das
Kriegsende
🎯 What exactly does "das Kriegsende" mean?
Das Kriegsende (neuter) refers to the point in time or period when a war officially or effectively ends. It marks the cessation of hostilities and the transition to a post-war period or a state of peace.
It's a compound word (Kompositum) made up of:
The connecting 's' (Fugen-s) links the two parts: "Kriegsende". Since the last part of the word is "das Ende", the entire compound word takes its article "das".
🚨 There's only this one article for the word. It is always das Kriegsende.
🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Das Kriegsende
"Kriegsende" is a noun of neuter gender (Neutrum). It is generally used only in the singular, as it usually refers to a specific, single event.
Declension Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | das Kriegsende | ein Kriegsende |
| Genitive (Whose?) | des Kriegsendes | eines Kriegsendes |
| Dative (To whom/What?) | dem Kriegsende | einem Kriegsende |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | das Kriegsende | ein Kriegsende |
Declension Plural
The plural "die Kriegsenden" is grammatically possible but very rarely used. One would only use it when talking about the ends of several different wars.
| Case | Definite Article |
|---|---|
| Nominative | die Kriegsenden |
| Genitive | der Kriegsenden |
| Dative | den Kriegsenden |
| Accusative | die Kriegsenden |
Example Sentences 📝
- Viele Menschen sehnten das Kriegsende herbei.
(Many people longed for the end of the war.) - Nach dem Kriegsende begann der Wiederaufbau.
(After the end of the war, reconstruction began.) - Man erinnert sich an das Kriegsende im Mai 1945.
(People remember the end of the war in May 1945.) - Die Hoffnung auf ein baldiges Kriegsende wuchs.
(The hope for a swift end to the war grew.)
💬 How to use "Kriegsende"?
"Das Kriegsende" is mainly used in historical and political contexts.
- Historical Events: Very often, it refers to the end of specific wars, especially World War II in Europe (often dated May 8, 1945). Example: "Das Kriegsende 1945 brachte Frieden, aber auch große Herausforderungen." (The end of the war in 1945 brought peace, but also great challenges.)
- General Term: It can also more generally denote the end of any armed conflict. Example: "Die Verhandlungen sollen zu einem baldigen Kriegsende führen." (The negotiations are intended to lead to a swift end to the war.)
- Distinction: It's important to distinguish "Kriegsende" from "Friedensschluss" (peace treaty) or "Waffenstillstand" (ceasefire/armistice). "Kriegsende" marks the end of fighting, whereas a "Friedensschluss" often involves a formal treaty, and a "Waffenstillstand" can be a temporary cessation of hostilities.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Mnemonic for the Article (das):
Think of das Ende - the end. The end of anything (song, film, war) is conceptually neuter in German. So, it's das Kriegsende.
Mnemonic for the Meaning:
The Krieg (war) has an Ende (end) – thankfully! That's das Kriegsende. Just put the parts together.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Kapitulation: Capitulation, surrender. Focuses on the action of one side.
- Waffenstillstand: Ceasefire, armistice. Agreed interruption of fighting, often temporary.
- Friedensschluss: Peace treaty, conclusion of peace. Formal agreement to end the war.
- Ende der Feindseligkeiten: End of hostilities. Description of the state.
⚠️ Note: The synonyms are not always interchangeable, as they emphasize different aspects of the war's end (e.g., formal act vs. factual cessation of fighting).
😂 A Little Joke
Warum hat der Bleistift den Krieg beendet?
Er hat die Friedensspitze gemacht!
(Why did the pencil end the war?
Because it drew the line! / It made the peace-point! - Slight pun, 'Spitze' means point/tip, but also 'great/top'. 'Den Frieden spitzen' isn't a real idiom, making it silly.)
📜 Poem about the Word
Die Waffen schweigen, Staub legt sich sacht,
Ein letzter Schuss verhallt in dunkler Nacht.
Ein Seufzer geht durch Stadt und Land,
Das Ende naht, von Menschenhand.
Man nennt es knapp, mit ernstem Sinn,
Das Kriegsende, ein Neuanfang, ein Neubeginn.
(The weapons fall silent, dust settles gently,
A final shot fades in the dark night.
A sigh goes through city and country,
The end approaches, by human hand.
It's called concisely, with a serious sense,
The end of the war, a new start, a new beginning.)
🤔 Little Riddle
Ich komme nach Lärm, nach Angst und Not,
Bringe Stille statt Tod.
Man sehnt mich herbei in dunkler Zeit,
Bin das Gegenteil von Kampf und Streit.
Was bin ich?
(I come after noise, after fear and need,
Bring silence instead of death.
People long for me in dark times,
I am the opposite of battle and strife.
What am I?)
(Answer: das Kriegsende / the end of the war)
💡 Other Information
Word Composition:
Das Kriegsende is a compound noun (Determinativkompositum), composed of:
- Base word (determines the gender): das Ende (the end)
- Determinant (specifies the base word): der Krieg (the war)
- Linking element (Fugenlaut): -s-
So: Krieg + s + Ende = Kriegsende (neuter, because 'Ende' is neuter)
Historical Significance:
In Germany and Europe, "das Kriegsende" often serves as a synonym for the end of World War II on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day / Tag der Befreiung - Day of Liberation). This date is an important day of remembrance.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kriegsende?
The word "Kriegsende" is a neuter noun. Therefore, the correct article is always das Kriegsende. It inherits its gender from the base word "das Ende" (the end).