''Kraut'' is a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
word recorded in English from 1918 onwards as an
ethnic slur for a German, particularly a German soldier during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
Its earlier meaning in English was as a synonym for
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...
, a traditional Central and Eastern European food.
Etymological foundations
In German, the term means "
herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...
", or designates the leaves and stem of a plant as opposed to the root. The term is more often used in compound nouns for herbs, and also for
cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&n ...
and cabbage products:
* ''Weißkraut'' = white cabbage (also called ''Weißkohl'')
* ''Blaukraut'' or ''Rotkraut'' = red cabbage (also called ''Rotkohl'')
* ''
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...
'' = fermented white cabbage or 'sour cabbage'
* ''Unkraut'' =
weed
* ''Bohnenkraut'' =
savory
Savory or Savoury may refer to:
Common usage
* Herbs of the genus ''Satureja'', particularly:
** Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis''), an annual herb, used to flavor food
** Winter savory (''Satureja montana''), a perennial herb, also used to ...
* ''Rübenkraut'' = thick
sugar beet
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet ('' Beta vulgaris''). Together ...
syrup
The plural ''Kräuter'' is commonly used (herbs, weeds) when talking about spices, but is often replaced by ''Gewürz'' which can refer to any spice.
Slang
It was recorded as a
colloquial
Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom normally employed in conve ...
term for Germans by the mid-19th century. During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
''Kraut'' came to be used in English as an
ethnic slur for a German. Although during World War I it was mainly used by British Soldiers, in World War II it became used mainly by American soldiers and less so by British soldiers, who preferred the terms
Jerry or
Fritz. It is considered offensive by most Germans.
Demonym
The Bauer Krauts were an atom-level hockey team based in
Kitchener, Ontario
)
, image_flag = Flag of Kitchener, Ontario.svg
, image_seal = Seal of Kitchener, Canada.svg
, image_shield=Coat of arms of Kitchener, Canada.svg
, image_blank_emblem = Logo of Kitchener, Ontario.svg
, blank_emblem_type = ...
(known as "Berlin, Ontario" prior to the outbreak of the First World War), in the twentieth century.
Music
Krautrock
Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electronic music, ...
is a popular term for a form of experimental German
prog rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Initi ...
of the late 1960s and 1970s. Krautrock was typified by acts such as
Amon Düül II,
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize t ...
,
Neu!,
Tangerine Dream,
Faust,
Can and
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
on his "
Berlin Trilogy" albums ''
Low'', ''
"Heroes"'', and ''
Lodger'', as well as many others.
Kraut was the name of a New York
punk rock band in the 1980s. Their song "All Twisted" was the first independent
video
Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) sy ...
to air on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
.
"Magic Kraut" is the name of a song in the album ''
Fresh'' by
Teddybears.
Industrial rock band
KMFDM’s song “Kraut” appears on the b-side of their “
Juke Joint Jezebel” single, and on their ''
Extra, Vol. 3'' compilation.
''
Krauts with Attitude'' is the title of the record released in Germany in 1991 which is credited for playing a prominent role in establishing the German
hip hop scene.
The Swedish indie rock band
Peter Bjorn and John composed the track titled "School of Kraut".
See also
*
Krautrock
Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electronic music, ...
*
List of terms used for Germans
*
List of ethnic slurs
The following is a list of ethnic slurs or ethnophaulisms or ethnic epithets that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or racial group or to refer to them in a derogatory, pejorative, or ...
References
{{Ethnic slurs
Pejorative terms for European people
Anti-German sentiment
English words