Germany's culture of remembrance - or Erinnerungskultur - is at the heart of its attempts to reflect on, and atone for, the atrocities of the Nazi era.
For Germans, memorialising past wrongs is a way to ensure that history does not repeat itself, of keeping the horrors of the past firmly in view.
In this uneasy environment, acts of quiet and poignant remembrance have a strong political significance - and that's where this gentle but powerful form of protest comes into play.
What does it mean?
Die Mahnwache (pronounced like this) can be translated as a vigil, or a solemn vigil.
These gatherings usually take place in the evening as a quiet form of protest or demonstration, without speeches, and are designed to draw attention to a pressing political issue that requires solemnity and seriousness. Often, people light candles or say silent prayers to commemorate people who have died or who are currently suffering somewhere in the world.
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Much like the English word for vigil, which stems from the Latin word for 'wakefulness', the German Mahnwache implies keeping watch, or standing guard, throughout the night. Wache, in German, means guard or watch, but is also related to the verb wachen, which means to be awake.
Anyone who has ever received a Mahnung for a late payment may also recognise the first part of the word: it signifies a reminder, but it can also be construed as a warning.
Put together, those who take part in the Mahnwache are keeping watch both as a reminder and a warning: it commemorates the suffering that has happened in the past, but it also urges people to remain increasingly vigilant to guard against injustice in the future.
Use it like this:
Bei der Mahnwache wurden Kerzen in Stille angezündet.
Candles were lit in silence during the vigil.
Sie hielten eine Mahnwache zum Gedenken an die Opfer des Anschlags ab.
They held a vigil to commemorate the victims of the attack.
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