die  Ermordung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛɐ̯ˈmɔʁdʊŋ/

🔪 What exactly does "Ermordung" mean?

Die Ermordung (noun, feminine) refers to the act of murdering or assassinating someone. It signifies the deliberate and unlawful killing of a human being, often under specific aggravating circumstances (Mordmerkmale like malice aforethought, greed, etc., depending on the legal system).

It is derived from the verb ermorden (to murder) and describes the action itself, as opposed to der Mord, which tends to refer to the crime as a legal or abstract concept.

• Meaning 1: The process of killing, the carrying out of a murder. Example: Die Ermordung des Politikers löste internationale Bestürzung aus. (The assassination of the politician caused international consternation.)
• Context: Often used in news reports, legal texts, and historical accounts.

⚠️ Attention: Although often used synonymously, die Ermordung (the act) can be distinguished from der Mord (the crime, the legal offense).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Ermordung" in Detail

The noun "Ermordung" is feminine. The article is therefore die. It is declined as follows:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Polizei untersucht die brutale Ermordung des Zeugen.
   (The police are investigating the brutal murder of the witness.)
2. Die Motive hinter der Ermordung sind noch unklar.
   (The motives behind the murder are still unclear.)
3. Man gedachte der Ermordung mit einer Schweigeminute.
   (The murder was commemorated with a minute of silence.)
4. In der Geschichte gab es viele politische Ermordungen.
   (There have been many political assassinations throughout history.)
5. Die Aufklärung der Ermordungen dauerte Jahre.
   (Solving the murders took years.)

🗣️ Usage in Context

Die Ermordung is primarily used in formal contexts, especially when discussing criminal acts, historical events, or news reports.

• Formal Context: News, police reports, court proceedings, history books. Example: Die Anklage lautet auf Anstiftung zur Ermordung. (The charge is incitement to murder.)
• Distinction from "Mord": While der Mord (the murder, masculine) often names the crime as a legal category or a single event (Der Mord geschah gestern Nacht - The murder happened last night), die Ermordung emphasizes the process or execution of the act (Die Ermordung dauerte nur wenige Sekunden - The act of murdering took only a few seconds). In the plural (die Ermordungen), it is often preferred over "die Morde" when referring to a series or number of killing acts.
• Distinction from "Tötung": Die Tötung (the killing, feminine) is a more general term for ending a life and is not necessarily unlawful or involving aggravating circumstances (e.g., Tötung auf Verlangen - killing upon request, fahrlässige Tötung - negligent homicide). Die Ermordung always implies intent and unlawfulness in the sense of criminal law.
• Attentat: For politically motivated murders of public figures, the term das Attentat (the assassination, neuter) is often used, highlighting the targeted killing for political or ideological reasons.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the Article (die): Many German nouns ending in -ung that describe an action or process (like Untersuchung - investigation, Entscheidung - decision, Bewertung - evaluation) are feminine. Remember: The act (-ung) of murder (Ermordung) is feminine – "die Ermordung".

For the Meaning: Think of the verb "murder" intensified by "er-" (like in "eradicate"). The "-ung" turns it into the noun describing the act of murdering: "Er-mord-ung".

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Die Mordlust: Bloodlust, lust for murder.
• Der Mörder / Die Mörderin: Murderer (male/female).
• Ermorden (verb): To murder.

😂 A Little Joke (Handle with Care)

Richter zum Angeklagten: "Warum haben Sie den Mann mit einem Stuhl erschlagen?"
Angeklagter: "Herr Richter, der Tisch war mir einfach zu schwer."

Translation:
Judge to the defendant: "Why did you kill the man with a chair?"
Defendant: "Your Honor, the table was just too heavy for me."

(Note: This relates generally to homicide, not specifically 'Ermordung' in the legal sense, and is dark humor.)

📜 Poem about Ermordung

Ein Schatten fällt, ein Schrei verhallt,
Die Ermordung, kalt und alt.
Ein Leben endet, jäh zerstört,
Die Nachricht schrecklich, ungehört.
Ein Akt der Bosheit, tief und schwarz,
Im Herzen Wut, im Auge Schmerz.

Translation:
A shadow falls, a cry fades out,
The act of murder, cold and old, no doubt.
A life concludes, abruptly torn,
The news horrific, yet unborn
To ears that wish they hadn't heard,
An act of malice, black, absurd.
In heart reigns fury, in eye pain's start.

🕵️ A Riddle

Ich bin ein Akt, kein Zustand nur,
Bin oft geplant auf finstrer Spur.
Ich nehme Leben, kalt und schnell,
Bin Thema oft kriminell.
Mein Artikel ist feminin,
Was bin ich wohl, mit bösem Sinn?

Translation:
I am an act, not just a state,
Often planned on a dark path, by fate.
I take a life, cold and fast,
A criminal topic, built to last.
My article is feminine,
What am I, with wicked sin?

Solution: die Ermordung (the act of murder/assassination)

💡 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Ermordung" is a noun derived from the verb "ermorden" (to murder). It consists of:

• Prefix er-: Often intensifying or indicating the result of an action.
• Root mord: Relating to the act of killing (murder).
• Suffix -ung: Forms nouns from verbs, often denoting a process or result, and typically feminine in gender.

Legal Context:

In German criminal law, Mord (§ 211 StGB) is the killing of a human being involving specific characteristics (Mordmerkmale), such as greed, malice, cruelty, etc. "Die Ermordung" refers to the execution of this act.