Aufarbeiten

Aufarbeiten is a German verb meaning to work through, process, or deal with something. It is formed with the separable prefix auf-, which can convey completion, restoration, or thorough handling. In everyday language it can mean to undertake a task, to revise, or to restore an object.

Many contexts distinguish its meanings. In social and historical discourse, Aufarbeiten refers to the process of coming to terms with the past, as in die Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit, often in relation to collective memory, responsibility, and reconciliation. In psychology, it describes therapeutic work to address trauma or unresolved emotions, sometimes framed as facing or integrating past experiences.

In archival, administrative, and research settings, Aufarbeitung denotes the systematic processing of materials: sorting, cataloging, cleaning, digitizing, and analysis to make sources usable and searchable.

In industry and crafts, Aufarbeitung can mean refurbishment or restoration of a used item—such as the refurbishment of a vehicle or furniture—bringing it back to a usable or improved state. In technical fields the term can also refer to data processing or material refurbishment; in nuclear energy the corresponding term is Wiederaufarbeitung for reprocessing spent fuel.

The noun Aufarbeitung (the act of working through or processing) is commonly used to describe these processes. The term carries domain-specific nuances but consistently denotes moving from disorder or neglect toward understanding, restoration, or usability.