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Döner-Morde

January 17, 2012

Learn a quirky German word each week with DW's Word of the Week feature. This week, the 'non-word' of the year has been selected: Döner-Morde.

https://p.dw.com/p/S6uz
Victims of the so-called Döner murders in Germany, a series of racially motivated murders
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

The term Döner-Morde, or "Döner murders," has been used by German police and media over the past several years to refer to as many as 10 murders of victims of Turkish and Greek origin. Some of the victims owned takeaways, hence Döner, a Turkish dish that is popular in Germany. The killings were allegedly carried out by a neo-Nazi group in the city of Zwickau.

On Tuesday, January 17, Döner-Morde was named Unwort - non-word - of the year by a jury of prominent linguists. Each year since 1991, they review suggestions for a term that has been misused. The jury said it selected Döner-Morde because it trivialized the murders and discriminated against the victims.

Author: Breandáin O'Shea
Editor: Kate Bowen

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January 17, 201200:01 min