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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Bürgerlich

This sometimes controversial German word can be used positively or negatively, depending on your point of view.

German word of the day: Bürgerlich

What does bürgerlich mean?

The German word bürgerlich is an adjective that has different meanings depending on the context, but its primary meaning is “bourgeois” or “middle-class” when referring to social class or lifestyle. It can also be translated as “civil” or “civilian” when describing matters related to civil society or community engagement.

Where does it come from?

The word bürgerlich has its origins in the German noun Bürger, which means “citizen”.

Bürger is derived from the Middle High German term burc, meaning “fortified town” or “citadel.” Over time, the term Bürger evolved to refer to an inhabitant of a town or city, particularly someone with certain rights and privileges associated with citizenship.

The adjective bürgerlich emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries during the Enlightenment and the rise of the bourgeoisie and it became associated with the middle class, which at the time was made up of merchants, professionals, and educated people who were not part of the aristocracy or the lower working classes.

The term bürgerlich had connotations of civility, respectability, and adherence to societal norms, values, and conventions.

Nowadays, bürgerlich can be used to describe a range of attributes associated with the middle class, including values such as stability, responsibility, and a focus on individual achievement. It can also connote a traditional or conservative lifestyle.

Some Germans proudly identify themselves as bürgerlich, while others view it as a derogatory term, perceiving being bürgerlich as being dull or arrogant. 

Bürgerliche Cuisine

The word bürgerlich often crops up in a culinary context, too. The gutbürgerliche Küche or bürgerliche Küche (“traditional” or “homestyle cuisine”) refers to a traditional cooking style and dishes that are commonly associated with the middle class and their culinary preferences.

Bürgerliche dishes are usually hearty and wholesome meals that are often prepared using locally available ingredients. Typical dishes found in the bürgerliche Küche include hearty soups like lentil soup or potato soup, meat-based dishes such as Sauerbraten (marinated pot roast), Schnitzel (breaded and fried meat cutlets), and Bratwurst (grilled or pan-fried sausages).

Use it like this

Ich glaube, das Theater ist bürgerlich.
 
I think that theatre is bourgeois.

Die Menues sind für eine gutbürgerliche Küche ausgelegt

The menus are designed for home-style cooking

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Sommersonnenwende

This German word marks the changing of seasons, and the longest day of the year.

German word of the day: Sommersonnenwende

Die Sommersonnenwende, pronounced like this, is the German term for the summer solstice, which is the day that marks the meteorological beginning of summer in Germany and the northern hemisphere.

Alternative names for the day are Sommer Solstitium, which comes from the Latin term, and Mittsommer.

Like so many great German words, the term for the summer solstice is a compound noun which translates quite literally. It’s made up of three simple words: Sommer (summer), Sonnen (sun) and Wende (turn or turnaround).

So the name for the summer solstice in German is meant to remind you that this is the day that the sun ends its journey northward in the sky, and turns around.

As you can probably guess, the winter solstice is called die Wintersonnenwende.

You might recognise the term Wende from another compound noun that got a fair amount of attention in recent years – Energiewende, which means energy transition, has also been used to describe Germany’s big picture plans to phase out fossil fuel use.

The summer solstice usually falls on June 21st or 22nd. But it fell on June 20th this year, due to 2024 being a leap year.

How is ‘die Sommersonnenwende’ observed in Germany

Humans have taken note of, and celebrated, the summer solstice for thousands of years.

Archaeologists suggest that Stone Age cultures were already able to determine the day. Evidence of this was uncovered in 2004 at the site of a 7000-year-old solar observatory found in Goseck in Saxony-Anhalt.

Among Germanic tribes, the summer solstice was celebrated with pagan folk festivals that often included fire rituals.

After Christianization of the region, the Catholic Church tried to abolish the pagan solstice traditions – eventually designating the day for a memorial day for John the Baptist (June 24th), and adopting the fire as a symbol for Jesus Christ. 

Most of the original solstice traditions have been lost, but some are being reinvigorated for tourism, especially on the Baltic Sea coast.

More broadly, the long daylight hours experienced in the weeks before and after the summer solstice, offer a chance to stay out or do outdoor activities late into the evening. There are also a number of music festivals around Germany at this time of year.

READ ALSO: How to make the most of Germany’s long summer days

Use it like this:

Die Sonne geht so spät unter, es muss die Sommersonnenwende sein.

The sun is setting so late, it must be the summer solstice!

Haben Sie dieses Jahr Pläne, die Sommersonnenwende zu feiern?

Do you have plans to celebrate the summer soltice this year?

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