die  Feuersbrunst

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfɔʏ̯ɐsˌbʁʊnst/

🔥 What does 'die Feuersbrunst' mean?

The German noun 'Die Feuersbrunst' (feminine) refers to a very large, destructive fire, often one that rages out of control. It's a strong, somewhat elevated or literary word for a major fire, a conflagration, or a fire disaster. It emphasizes the intensity and devastating scale of the fire.

Unlike a simple 'Brand' (fire) or 'Feuer' (fire), 'Feuersbrunst' always implies significant danger and destruction.

⚠️ There is only this one article ('die') and this one main meaning for the word.

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Die Feuersbrunst

The noun 'Feuersbrunst' is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

💡 Example Sentences

1. Die Feuerwehr kämpfte tagelang gegen die gewaltige Feuersbrunst.
   (The fire department fought against the enormous conflagration for days.)
2. In den Nachrichten wurde von einer verheerenden Feuersbrunst im Wald berichtet.
   (The news reported on a devastating conflagration in the forest.)
3. Historische Aufzeichnungen beschreiben die große Feuersbrunst, die die Stadt zerstörte.
   (Historical records describe the great conflagration that destroyed the city.)
4. Viele Menschen verloren durch die Feuersbrunst ihr Zuhause.
   (Many people lost their homes due to the conflagration.)

🗣️ Usage in Context

'Die Feuersbrunst' is mainly used to describe particularly large and destructive fires. You often find the word:

• In news reports about disasters (wildfires, city fires).
• In historical texts or narratives.
• In literature to create drama and convey danger.

It often sounds more formal, dramatic, or even a bit more archaic than the more common word 'Großbrand' (major fire). In everyday conversation, one might be more likely to say 'ein riesiges Feuer' (a huge fire) or 'ein Großbrand', while 'Feuersbrunst' emphasizes the sheer destructive power.

Comparison:

• Feuer: General term for combustion with flames.
• Brand: A damaging fire, often of medium size.
• Großbrand: A very large fire, often difficult to extinguish (modern, factual term).
• Feuersbrunst: A catastrophic, often uncontrollable large fire (elevated, dramatic).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article 'die': Think of 'die' as relating to concepts sometimes associated with the feminine in a figurative sense: 'die' Heat, 'die' Danger, 'die' Destruction. Or imagine 'die' Feuerwehr (the fire department, feminine noun in German!) fighting 'die' Feuersbrunst.

Meaning 'Conflagration': The word contains 'Feuer' (fire). 'Brunst' sounds a bit like 'burnt' or 'burst'. Imagine a fire that has 'burst' out of control and 'burnt' everything – a Feuer-Burst = Feuersbrunst.

🔄 Synonyms and Opposites

⚠️ Similar Words:

Brunst: This word alone can also mean 'heat' or the mating season (rut) in animals. However, in the context of 'Feuersbrunst', the meaning clearly refers to burning.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Feuerwehrleute immer eine Leiter mit zur Feuersbrunst?

Damit sie über den Herd des Geschehens schauen können! 🔥🪜

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Translation:

Why do firefighters always take a ladder to the conflagration?

So they can look over the 'Herd' (stove / source/center) of the action! (It's a pun: 'Herd' means stove/cooker, but also source/focus point).

📜 Poem about the Feuersbrunst

Rot der Himmel, heiß die Nacht,
Eine Feuersbrunst erwacht.
Flammen züngeln, gierig, wild,
Zeigen Zerstörung furchtbar Bild.
Häuser fallen, Holz zerspringt,
Asche leis' vom Winde singt.
Ein Inferno, grell und laut,
Das sich durch die Trümmer baut.

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Translation:

Red the sky, hot the night,
A conflagration comes to light.
Flames are licking, greedy, wild,
Show destruction's fearsome child.
Houses fall, and timbers crack,
Ashes softly sing on wind's track.
An inferno, bright and loud,
Building through the ruined shroud.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin heiß und riesengroß,
Bring Verderben, gnadenlos.
Nicht nur 'Brand', viel schlimmer noch,
Schlucke Wälder, Städte doch.
Mein Artikel ist feminin,
Welch Katastrophe bin ich denn?

Lösung: die Feuersbrunst

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Translation:

I am hot and huge in size,
Bringing ruin before your eyes.
Not just 'fire', much worse indeed,
Swallowing forests, cities' deed.
My article is feminine,
What catastrophe have I been?

Solution: die Feuersbrunst (the conflagration)

🧩 Further Insights into Feuersbrunst

Word Composition:

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

• Feuer: Meaning 'fire'.
• Brunst: An old word for 'burning', 'blaze', or 'intense heat'. Although 'Brunst' today often refers to the mating season (rut) of animals, its meaning within this compound word clearly relates to fire.

Cultural Significance:

Conflagrations (Feuersbrünste) have often left deep marks on the history of cities and regions (e.g., the Great Fire of London, the Great Fire of Hamburg). They are symbols of destruction, but sometimes also of subsequent rebuilding, renewal, and change.