On Friday, Germany announced the word of the year. They became the word “Zeitenwende”, which is translated into Russian as “change of eras” or “transition to a new era.” Linguists from the German Language Society in Wiesbaden, they justified their choice by the fact that this very concept was often heard from the lips of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the start of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
“Zeitenwende” is not a new word at all, the Society for the German Language explained. For example, it marks the beginning of the Christian calendar. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked “a turning point in the history of our continent,” as German Chancellor Scholz said days after the outbreak of the war.
German economic and energy policy had to be completely reoriented, and relations with international partners such as China were subjected to critical analysis. In addition, many citizens experienced emotional upheaval, fear and anxiety about the possibility of a nuclear war in Europe or a third world war.
The second and third places in the ranking this year were taken by “war for peace” (“Krieg um Frieden”) and “gas price brake” (“Gaspreisbremse”).
The German Language Society has been declaring words or phrases of the year for 45 years now – since 1977. According to experts, the determining factor for the choice is not the frequency of use of this or that expression, but its social significance.
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