die  Exekution

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛksɛkʊˈt͡si̯oːn/

🎯 What does 'die Exekution' mean?

The German word die Exekution (feminine) primarily has two meanings:

1. Enforcement / Execution / Implementation: This refers to carrying out an order, a judgment, a plan, or a task. It's often used in legal or administrative contexts.

   Example: Die Exekution des Gerichtsurteils erfolgte durch den Gerichtsvollzieher. (The enforcement of the court judgment was carried out by the bailiff.)

2. Execution (Capital Punishment): This is the more serious and specific meaning, referring to the carrying out of the death penalty.

   Example: Die Exekution des Verurteilten fand im Morgengrauen statt. (The execution of the convict took place at dawn.)

⚠️ It's crucial to consider the context to understand the correct meaning, as the two are very different.

🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: Declining 'die Exekution'

Die Exekution is a feminine noun. Remember: nouns ending in '-tion' are almost always feminine in German, taking the article 'die'. Here's how it declines:

📝 Example Sentences

• Meaning 'Enforcement': Die pünktliche Exekution des Plans war entscheidend für den Erfolg.
  (The punctual execution/implementation of the plan was crucial for success.)
• Meaning 'Enforcement': Der Gläubiger beantragte die Exekution des Titels.
  (The creditor applied for the enforcement of the title/writ.)
• Meaning 'Capital Punishment': Die Nachricht über die bevorstehende Exekution löste Proteste aus.
  (The news about the upcoming execution sparked protests.)
• Plural: In diesem Land gab es im letzten Jahr mehrere Exekutionen.
  (There were several executions (capital punishment) in this country last year.)

💡 Usage in Context: When to Use 'die Exekution'

Using die Exekution depends heavily on the intended meaning:

• As Enforcement/Implementation: In this sense, the word is often used in formal, legal, business, or administrative contexts. It describes the implementation of laws, judgments, contracts, or plans.
  • Typical collocations: Exekution eines Urteils (enforcement of a judgment), Exekution eines Befehls (execution of an order), Exekution eines Plans (execution of a plan).
  • Alternative words: Vollstreckung (enforcement, very common legally), Durchführung (carrying out, implementation), Umsetzung (implementation), Ausführung (execution, carrying out).
• As Capital Punishment: This meaning is specific to the death penalty and is used in discussions about legal systems, history, or human rights. The tone here is naturally very serious.
  • Alternative words: Hinrichtung (execution/capital punishment, most common synonym), Tötung (killing, the act itself), Vollstreckung der Todesstrafe (carrying out the death penalty).

🚨 Avoid confusion: Although 'Exekution' covers both meanings, in general spoken German, people might prefer Durchführung or Umsetzung for 'enforcement/implementation', while 'Exekution' sounds more specific to 'capital punishment'. However, in a legal context, 'Exekution' for 'enforcement' is standard.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Exekution'

For the article 'die': Think of the ending '-tion'. Like information, nation, or station in English often correspond to feminine nouns ending in '-tion' in German (die Information, die Nation, die Station). So, it's die Exekution.

For the meanings: The English word "execution" itself has the same dual meaning: executing a plan/order and executing a person. Remember that German Exekution mirrors this exactly.

↔️ Opposites and Similarities

⚠️ Similar but Different Words

• Die Exekutive: Refers to the executive branch of government (like the administration), not the act of execution itself. It's feminine too, though.

😄 A Little Joke

Was sagt der Computer bei der Exekution einer fehlerhaften Datei?
"Es ist Zeit für die digitale Hinrichtung! Löschen oder nicht löschen, das ist hier die Frage..." 🤷‍♂️💻

Translation: What does the computer say during the execution of a faulty file?
"It's time for the digital execution! To delete or not to delete, that is the question..."

📜 A Little Poem

Ob Plan, Befehl, ob Urteilsspruch,
Die Exekution bringt den Beschluss.
Mal ist's Verwaltung, kühl und klar,
Mal endet Leben, furchtbar wahr.
Ein Wort, zwei Welten, oft getrennt,
Im Recht und Leben man's erkennt.

Translation:
Whether plan, command, or judgment's decree,
The execution brings finality.
Sometimes administration, cool and clear,
Sometimes life ends, terribly real and near.
One word, two worlds, often apart,
In law and life, it plays its part.

🕵️‍♀️ A Riddle

Ich kann ein Urteil vollstrecken, ganz nach Plan,
Oder das Ende bedeuten für einen Mann.
Mal bin ich Bürokratie, mal letzter Schritt im Gericht.
Ich trage 'die' vor mir, sag, wer bin ich?

Translation:
I can enforce a judgment, according to plan,
Or signify the end for a man.
Sometimes I'm bureaucracy, sometimes the final court step.
I carry 'die' before me, tell me, who am I?

Solution: die Exekution

🌐 Other Interesting Points

• Etymology: The word comes from the Latin executio, meaning "carrying out" or "performance". It's related to the verb exsequi ("to follow up, carry out").
• Related Word: Die Exekutive (the executive branch of government) also derives from this root but refers to the institution, not the act itself.