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Every German Word of the Year chosen by the Society for the German Language (1971–2025)

The top 3 according to 12 votes from people: 1971: aufmüpfig · 1978: konspirative Wohnung · 1984: Umweltauto. (Updated Jan 27, 2026.)

Since 1971 (every year since 1977) the Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache in Wiesbaden has chosen the words that shaped public debate in Germany each year. From "aufmüpfig" (rebellious) through "Besserwessi", "Teuro" and "Wutbürger" to "Zeitenwende" and "KI-Ära" (AI era) in 2025, each with the runners-up.

Matthias Müller · · 50 items · 12 votes · 0 comments

Automatically translated (original in Deutsch). See the original

Top 50

  1. 1

    1971: aufmüpfig

    Runners-up: Junktim; Umweltschutz.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  2. 2

    1978: konspirative Wohnung

    Runners-up: die Grünen; Geisterfahrer.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  3. 3

    1984: Umweltauto

    Runners-up: Formaldehyd; Neidsteuer.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  4. 4

    1985: Glykol

    Runners-up: SDI; EUREKA.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  5. 5

    1988: Gesundheitsreform

    Runners-up: Robbensterben; Kälbermastskandal.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  6. 6

    1992: Politikverdrossenheit

    Runners-up: Fremdenhass; Rassismus.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  7. 7

    1997: Reformstau

    Runners-up: Ruck durch Deutschland; Bildungsmisere.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  8. 8

    2001: der 11. September

    Runners-up: Anti-Terror-Krieg; Milzbrandattacke.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  9. 9

    2011: Stresstest

    Runners-up: hebeln; Arabellion.

    ▲ 1 ▼ 0

    1
  10. 10

    1977: Szene

    Runners-up: Terrorismus, Terrorist; Sympathisant.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  11. 11

    1979: Holocaust

    Runners-up: Boat people; Nachrüstung.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  12. 12

    1980: Rasterfahndung

    Runners-up: Asylant; Instandbesetzer.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  13. 13

    1981: Nulllösung

    Runners-up: Sommertheater; (rett)bar.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  14. 14

    1982: Ellenbogengesellschaft

    Runners-up: Wende; Mitte.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  15. 15

    1983: heißer Herbst

    Runners-up: Volksaushorchung; Zündi.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  16. 16

    1986: Tschernobyl

    Runners-up: Havarie; Super-Gau.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  17. 17

    1987: Aids, Kondom

    Runners-up: Perestroika, Glasnost; Waterkantgate.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  18. 18

    1989: Reisefreiheit

    Runners-up: BRDDR; Montagsdemonstrationen.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  19. 19

    1990: die neuen Bundesländer

    Runners-up: vereintes Deutschland; 2+4-Gespräche.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  20. 20

    1991: Besserwessi

    Runners-up: abwickeln; Kurzarbeit Null.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  21. 21

    1993: Sozialabbau

    Runners-up: Standort Deutschland; Blutskandal.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  22. 22

    1994: Superwahljahr

    Runners-up: Jackpot; Unwort.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  23. 23

    1996: Sparpaket

    Runners-up: Haushaltslöcher; Lohnfortzahlung.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  24. 24

    1998: Rot-Grün

    Runners-up: Viagra; neue Mitte.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  25. 25

    1999: Millennium

    Runners-up: Kosovokrieg; Generation @.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  26. 26

    2000: Schwarzgeldaffäre

    Runners-up: BSE-Krise; Greencard.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  27. 27

    2002: Teuro

    Runners-up: PISA-Schock; Jahrtausendflut.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  28. 28

    2003: das alte Europa

    Runners-up: Agenda 2010; Reformstreit.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  29. 29

    2004: Hartz IV

    Runners-up: Parallelgesellschaften; Pisa-gebeutelte Nation.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  30. 30

    2005: Bundeskanzlerin

    Runners-up: Wir sind Papst; Tsunami.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  31. 31

    2007: Klimakatastrophe

    Runners-up: Herdprämie; Raucherkneipe.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  32. 32

    2008: Finanzkrise

    Runners-up: verzockt; Datenklau.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  33. 33

    2009: Abwrackprämie

    Runners-up: kriegsähnliche Zustände; Schweinegrippe.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  34. 34

    2010: Wutbürger

    Runners-up: Stuttgart 21; Sarrazin-Gen.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  35. 35

    2012: Rettungsroutine

    Runners-up: Kanzlerpräsidentin; Bildungsabwendungsprämie.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  36. 36

    2013: GroKo

    Runners-up: Protz-Bischof; Armutseinwanderung.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  37. 37

    2014: Lichtgrenze

    Runners-up: Schwarze Null; Götzseidank.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  38. 38

    2015: Flüchtlinge

    Runners-up: Je suis Charlie; Grexit.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  39. 39

    2016: postfaktisch

    Runners-up: Brexit; Silvesternacht.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  40. 40

    2017: Jamaika-Aus

    Runners-up: Ehe für alle; #MeToo.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  41. 41

    2018: Heißzeit

    Runners-up: Funklochrepublik; Ankerzentren.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  42. 42

    2019: Respektrente

    Runners-up: Rollerchaos; Fridays for Future.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  43. 43

    2020: Corona-Pandemie

    Runners-up: Lockdown; Verschwörungserzählung.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  44. 44

    2021: Wellenbrecher

    Runners-up: SolidAHRität, Pflexit.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  45. 45

    2022: Zeitenwende

    Runners-up: Krieg um Frieden; Gaspreisbremse.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  46. 46

    2023: Krisenmodus

    Runners-up: Antisemitismus; leseunfähig.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  47. 47

    2025: KI-Ära

    Runners-up: Deal; Land gegen Frieden.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 0

    0
  48. 48

    1995: Multimedia

    Runners-up: Eurogeld; Kruzifixurteil.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 1

    -1
  49. 49

    2006: Fanmeile

    Runners-up: Generation Praktikum; Karikaturenstreit.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 1

    -1
  50. 50

    2024: Ampel-Aus

    Runners-up: Klimaschönfärberei; kriegstüchtig.

    ▲ 0 ▼ 1

    -1

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.

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