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German word of the day: Das Frauenwahlrecht

The Local Germany
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German word of the day: Das Frauenwahlrecht
Photo: Depositphotos

Today - November 12th, 2018 - marks 100 years since women won the right to vote in Germany.

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While the women's suffrage movement had already existed for several years in Germany, the right legally came in the November Revolution, part of the the transition period from imperial rule to the Weimar Republic.

Das Frauenwahlrecht signifies both women’s right to vote, and their right to be elected. In contrast, the word Das Frauenstimmrecht refers only to active suffrage, the right to vote in elections.

Female enfranchisement came after many decades of struggle, led by figures such as Hedwig Dohm and Minna Cauer. November 19th, 1919 was the first time that German women were entitled to vote in national elections.

For the past 13 years, Modern day Germany has been run by one of the world’s most powerful women, Angela Merkel, who has fully taken advantage of her Frauenwahlrecht.

Examples:

Das Frauenwahlrecht ist dank der Frauenbewegung.

The women’s right to vote is thanks to the feminist movement

Wegen des Frauenwahlrechts nehmen an politischen Wahlen in Deutschland aktiv und passiv teil

Because of women’s right to vote, women participate in active and passive suffrage in elections in Germany.

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