abgefangene

Abgefangene is a German term that literally means those who have been captured or intercepted. In common usage, abgefangene refers most often to people who have been taken prisoner or detained during armed conflict or by authorities. The word is more common in historical or journalistic contexts; in contemporary legal language German typically uses Gefangene for prisoners, Verhaftete for those arrested, and Inhaftierte for those detained.

In military history, abgefangene can describe combatants or non-combatants who were captured during battles, sieges, or security operations. When highlighting captured combatants in international conflict, the more precise term Kriegsgefangene (prisoners of war) is used, and their treatment is governed by the Geneva Conventions. Civilians detained in armed conflict are protected under the Fourth Geneva Convention and related protocols, with requirements for humane treatment, access to food and medical care, communication with relatives, and due process. Prisoners of war and civilian detainees are generally entitled to release or repatriation after the conflict ends, subject to applicable legal determinations.

In civilian law and reporting, the formal terms are usually Verhaftete or Inhaftierte, with abgefangene appearing primarily in narrative or historical accounts rather than as a technical legal category.

Apart from people, the past participle abgefangen is also used in contexts such as intercepted signals or communications, though as a noun it is rare and context-dependent. In such uses, it denotes something that has been intercepted rather than a person.