German

edit

Etymology

edit

From Köpenick, where in 1906 a cobbler impersonated a Prussian Guards officer and successfully confiscated the town's treasury, claiming to be acting in the name of the Kaiser.

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /ˌkøːpənɪˈki̯aːdə/
  • Hyphenation: Kö‧pe‧ni‧cki‧a‧de
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

edit

Köpenickiade f (genitive Köpenickiade, plural Köpenickiaden)

  1. con game involving pretending to be in a position of authority.
    • 2018 March 14, Kaspar Heinrich, “Des Henkers neue Kleider”, in Die Zeit[1]:
      Von diesen Ereignissen, einer grausamen Köpenickiade, erzählt Der Hauptmann, der neue Film des zuletzt in Hollywood tätigen Regisseurs Robert Schwentke (Flightplan, R.E.D.).
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

edit

Further reading

edit