How Well Do You Know Famous German Terms from World War II?
By: John Miller
3 min
Image: Wiki commons
About This Quiz
OK, so "gesundheit†isn't one of them. But when it comes to a Nazi-inspired lexicon, there are a whole lot of World War II-era terms that are exceedingly common in our everyday language. That's the kind of power that the Third Reich and its reign of terror have on our culture, more than 70 years after the end of the worst conflict in modern history. You already know the name of the man who made big history by seizing power in Germany. Do you know the name of the book he used to inspire his followers? As you take our quiz, can you recall the various technological advances he leveraged to smash entire civilizations? The Nazis weren't content to merely do battle - they wanted to crush other nations as quickly as possible. Do you know the words that they used for their tactics and weapons? From their anti-tank explosives to their machine guns, the Nazis were inventive in amazing and horrifying ways. And the Nazis kept busy far beyond the front lines. Do you remember the name that's used to describe the systematic homicide of millions of Europeans? And can you recall the name of the all-powerful police force that rounded up the doomed? It's a new century, but the Nazis and the words of their mad war live on. Take our quiz and see if you know your Volkssturm from your SS.
What was the German term for "lightning war," a series of fast, armored strikes meant to smash defensive lines?
Bodengebunden
Blitzkrieg
As the Nazi war machine began crushing Europe, it utilized blitzkrieg tactics. The blitzkrieg included fast-moving armored columns that often crumpled even well-fortified positions.
What's the word for the German highway system constructed by the Nazis?
Aufsichtsverwaltung
Aussenstelle
Autobahnen
The autobahnen (aka the autobahn) is a system of highways built by the Nazis. Construction began in 1933, and it was Hitler who dug the ceremonial first bit of dirt.
What was the term that the Nazis used to describe someone they believed was racially superior?
Gypsy
Aryan
The Nazis idealized blonde hair and blue eyes, features typical of Northern Europeans. They called them "Aryans" and believed that the world would be better off with Aryans in charge.
"Mein Kampf" is Hitler's autobiography, in which he detailed his plans for Nazi Germany. Far too many of those hideous plans were carried out in real life.
The word "Daseinskampf" refers to the Nazi idea of struggling for _____.
Poetry
Existence
When Nazis gathered, they bemoaned their daseinskampf, the struggle for existence, particularly against perceived enemies like Jews, Communists or anyone else who didn't adhere to Hitler's crazed philosophies.
The Gestapo was the Nazi secret police. If you said or did the wrong thing in Nazi Germany, the Gestapo would show up at your door ... and you'd disappear.
Hitler was all about the power trip. He gave himself the title of Fuhrer as he ascended to the top of the Nazi party. In German, Fuhrer means "leader."
The Nazis adopted the slogan "blut and boden," which means "blood and soil." It combined the idea of racially-driven nationalism with a specific territory, a handy tool when ostracizing the often nomadic lifestyles of Jews and other "undesirables."
The "Luftwaffe" referred to which branch of the Nazi military?
Special forces
Navy
Air force
The Luftwaffe was the Nazi Air Force, which was terrifying in its might and relentlessness. The Luftwaffe laid waste to many European cities throughout the war.
What was the purpose of the Nazi Sturmabteilungen troops?
They were young Austrian children
They were storm troopers
The Sturmabteilungen (storm detachment) was the storm trooper squad in the Nazi army. Also called the "SA," these troops were instrumental in helping secure Hitler's rise to power.
The Wehrmacht was the German army. The word means "defense force," but of course, during World War II, the Wehrmacht was used for many offensive operations.
What did it mean if Nazi troops set out to "liquidieren" a political opponent?
It meant that they recruited him into the German army
It meant they killed him
In Nazi Germany, you didn't persuade people to join the cause. Instead, you set out to "liquidieren" (or liquidate) your opponents -- that is, you killed them.
The Nazis did everything they could to develop Atomwaffe -- nuclear weapons -- during World War II. Had they succeeded, today's world would be very different.
The Volkssturm ("People's Army") was an emergency force that included very young and very old Germans, called to arms in a futile effort to stop invading Allied forces. The Volkssturm didn't do much to stop the Allies, but it added to the cold and brutal legacy of Nazism.
The word "konzentrationslager" referred to which horrifying aspect of Nazi racial cleansing?
A poison
Concentration camps
The konzentrationslager was the system of concentration camps that the Nazis used for the murder of millions of humans. People were shoved into the konzentrationslager and then starved or gassed to death.
"Drang nach Osten" means "drive to the east," and it refers to a centuries-old concept that Germany should expand eastward. And that's exactly what Hitler was committed to doing.
When the Nazis used the word, "Untermenschen," to what were they referring?
"Unorganized" propaganda
"Undesirable" humans
The untermenschen were the "undesirable" humans of the world -- that is, anyone who didn't fit the Nazi definition of perfection. The Nazis set out to cleanse the world of untermenschen.
The "totenkopf" was a terrifying symbol worn by Nazi troops. What was its appearance?
It featured a human skull
The totenkopf was better known as the "death's head," and it featured a human skull. It was supposedly a symbol of loyalty that extended past death. And you know, it was meant to intimidate anyone who saw it.
It had a swastika and roses
It had a large gun that was actually a cigarette lighter
The term "panzerkampfwagen" specified which sort of German weapon?
Armored vehicles
Your clue here is the "wagen" portion of "panzerkampfwagen." This word specified armored vehicles, which were a critical component to Nazi blitzkrieg attacks.
The Sicherheitspolizei was an agency that was part of the _____.
SS
The Sicherheitspolizei (or SiPo) was an investigative police agency that was part of the notorious SS. The SiPo harassed and intimidated people into following Nazi philosophies.
What did it mean if you were part of the "selektion" in a concentration camp?
You were given freedom
You were tasked with cleaning chores
You were selected for execution
You did not want to be a part of the selektion (selection) process at a Nazi concentration camp. Being selected meant that you were chosen to be executed.
Which term was used to describe a Nazi doctor's power to declare whether a person's poor health made him or her a burden to society?
Frontgemeinschaft
Fahnenweihe
Euthanasiebefehl
As the Nazis solidified power, they used the concept of euthanasiebefehl (euthanasia order) to determine which Germans lived or died. So for example, if your child was very sick and unlikely to get better, he or she might be euthanized to spare German society the burden of caring for them.
If the Nazis called you a "Ehrenarier," what did it mean?
You were a slave to the system
You were condemned to die
You were an honorary Aryan
The Nazis, of course, held Aryans in the highest esteem. People who worked for the goals of the Nazi party were sometimes called "ehrenarier," which meant you were an honorary Aryan and safe from the Holocaust.
