German

edit

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): [bəˈzat͡sʊŋ]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Be‧sat‧zung

Noun

edit

Besatzung f (genitive Besatzung, plural Besatzungen)

  1. crew (group of people operating a ship, plane, or large facility)
    Synonyms: Crew, Mannschaft
  2. occupation (of a country)
  3. (by extension) occupational troops, occupational forces
    • 1928, Kurt Tucholsky, “Vor Verdun”, in Mit 5 PS, Ernst Rowohlt, page 97:
      Die Besatzung, die damals mit allen militärischen Ehren kapitulierte, zog ab, und die Stadt kam unter deutsche Verwaltung.
      The occupational troops, who surrendered with full military honors at that time, left, and the city came under German administration.

Usage notes

edit
  • A slight distinction is usually made between Besatzung and Besetzung of a country. The latter is the act of invading and occupying, while Besatzung is the continued foreign military rule over a certain period of time.

Declension

edit

Derived terms

edit
edit

Further reading

edit
  • Besatzung” in Duden online
  • Besatzung” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache