Rasse

Rasse is a German noun meaning race or breed. In biology and breeding, it denotes a population within a species that shares a set of heritable traits distinguishing it from other populations. The term is commonly used in the description of domestic animals and cultivated plants, where official breed standards define morphology, temperament, and performance. In veterinary medicine, for example, Rasse lists help identify breed-specific health risks and care needs. In zoology and botany, 'Rasse' is frequently rendered in English as 'breed' or 'strain', depending on the organism.

In anthropological and sociological contexts, Rasse has been used to refer to human groups perceived to differ by heredity. However, contemporary science treats human genetic variation as continuous and not neatly divisible into discrete races. Many scientists emphasize that 'Rasse' as a biological category is not scientifically well founded for humans; instead concepts such as ancestry, ethnicity, or population history are preferred. The term remains controversial because of its historical misuse in racial theories and eugenics, particularly in German-speaking contexts during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the Nazi period, when 'Rassenlehre' and 'Rassenhygiene' influenced policy.

Today, in scientific and policy discussions, there is a shift toward avoiding essentialist uses of 'Rasse' for humans and focusing on social, cultural, and genealogical dimensions of diversity. In animal breeding and agronomy, the term continues to be standard, with clear standards and registries for recognized Rassen.