Aufstellung

Aufstellung is a German noun meaning arrangement, layout, or line-up. It derives from aufstellen, meaning to set up or place in a standing position, combining auf- (on, up) and stellen (to place, to set). The term is used broadly to describe the act of organizing elements in a specific order or position.

In military usage, Aufstellung refers to the deployment or disposition of troops and equipment. It encompasses the arrangement of units for operations, including their formation, order of battle, and assembly locations (for example, the Aufstellungsort of units before an engagement or maneuver).

In sports, Aufstellung denotes the lineup of players for a match and the underlying formation or tactical arrangement. Managers and commentators refer to the Aufstellung to describe which players start, who fixtures in which positions, and how the team is structured for a game.

Beyond military and sports contexts, the term also appears in planning and organizational settings. It can describe the setup of machinery, a staging of an exhibition, or the arrangement of personnel and resources in a project or event.

In sociological and therapeutic practices, Aufstellung is used in methods such as Familienaufstellung (family constellations) or systemische Aufstellung, where participants stand as representatives to reveal interpersonal dynamics and hidden relationships within a system.

The word therefore covers physical, strategic, and methodological arrangements, with its precise meaning clarified by the domain in which it is used.