Wandlung

Wandlung is a German noun meaning transformation, metamorphosis, or change of state. It denotes a fundamental or radical change of form, being, or condition, rather than everyday or superficial alterations. The term is formed from the verb wandeln (to transform, to change) with the common noun suffix -ung.

In linguistic and philological contexts, wandlung is used to discuss processes of change in concepts, systems, or entities that acquire new properties or identities. In philosophy, theology and literature, it often carries a sense of ontological or spiritual reconfiguration, describing how something comes into a new form or operates under different principles. In mysticism and Christian thought, wandlung may refer to inner conversion or a cosmic transformation of order.

Compared with Wandel, which generally denotes change or a process of becoming, wandlung emphasizes depth, reorganization, and a shift in essential characteristics. The nuance can imply a metamorphosis that alters the nature of what undergoes the change, rather than a simple alteration of its state.

Wandlung appears in historical German writings as a formal term and remains in contemporary usage in discussions of transformation in culture, religion, and speculative thought. See also Wandel, Transformation, Metamorphose.