Kameradinnen

Kameradinnen is the feminine plural form of Kamerad, a German term used to denote a comrade or fellow member of a group. The word Kamerad itself is cognate with the French camarade and has been used in German since early modern times to describe a companion in military, civic, or social contexts. The feminine form Kameradin (singular) and the plural Kameradinnen are used to refer to female comrades, and together with Kameraden they form the common gender-inclusive pair Kameradinnen und Kameraden.

Usage of Kameradinnen occurs in a variety of contexts. In military and paramilitary settings, the phrase Kameradinnen und Kameraden has been used as a formal address in meetings, ceremonies, and oaths. It also appears in scouting, veterans’ organizations, and certain socialist or workers’ movements where female members are acknowledged alongside male colleagues. In some contexts Kameradinnen may be used alone to refer to a group of women, or the full inclusive form Kameradinnen und Kameraden is preferred to explicitly include all members.

In modern German, the term retains historical associations with solidarity, comradeship, and collective identity. Contemporary usage often favors gender-inclusive forms or neutral alternatives in official or public contexts. While Kameradinnen remains a legitimate form, many organizations choose phrasing that explicitly includes all genders or uses gender-neutral language to reflect current linguistic conventions.