Home

Krieg

Krieg is the German noun for war, referring to organized armed conflict between states, groups, or coalitions. It covers declared wars as well as other forms of military conflict and is used across German-speaking countries in historical, political, and everyday contexts.

The term is of Germanic origin and forms many compound words with the prefix Kriegs-. Examples include

Historically, war has profoundly shaped German-speaking regions, from early modern conflicts and the Napoleonic era to

In literature, media, and political discourse, Krieg appears in many titles and phrases. For example, the Second

The German title for Tolstoy’s War and Peace is Krieg und Frieden, illustrating how the term functions

Kriegsführung
(conduct
of
war),
Kriegsrecht
(martial
law),
Kriegsbeute
(war
spoils),
and
Kriegswaffen
(weapons
of
war).
These
compounds
are
common
in
legal,
military,
and
historical
language.
the
world
wars
of
the
20th
century.
In
the
postwar
period,
public
discourse
in
German-speaking
countries
has
often
emphasized
memory,
peace,
and
reconstruction,
alongside
critical
analysis
of
past
conflicts.
World
War
is
commonly
referred
to
as
der
Zweite
Weltkrieg,
and
the
broader
concept
of
world
war
is
Weltkrieg.
The
term
also
appears
in
translations
and
discussions
of
international
affairs,
military
history,
and
ethics
of
armed
conflict.
in
translation
and
cultural
reference.