Glocke

Glocke is the German noun for "bell." It refers to a hollow metal object that produces a ringing sound when struck or vibrated and is used in many contexts, from church towers and clock chimes to handbells and carillons. In everyday German, the word appears in phrases such as Glockengeläute (the ringing of bells) and Glockenspiel, the percussion instrument whose name literally means "bell play" and which imitates the sound of bells.

The term is used beyond literal bells in various cultural and historical contexts. In German, bells are a traditional element in towns and churches, and Glocke can appear in place names or surnames.

A notable non-literal use is Die Glocke, a widely circulated conspiracy theory about a supposed secret Nazi device during World War II. The story reportedly involves a bell-shaped device with extraordinary properties. There is no credible historical evidence supporting the existence of Die Glocke, and it is generally regarded as a subject of speculative fiction and myth rather than documented history.

In music and media, Glocke appears in discussions of instrument families and in titles referencing bells. For example, glockenspiel is an instrument linked to bells and produces bright, bell-like tones, with its name deriving from Glocke and Spiel (play).