das  Todesurteil

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈtoːdəsˌʊʁtaɪl/

⚖️ What exactly is a 'Todesurteil'?

Das Todesurteil (neuter noun) refers to a judicial Urteil (sentence, verdict) that imposes the Todesstrafe (death penalty) as a sanction for a serious crime. It is the most severe form of punishment in legal systems that provide for it.

Figuratively, ‘Todesurteil’ can also describe a decision or situation that signifies the final end or failure of something (e.g., for a project, a hope).

🚨 Important: In Germany, the death penalty is abolished according to Artikel 102 of the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). Therefore, the term is mostly used in historical, international, or figurative contexts.

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Das Todesurteil

The word “Todesurteil” is a neuter noun. The article is das.

Declension

📝 Example Sentences

1. Das Gericht verkündete das Todesurteil gegen den Angeklagten.
   (The court pronounced the death sentence against the defendant.)
2. Viele Länder haben die Vollstreckung von Todesurteilen ausgesetzt.
   (Many countries have suspended the execution of death sentences.)
3. Die Nachricht war wie ein Todesurteil für seine Pläne.
   (The news was like a death sentence for his plans. - figurative meaning)
4. Die Geschichte der Todesurteile ist lang und komplex.
   (The history of death sentences is long and complex.)

🗣️ When to use "Todesurteil"?

The term das Todesurteil is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Judicial/Legal: In connection with criminal law and court proceedings in countries that have or had the death penalty.
• Historical: When describing past legal systems or events.
• Political/Ethical: In debates about the death penalty, human rights, and the purpose of punishment.
• Figurative: When something is described as final, devastating, or hopeless. Example: „Die Diagnose war für ihn wie ein Todesurteil.“ (The diagnosis was like a death sentence for him.) or „Das Veto war das Todesurteil für den Gesetzesentwurf.“ (The veto was the death sentence for the bill.)

⚠️ Avoid using it lightly in a figurative sense, as the term carries a very serious connotation.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of das Urteil (the judgment/sentence). The last word in a German compound noun usually determines its gender. Even though der Tod (death) is masculine, the defining word here is das Urteil, making it das Todesurteil.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a judge delivering an Urteil (sentence) that leads directly to Tod (death). Tod + Urteil = a sentence signifying death.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms of Todesurteil

Similar, but not identical terms:

• Die Hinrichtung / Exekution: (Execution) The actual carrying out of the death sentence.
• Das Urteil: (Judgment, verdict, sentence) A general term for a court decision.

😂 A Little Joke (with a serious background)

Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: „Haben Sie noch einen letzten Wunsch?“
Sagt der Angeklagte: „Ja, Herr Richter. Statt des Todesurteils hätte ich lieber lebenslänglich – aber bitte nicht am Montag anfangen, das verdirbt mir immer die ganze Woche!“

Translation: The judge asks the defendant: "Do you have a last wish?"
The defendant says: "Yes, Your Honor. Instead of the death sentence, I'd prefer life imprisonment – but please don't start it on a Monday, it always ruins my whole week!"

(Note: Jokes about this topic are difficult; this attempts to humorously exaggerate the finality.)

📜 Poem about the Term

Ein Wort, so schwer, aus Richters Mund,
Das Todesurteil tut es kund.
Ein Ende setzt's, von Staats Gewalt,
Ein Leben endet, jung oder alt.

Ob Recht, ob Rache, tief gespalten,
Die Geister, die es einst verwalteten.
Im Grundgesetz nun abgeschafft,
Bleibt es Symbol für letzte Kraft.

Translation:

A word so heavy, from judge's lips,
The death sentence, the verdict slips.
An end it brings, by state's decree,
A life concludes, for all to see.

Whether justice, vengeance, deeply split,
The spirits that once governed it.
In Basic Law now disallowed,
It stays a symbol, final, proud.

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Richterspruch, der schwerste wohl,
Bring Leben an sein letztes Pol.
Manch Land kennt mich, doch Deutschland nicht,
Was bin ich für ein Urteil, sprich?

Translation:

I am a judge's sentence, the heaviest known,
Bringing life to its final zone.
Some lands know me, but Germany does not,
What kind of sentence am I, tell me what?

Solution: Das Todesurteil (The death sentence)

✨ Other Interesting Details

Word Composition

The word “Todesurteil” is a compound noun, composed of:

• Der Tod: Meaning death.
• Das Urteil: Meaning judgment, verdict, sentence.

Together, the meaning is: A sentence that results in death.

Abolition in Germany

Artikel 102 (Article 102) of the German Grundgesetz (Basic Law) simply states: „Die Todesstrafe ist abgeschafft.“ (“The death penalty is abolished.”) This was established in 1949 and is one of the 'eternity clauses' that cannot be amended.