Häftling

Häftling is a German term for a person who is deprived of liberty by a state authority, typically through imprisonment, police custody, or detention orders. The emphasis is on the state of being detained rather than on criminal guilt. The plural form is Häftlinge. The word derives from haften, meaning to hold or bind, and the phrase in Haft, meaning in custody.

Usage and scope: In everyday language Gefangener is a close synonym, but Häftling is more common in official, penal, or historical contexts. It is used for inmates of prisons (Justizvollzugsanstalten), persons in police or judicial detention, and, in historical contexts, for prisoners in concentration camps (KZ-Häftlinge). The term can also appear in compound forms such as Untersuchungshaft, referring to pre-trial detention.

Legal framework and rights: In German law, detention is described as Haft. Forms include Untersuchungshaft (pre-trial detention) and other custody orders. Häftlinge have rights to humane treatment, access to legal counsel, family contact, and periodic reviews of their detention, with specifics varying by jurisdiction and legislative regime.

Historical note: The term has particular historical resonance in discussions of Nazi-era camps, where the designation KZ-Häftling (concentration camp inmate) was commonly used. In modern usage, the term remains standard in legal and penal contexts, while alternative terms such as Inhaftierter or Gefangener may be preferred in some contexts or by different communities.

See also: detention, imprisonment, inhaftierte, Gefangene, Untersuchungshaft.