Schergeschichte

Schergeschichte is a term used in German-language literary and media criticism to describe narratives that foreground the perspective, motivations, and backstory of a Scherge—an armed henchman or subordinate figure associated with a main antagonist. The combination of Scherge with Geschichte (story) signals a shift in focus from the central hero to a secondary character whose involvement shapes the plot.

Etymology and usage: The word builds on the historical German term Scherge, meaning a loyal auxiliary or go-between. It is not a formally codified genre and appears sporadically in critical essays and discussions about narrative perspective, power, and complicity in crime or oppression.

Themes and approach: Schergeschichten tend to examine loyalty, coercion, and the social or organizational pressures that mold a henchman’s choices. They may illuminate moral ambiguity and the mechanics of wrongdoing, offering a critique of broader power structures rather than a traditional hero-centered narrative.

Forms and media: The concept is applied across novels, films, television series, and comics, where a backstory or viewpoint of a secondary antagonist reshapes audience understanding of the main plot or villainy.

Relation to other concepts: Schergeschichte intersects with backstories, origin stories, antihero narratives, and ensemble casts. Because the term is not universally standardized, its exact usage varies by critic and context. See also: side character, henchman, backstory, origin story.