Anordnung

Anordnung is a German noun derived from the verb anordnen and denotes two related but distinct concepts. In everyday language, it can refer to an order or decree issued by someone in authority, such as a government, a ministry, a court, or a company. It can also denote an arrangement or layout of elements, such as the spatial ordering of furniture, people seated in a hall, or the structure of a plan.

Etymology and usage: The term comes from Middle High German anordnen and today appears mainly in formal or administrative contexts. In legal and administrative language it is often used with the sense of a directive that prescribes action, imposes obligations, or governs procedures. Expressions like “eine Anordnung erlassen” or “unter Anordnung des …” are common. It is closely related to but distinct from Verordnung (regulation), Befehl (command), and Verfügung (administrative disposition); in many contexts Anordnung is more specific or situational, sometimes temporary.

Legal and administrative sense: An official Anordnung is typically unilateral and binding on affected persons or institutions, may require formal publication or notice, and can be challenged through administrative or judicial review depending on jurisdiction. It is widely used in public administration, policing, healthcare administration, and civil service.

Other senses: Beyond law, Anordnung also describes the deliberate arrangement of objects or people, for example die Anordnung der Sitzordnung or die Anordnung der Möbel in einem Raum. As a historical and political term it appears in texts that describe organizational directives.

See also: Verordnung, Befehl, Verfügung, Ordnung.