erneuerung

Erneuerung is a German noun meaning renewal, regeneration, revival, or modernization. It derives from the verb erneuern “to renew,” with the nominalized form Erneuerung used to denote the process or result of renewing.

In philosophy and religion, Erneuerung refers to inner transformation or reform of beliefs and practices. It appears in discussions of personal renewal and in religious movements that seek renewed faith, ethics, or community life.

In politics and society, Erneuerung denotes reforms, modernization, or renewal of institutions, policies, and infrastructures. It can describe efforts to revitalize an organization or region, or broader cultural renewal movements.

In science, nature, and technology, Erneuerung is used for regeneration and renewal processes, such as tissue regeneration in biology or ecological recovery after disturbance. In construction and urban planning, it signifies the renewal or replacement of aging infrastructure, sometimes alongside Renovierung, which more specifically means renovation or refurbishment of existing structures.

The term is related to, but distinct from, Renovierung (renovation) and from Erneuerbare Energien (renewable energy), which refer to different concepts. Erneuerung thus covers a broad range of renewal-oriented changes across disciplines, from personal transformation to institutional modernization and ecological regeneration.