die  Einberufung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaɪ̯nbəʁuːfʊŋ/

📜 What does "die Einberufung" mean?

Die Einberufung (noun, feminine) generally describes the act of officially summoning or convening people. It primarily has two meanings:

• 1. Military Context 💂: The most common meaning is the call-up for military service or conscription (the draft). When someone receives their Einberufung, they have to report for duty. Example: Er erhielt seine Einberufung zur Bundeswehr. (He received his draft notice for the Bundeswehr.)
• 2. General/Formal Context 🏛️: Less common, but also correct, it refers to the official convocation or convening of an assembly, a board, a committee, or a meeting. Example: Die Einberufung der Hauptversammlung erfolgte fristgerecht. (The convocation of the general assembly took place on schedule.)

🚨 The word has a very formal character and is mostly used in official or military language.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar & Declension: Die Einberufung

The word "Einberufung" is a feminine noun. The article is die. The declension follows the pattern for feminine nouns ending in "-ung".

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. (Military) Der junge Mann wartete nervös auf seine Einberufung.
   (The young man waited nervously for his call-up papers.)
2. (Military) Nach der Einberufung musste er sich binnen einer Woche bei der Kaserne melden.
   (After the conscription, he had to report to the barracks within a week.)
3. (Assembly) Die Einberufung des Parlaments erfolgte durch den Präsidenten.
   (The convocation of the parliament was carried out by the president.)
4. (Assembly) Auf der Tagesordnung der nächsten Einberufung stehen wichtige Entscheidungen.
   (Important decisions are on the agenda for the next convened meeting.)

🗣️ How to use "Einberufung"?

The use of die Einberufung strongly depends on the context:

• Military/Conscription: This is the most frequent usage. One speaks of the Einberufung zum Grundwehrdienst (call-up for basic military service), the Einberufung von Reservisten (call-up of reservists), etc. It's an official act, often associated with a written notice (the Einberufungsbescheid - call-up notice).
• Assemblies/Committees: Here, the word is more formal than, for example, "Einladung" (invitation) or "Treffen" (meeting). It's used for official gatherings, often prescribed by statutes, such as general assemblies, supervisory board meetings, or the convening of an inquiry committee.

Distinction from similar words:

• Musterung: Refers to the medical examination to determine fitness for military service, which takes place before a potential Einberufung.
• Rekrutierung: A more general term for the recruitment of personnel, not only in the military sense.
• Einladung: Much more general and informal for asking someone to attend an event.
• Sitzung/Tagung/Versammlung: These refer to the event itself, whereas "Einberufung" is the act of calling it together.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Einberufung"

For the article (die): Nouns ending in "-ung" are almost always feminine in German. Think of: die Einladung (the invitation), die Versammlung (the assembly), die Entscheidung (the decision) -> so it's also die Einberufung.

For the meaning: Imagine someone officially calling (rufen) someone into (ein) a duty/Beruf (in the sense of 'task' or 'calling', like military service) or a meeting. This calling leads to the Ein-be-ruf-ung.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Don't confuse Einberufung with "Berufung" (e.g., appointment to a professorship or, in a legal sense, an appeal).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Freund: "Hast du schon deine Einberufung bekommen?"
Antwortet der andere: "Nein, aber meine Freundin hat mir gerade eine Liste mit Aufgaben gegeben – fühlt sich fast genauso an!"

(Translation: One friend asks: "Have you received your call-up papers yet?" The other replies: "No, but my girlfriend just gave me a list of tasks – feels almost the same!")

✒️ Poem about Einberufung

Der Brief kam an, mit Stempel drauf,
Die Einberufung nimmt den Lauf.
Ein Ruf zur Pflicht, zum Dienst am Land,
Man reicht dem Staat nun seine Hand.

Auch Gremien ruft man so herbei,
Zur Sitzung, schnell und sorgenfrei?
Die Einberufung, klar und schlicht,
Erfüllt fürs Treffen ihre Pflicht.

(Translation:
The letter arrived, with a stamp on it,
The Einberufung takes its course.
A call to duty, to serve the country,
One now offers the state one's hand.

Committees too are thus summoned,
To a meeting, quick and carefree?
The Einberufung, clear and simple,
Fulfills its duty for the gathering.)

❓ Riddle

Ich bin ein Ruf, doch kein Applaus,
Ich hol dich oft aus deinem Haus.
Mal geht's zum Bund, zum Dienst im Feld,
Mal zu 'ner Sitzung, die was zählt.

Was bin ich? ... Die Einberufung

(Translation:
I am a call, but not applause,
I often get you out of your house.
Sometimes it's to the army, to serve in the field,
Sometimes to a meeting that matters indeed.

What am I?
... Die Einberufung (The call-up / convocation))

➕ More Information

Word Composition: The word "Einberufung" is derived from the verb "einberufen" (to call up, to convene). It consists of:

• Prefix "ein-" (into, start of)
• Verb "berufen" (to call, to appoint)
• Suffix "-ung" (turns the verb into a noun, feminine)

Historical Context: In Germany, the Einberufung for military service was a defining experience for young men for decades. The suspension of compulsory military service in 2011 reduced the everyday relevance of this meaning, but it remains in the language and in the context of reservists or discussions about its potential reintroduction.