oorlogsverleden

Dutch

Etymology

First attested in 1917 in relation to the replacement of Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg with Georg Michaelis. Compound of oorlog (“war”) +‎ -s- +‎ verleden (“past”), calque of German Kriegsvergangenheit.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈoːr.lɔxs.fərˌleː.də(n)/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: oor‧logs‧ver‧le‧den

Noun

oorlogsverleden n (plural oorlogsverledens)

  1. wartime past, past relating to a war
    • 1917 July 16, "De kanselierswisseling in Duitsland", De Maasbode, page 1, quoting the "Börsencourier" (only in translation).
      Zijn werkzaamheid naar buiten is niet ziek door giften van het oorlogsverleden.
      His activity involving foreign nations is not afflicted by poisons of the wartime past.

Usage notes

Very often associated with negative connotations, often used euphemistically for a past that involved atrocities or association with e.g. Nazis.

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