorious sunshine, the next you are running home, your summer clothes drenched by a sudden downpour. The phrase als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geoeffnet translates to ‘as if the heavens had opened their floodgates’ and refers to a heavy, sudden rain shower. 

We have a similar idea in English, and you might have heard the phrase ‘the heavens have opened’ thrown about on a particularly wet day. This idiom evokes the image of an unavoidable cloudburst, from which there is seemingly no shelter. 

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: What’s going on with Germany’s weather right now?

The phrase comes from the idea that this kind of rain is sudden and unavoidable. Usually rain will start falling lightly and then get heavier over time but, if der Himmel seine Schleusen öffnet, the rain seems to come down all at once. It is as if the only thing holding the water back was a gate or door somewhere high in the sky and, once this is opened, the rain is free to pour through and hurtle down to earth. 

You would not use this phrase if it were merely drizzling, instead this idiom refers to the type of rain that clatters down, sometimes even rendering umbrellas useless. If you get caught in this kind of weather, it is best to resign yourself to the fact that you will return home soaked through and dripping with rain. 

Examples

Wir sitzen gerade zufrieden an unserem Lagerfeuer als der Himmel plötzlich seine Schleusen öffnet.

We were sitting happily by the campfire when the heavens suddenly opened. 

Das Wetter war gestern so schlecht, es war als ob der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet hat. 

The rain was so bad yesterday, it was raining cats and dogs.

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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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