Mischlingen

Mischlingen is the plural form of the German noun Mischling, meaning a mixed-breed or mixed-blood individual. In everyday language, the term most commonly refers to animals, especially dogs or cats, that do not belong to a recognized breed. It is a descriptive, non-scientific term used in breeding, veterinary contexts, and common speech to indicate mixed ancestry or appearance.

In a historical context, the term Mischling was also used in Nazi Germany as a legal category in the racial policies established by the Nuremberg Laws. Mischling erster Grades (first degree) referred to a person with one Jewish grandparent, while Mischling zweiten Grades (second degree) referred to a person with two Jewish grandparents. Those classified as Mischlinge were subject to discriminatory laws and restrictions on civil rights, including how they could live, work, marry, or associate with others. A separate status, Volljude, applied to people with three or four Jewish grandparents under the same policy framework. The categories and policies targeted individuals and families, and they formed part of the broader system of persecution implemented during that era. After World War II, these legal classifications were repealed and are studied today as part of the history of Nazi racial ideology.