der  Anfangsverdacht

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈanfʊŋsˌfɛʁdaxt/

🔍 What does 'der Anfangsverdacht' mean?

The term Anfangsverdacht is a key concept in German criminal procedure law. It describes the lowest level of suspicion required to initiate investigations by the public prosecutor's office or the police (§ 152 Para. 2 StPO - German Code of Criminal Procedure).

There must be sufficient factual indications that make it seem possible, based on criminalistic experience, that a prosecutable criminal offense has been committed. Mere assumptions or guesses are not enough.

• Article: der (masculine)
• Context: Mainly used in the legal field.

⚠️ Important: An Anfangsverdacht is not sufficient for coercive measures such as a house search or pre-trial detention (Untersuchungshaft). Higher degrees of suspicion are required for these (hinreichender Tatverdacht or dringender Tatverdacht).

🧐 Grammar Under the Microscope: Der Anfangsverdacht

The noun 'Anfangsverdacht' is masculine.

Note: The plural ('die Anfangsverdächte') is rarely used, as the term usually describes a specific, individual situation.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Gegen den Nachbarn besteht nun ein Anfangsverdacht wegen Diebstahls.
   (There is now an initial suspicion against the neighbour regarding theft.)
2. Die Polizei muss prüfen, ob genügend Anhaltspunkte für einen Anfangsverdacht vorliegen.
   (The police must check if there are enough indications for an initial suspicion.)
3. Aufgrund des Anfangsverdachts wurden erste Ermittlungen eingeleitet.
   (Based on the initial suspicion, preliminary investigations were initiated.)

💡 Usage in Context

The term 'Anfangsverdacht' is firmly established in legal language, particularly in criminal law and criminal procedure law.

• Typical Use Case: Start of an investigation (Ermittlungsverfahren). If an Anfangsverdacht exists, the public prosecutor's office must investigate (principle of mandatory prosecution, Legalitätsprinzip).
• Differentiation: It's important to distinguish Anfangsverdacht from higher levels of suspicion:
  • Hinreichender Tatverdacht (Sufficient suspicion): Necessary for pressing public charges (§ 170 Para. 1 StPO). Conviction must be probable.
  • Dringender Tatverdacht (Urgent suspicion / Strong suspicion): Prerequisite for severe measures like pre-trial detention (Untersuchungshaft, § 112 StPO). High probability of perpetration.
• Colloquial Speech: Outside legal contexts, the term is rarely used. People are more likely to speak of a 'first suspicion' (erster Verdacht) or an 'assumption' (Vermutung).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Remembering the Article: Think of the base word 'der Verdacht' (the suspicion). Anfangsverdacht is a specific type of Verdacht, so it stays masculine: der Anfangsverdacht.

Remembering the Meaning: Imagine an investigation as a path. Right at the Anfang (beginning), there's only a slight Verdacht (suspicion) – that's the Anfangsverdacht. It's the first step, not yet a firm belief.

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar but potentially misleading words:

• Verdachtsmoment: Refers more to a single piece of evidence (Indiz) that gives rise to suspicion, rather than the degree of suspicion itself.

😂 A Little Chuckle

Judge asks the defendant: "Geben Sie zu, die Keksdose geplündert zu haben?" (Do you admit to raiding the cookie jar?)
Defendant replies: "Herr Richter, es bestand höchstens ein Anfangsverdacht – die Krümel am Mund könnten auch von gestern sein!" (Your Honor, there was at most an initial suspicion – the crumbs on my mouth could be from yesterday!)

📜 Poem about the Term

Ein Flüstern nur, ein leiser Hauch,
(Just a whisper, a gentle breath,)
Ein Zweifel keimt im Bauch.
(A doubt sprouts in the gut.)
Ist etwas krumm, nicht ganz geheuer?
(Is something amiss, not quite right?)
Das schürt das erste Feuer.
(That fuels the first fire.)

Kein Beweis, nur Indizien klein,
(No proof, just small clues,)
Doch lässt es keine Ruhe ein.
(But it allows no rest.)
Der Anfangsverdacht, er ist erwacht,
(The initial suspicion, it has awakened,)
Die Ermittlung wird nun angefacht.
(The investigation is now spurred on.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin der erste Schritt im Recht,
(I am the first step in law,)
obwohl mein Fundament oft schlecht.
(although my foundation is often weak.)
Ich reiche nicht für Schloss und Riegel,
(I am not enough for lock and bolt,)
doch setz' die Mühlen in den Wiegel.
(but I set the wheels in motion.)
Für Staatsanwälte bin ich Pflicht,
(For prosecutors, I am mandatory,)
bevor man von Verurteilung spricht.
(before one speaks of conviction.)

What am I?

Solution: Der Anfangsverdacht (The initial suspicion)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word 'Anfangsverdacht' is a compound noun, composed of:

• Anfang: Refers to the beginning, the initial stage.
• Verdacht: The suspicion that someone has done something (usually negative, here a criminal offense).

Together, the meaning is: The suspicion that exists at the beginning of a potential criminal proceeding.

Legal Significance:

The Anfangsverdacht is an important pillar of the rule of law (Rechtsstaatsprinzip). It ensures that state investigations are not initiated arbitrarily, but only when concrete indications exist. At the same time, the threshold is deliberately kept low to enable effective law enforcement.