Zeuginnen

Zeuginnen is the feminine plural form of Zeugin, the German word for a witness. It designates multiple women who testify about facts or events in legal, civil, or public proceedings. The term is used alongside Zeugen, which can refer to male or mixed-gender witnesses, while Zeuginnen specifies female witnesses.

Etymology: Zeuginnen is formed from Zeugin (the feminine form of Zeuge) with the feminine plural suffix -innen, following established German patterns for gendered nouns. The masculine plural is Zeugen.

Role in legal proceedings: In court and administrative settings, Zeuginnen provide testimony under oath or affirmation, reporting observations, experiences, or knowledge relevant to a case. Their statements contribute to fact-finding in criminal and civil proceedings and in inquiries conducted by authorities. Testimony can be influenced by memory, stress, and perception, and many jurisdictions employ measures to protect witnesses and encourage careful, trauma-informed testimony.

Other contexts: Beyond courts, Zeuginnen contribute to historical records, truth-seeking processes, journalism, and oral-history projects, where their accounts document events and personal experiences. In German-language discourse, it is common to refer to groups of witnesses with gender-aware language, using Zeuginnen for women and Zeugen for mixed or unspecified groups, depending on the context.

See also: Zeuge, Zeugin.