die
Anklageschrift
📖 What exactly is an Anklageschrift?
The word Anklageschrift (feminine, article: die) is a central document in German criminal procedure law. It is the official written document with which the public prosecutor's office (*Staatsanwaltschaft*) formally brings charges against an accused person (*Beschuldigter* or *Angeschuldigter*) in court after concluding its investigation. It contains the precise description of the alleged offense, the time and place of its commission, the legal elements of the crime, and the applicable penal provisions. The Anklageschrift marks the transition from the preliminary investigation (*Ermittlungsverfahren*) to the main proceedings (*Hauptverfahren*) in court.
🚨 Important: There is only this one article, 'die', for Anklageschrift, as it refers to a specific legal document.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ft/ -schaft → almost always feminine.
All -schaft nouns are feminine, but not all -ft nouns are.
📜 Grammar Spotlight: die Anklageschrift
The noun "Anklageschrift" is feminine. The article is always die.
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Nom) | die | eine | Anklageschrift |
| Genitive (Gen) | der | einer | Anklageschrift |
| Dative (Dat) | der | einer | Anklageschrift |
| Accusative (Acc) | die | eine | Anklageschrift |
| Case | Definite Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Nom) | die | Anklageschriften |
| Genitive (Gen) | der | Anklageschriften |
| Dative (Dat) | den | Anklageschriften |
| Accusative (Acc) | die | Anklageschriften |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Staatsanwaltschaft hat die Anklageschrift bereits beim Gericht eingereicht.
(The public prosecutor's office has already submitted the indictment to the court.) - Der Verteidiger prüft die Anklageschrift auf formale Fehler.
(The defense lawyer checks the indictment for formal errors.) - In der Anklageschrift werden dem Beschuldigten mehrere Delikte vorgeworfen.
(In the indictment, the accused is charged with several offenses.) - Ohne eine Anklageschrift kann kein Hauptverfahren eröffnet werden.
(Without an indictment, no main proceedings can be opened.)
⚖️ When and How to Use 'Anklageschrift'
The term Anklageschrift is used almost exclusively in a legal context. It refers to the formal document that initiates the main court proceedings.
- Context: Criminal proceedings, court hearings, legal documents.
- Who uses it: Public prosecutors (Staatsanwälte), judges (Richter), lawyers (Rechtsanwälte), court officials (Justizbeamte), and in reporting on criminal trials.
- Distinction: A 'Strafanzeige' is merely the reporting of a potential criminal act to the investigating authorities. The 'Anklageschrift' only follows after the investigation is complete and there is sufficient suspicion ('hinreichender Tatverdacht'). A 'Strafbefehl' is a simplified procedure for minor offenses, often without an oral hearing, essentially a proposed judgment that resembles an indictment but isn't identical.
🧠 Mnemonics for Anklageschrift
Article Mnemonic: Many German nouns ending in "-schrift" (writing, script) are feminine (die Zeitschrift - magazine, die Unterschrift - signature). Think of "die Schrift" itself – therefore, it's die Anklageschrift. 🖋️
Meaning Mnemonic: The word is composed of "Anklage" (accusation/charge) and "Schrift" (writing/document). So, it's literally a writing that contains the accusation. Quite logical! 📄+⚖️= indictment
↔️ Synonyms, Antonyms & Similar Terms
Synonyms
- Klageerhebungsschrift: A very formal, but less commonly used term with the same meaning.
- Klageschrift: Sometimes used synonymously, but strictly speaking, this term refers to the document initiating a civil lawsuit ('Zivilprozess'), not a criminal one. In criminal law, 'Anklageschrift' is more precise.
Antonyms (in a broader sense)
There are no direct antonyms, but terms expressing the opposite outcome in the legal process:
- Einstellungsbescheid: Decision by the prosecutor's office to discontinue the proceedings (i.e., not to file an indictment).
- Freispruch: Acquittal; a court verdict establishing the defendant's innocence.
Potentially Confusing Terms
- Strafanzeige: The initial report of a suspicion to the authorities, not a formal charge yet.
- Strafbefehl: A penalty order in a simplified procedure, a kind of proposed judgment, not a classic indictment for a main trial.
😂 A Legal Joke
German: Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: "Wollen Sie die Anklageschrift hören oder gleich das Urteil?" Sagt der Angeklagte: "Lieber die Anklageschrift, Herr Richter. Das Urteil klingt immer so endgültig."
English Translation: The judge asks the defendant: "Do you want to hear the indictment or the verdict right away?" The defendant replies: "I'd rather hear the indictment, Your Honor. The verdict always sounds so final."
✒️ A Poem about the Document
German:
Ein Brief vom Amt, so schwer und grau,
Die Anklageschrift, man schaut genau.
Was wird dem Bürger vorgeworfen?
Die Unschuld muss er nun entworfen.
Ein ernstes Blatt, kein leichter Scherz,
Trifft manchen tief ins Herz.
English Translation:
A letter from the office, heavy and grey,
The indictment, closely surveyed.
What is the citizen accused of?
Innocence must now be proven thereof.
A serious paper, no light jest,
Strikes deep within many a chest.
❓ Who am I? A Legal Riddle
German:
Ich bin aus Papier, doch wiege schwer,
Von der Staatsanwaltschaft komm' ich her.
Ich liste auf, was falsch gemacht,
Und bringe den Fall vor Gericht mit Macht.
Wer oder was bin ich?
English Translation:
I'm made of paper, yet I weigh heavily,
From the public prosecutor's office, I come readily.
I list what was done wrong, plain to see,
And bring the case to court forcefully.
Who or what am I?(Answer: Die Anklageschrift / The Indictment)
🔍 Other Details and Trivia
Word Composition:
The word "Anklageschrift" is a compound noun, composed of:
Together, they signify a written document containing a formal accusation.
Function in Legal Proceedings: The Anklageschrift has an important delimiting function ('Umgrenzungsfunktion'). The court may only rule on the acts specified in the indictment (principle of accusation, § 151 StPO - German Code of Criminal Procedure).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Anklageschrift?
The word 'Anklageschrift' is feminine, so the correct article is die Anklageschrift. It refers to a formal document issued by the public prosecutor's office (*Staatsanwaltschaft*) detailing the charges brought against an accused person in Germany, thereby initiating the main court proceedings.