Entlastung

Entlastung describes the relief or alleviation of a burden. The noun is formed from the verb entlasten, meaning to lighten, relieve, or free from a load, responsibility, or blame. The term is used across domains such as politics, law, economics, administration, and everyday life to denote the reduction of strain, the release from obligations, or exoneration from fault.

In politics and public policy, Entlastung often refers to measures that reduce taxes, duties, or social contributions—collectively called an Entlastungspaket—aimed at easing the financial burden on households, businesses, or public finances. It can also denote the formal discharge of a government or an administration from liability for the management of the budget or state affairs, typically decided by the parliament. In corporate governance, shareholders grant Entlastung to the management and supervisory boards, effectively approving their actions for the preceding year.

In law, Entlastung can mean exoneration or discharge from charges or responsibility, for example in administrative or judicial proceedings.

In everyday use, Entlastung also signifies physical or mental relief, rest, time off, or a reduction of workload, as when someone is relieved from an arduous task or the symptom burden of a disease is alleviated.

The concept is widely used in German-speaking countries and is closely tied to the idea of reducing burden and restoring balance for individuals, organizations, and public policy.