die  Wiederkehr

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈviːdɐkɛːɐ̯/

🤔 What exactly does "die Wiederkehr" mean?

Die Wiederkehr is a feminine noun in German that covers several closely related meanings, all revolving around the concept of 'coming back' or 'occurring again':

• 1. Return: The act of a person or thing coming back to a specific place after an absence. It emphasizes the act of returning.

  Example: Wir feierten seine Wiederkehr nach langer Reise mit einem großen Fest. (We celebrated his return after a long journey with a big party.)

• 2. Recurrence / Reappearance: The event of something (an event, condition, pattern, or illness) happening or appearing again after a pause. It often relates to cyclical or regular phenomena.

  Example: Die jährliche Wiederkehr der Zugvögel ist ein Zeichen des Frühlings. (The annual return/recurrence of the migratory birds is a sign of spring.) Ärzte beobachten die Wiederkehr der Symptome genau. (Doctors closely monitor the recurrence of the symptoms.)

• 3. Anniversary: Used especially in a more elevated, literary, or solemn context to refer to the day marking the anniversary of a significant (often also sad) event.

  Example: Sie legten Blumen nieder zur Wiederkehr seines Todestages. (They laid down flowers on the anniversary of his death.) Die Wiederkehr der Firmengründung wurde gefeiert. (The anniversary of the company's founding was celebrated.)

The word often carries a slightly formal or poetic connotation but is also used in everyday language, especially for meanings 1 and 2.

🧐 Grammar of "die Wiederkehr" in Detail

Die Wiederkehr is a feminine noun. It follows the regular declension pattern for feminine nouns.

⚠️ Important Note on Plural: The plural form "die Wiederkehren" is very rare and mostly used in specific, often elevated or technical contexts when explicitly referring to multiple individual acts of return or recurrence. In most cases, even when talking about repeated events, the singular form is used: "Die ständige Wiederkehr der Probleme" (The constant recurrence of the problems) – not typically "die ständigen Wiederkehren".

📝 Example Sentences for Usage

• Alle warteten sehnsüchtig auf die Wiederkehr des Frühlings.
  (Everyone waited longingly for the return of spring. - Accusative)
• Wir gedachten der Wiederkehr des historischen Ereignisses mit einer Zeremonie.
  (We commemorated the anniversary/recurrence of the historical event with a ceremony. - Genitive)
• Nach der Wiederkehr aus dem Urlaub musste er viel aufarbeiten.
  (After the return from vacation, he had a lot to catch up on. - Dative)
• Die Wiederkehr der Inflation bereitet vielen Sorgen.
  (The return/recurrence of inflation worries many people. - Nominative)

💡 How to Use "die Wiederkehr"

Contexts and Nuances:

• Return of people/things: Often used when the return is anticipated or significant. Sounds slightly more formal than "die Rückkehr". (e.g., die Wiederkehr des verlorenen Sohnes - the return of the prodigal son)
• Recurrence of events/conditions: Frequently used for regular, cyclical, or sometimes unwanted events. (e.g., die Wiederkehr der Jahreszeiten - the return of the seasons, die Wiederkehr einer Krankheit - the recurrence of an illness, die Wiederkehr alter Muster - the recurrence of old patterns)
• Anniversaries: More common in formal, literary, or ceremonial language. In everyday speech, "der Jahrestag" is more common. (e.g., zur Wiederkehr des Gründungstages - on the anniversary of the founding day)

Comparison with Similar Words:

• Die Rückkehr: Synonym for meaning 1 (return), often more neutral and common in everyday language than "die Wiederkehr".
• Die Wiederholung: (Repetition) Emphasizes the act of happening again, often more neutral. "Die Wiederkehr" can imply deeper meaning or regularity.
• Der Jahrestag: (Anniversary) The standard word for the date an event is commemorated annually. "Die Wiederkehr" is more elevated in this context.

Overall, "die Wiederkehr" is a word with a certain depth, often going beyond mere physical return to emphasize cyclical or significant aspects.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Wiederkehr"

Article Mnemonic (die): Think of the phrase "Die journey ends with die Wiederkehr." The ending "-kehr" is often associated with feminine nouns (like die Verkehr - traffic, die Einkehr - stop/reflection). Imagine the Queen (feminine 'die') making her grand return - die Wiederkehr.

Meaning Mnemonic (Return/Recurrence): Break it down: Wieder means 'again' and Kehr relates to 'turn' or 'return' (from the verb kehren). So, it literally means the 'again-turn' or 'again-return'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "Wiederkehr"

🚨 Watch out for similar-sounding words:

• Der Verkehr: Sounds similar due to "-kehr" but means traffic, transport.
• Die Einkehr: Means stopping for a rest (e.g., at an inn) or inner reflection.

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Bumerang bei seiner Wiederkehr immer gute Laune?

Weil er weiß, dass er immer wieder willkommen ist! 😉

---

Why is the boomerang always in a good mood on its return (Wiederkehr)?

Because it knows it's always welcome back! 😉

📜 Poem about Wiederkehr

Die Zeit vergeht, ein leiser Fluss,
Manch Abschied bringt Verdruss.
Doch Hoffnung bleibt im Herzen schwer,
Ersehnt wird die Wiederkehr.

Der Frühling kommt, das Eis zerbricht,
Ein altbekanntes Angesicht.
Was fern erschien, ist plötzlich hier,
Willkommen, schöne Wiederkehr!

--- (Translation) ---

Time passes by, a silent stream,
Some farewells bring a saddened gleam.
But hope remains within the heart,
Awaited is the new return's start (die Wiederkehr).

Spring arrives, the ice departs,
A long-familiar face imparts.
What seemed afar is suddenly near,
Welcome, lovely, sweet return (schöne Wiederkehr)!

🕵️‍♀️ Little Riddle

Ich bin kein Mensch, doch komm ich oft zurück.
Ich bin kein Fest, doch bring ich manchmal Glück (oder auch nicht).
Man sehnt mich herbei oder fürchtet mich sehr,
Ich bin das erneute Kommen, bitte sehr!

Was bin ich? / What am I?

→ Die Wiederkehr

--- (Translation) ---

I am not a person, yet I often come back.
I am not a feast, yet sometimes bring luck (or maybe not). People long for me or fear me a lot,
I am the coming again, like it or not!

→ The return / recurrence (Die Wiederkehr)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Wiederkehr" is a compound noun:

• wieder: An adverb meaning "again", "once more".
• die Kehr: An old word for "turn", "return", related to the verb "kehren" (to turn, sweep, but also to return).

So, the combination literally means the "again-turn" or "again-return".

Cultural Significance:

The concept of Wiederkehr (return/recurrence) plays a role in many philosophies and religions (e.g., Nietzsche's "eternal return of the same", reincarnation doctrines). It's also a common motif in literature and mythology (e.g., the Odyssey as a story of a long return).