The term “Biodeutsch”, referring to Germans who do not have a recent migration background in their family, has been named the country’s “non-word” of the year for 2024. “Heizungsverbot” and “importierter Antisemitismus” followed in second and third place.

German non-word of the year: Biodeutsch

Since 1991, a jury of linguists and journalists in Marburg, Hesse, has been selecting the annual German non-word of the year (Unwort des Jahres) from thousands of public submissions.

Picked out from 3.172 submissions of 655 different terms, “Biodeutsch”, a shortened version of “Biographisch-Deutsche” (biographical Germans) which could also be translated as “pure Germans” or “organic Germans” and refers to a German citizen without a recent history of migration in their family, has been named the Unwort for 2024.

To be considered for the title, Unwort submissions must meet at least one of four criteria; the word goes against the principle of human dignity, against the principles of democracy, stigmatises, discriminates or defames specific societal groups, or is deliberately misleading or euphemistic. 

By selecting an annual Unwort, the campaign hopes to highlight public language use and promote awareness of the subtleties of language use.

“A consequence of using the term “Biodeutsch” is the supposed division of “real” Germans and second-class Germans, [which is] a form of everyday racism,” the jury explained upon announcing their decision. The jury pointed out that Germans with a migration background also use the term to refer to Germans without a recent migration background, sometimes mockingly and sometimes in earnest.

Historical and contemporary migration patterns to Germany were much discussed in 2024. More than a quarter of Germany’s population now has a recent migration background and many of these long-term residents are set to become citizens, thanks to the new dual citizenship law passed in June. 

Meanwhile, labour market experts warn that Germany must welcome people from overseas to plug its increasing worker shortage and parties across the political spectrum are publicly calling for increased deportations.

Which other Unwörter were spotlit in 2024?

In second place for this year’s, Unwort was “Heizungsverbot” (heating ban), referring to the Gebäudeenergiegesetz (Building Energy Law). The Building Energy Law was drafted by the Merkel government and implemented by the traffic-light coalition, ruling that from 2024 all newly installed heating systems must run off at least 65 percent renewable energy. 

“This term is misleading because the Building Energy Law neither bans heating nor radiators,” the Unwort des Jahres jury wrote in its announcement.

The third Unwort was selected by two guest judges, political scientist Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel, a historian at the Anne Frank Education Centre. Cheema and Mendel selected “importierter Antisemitismus” (imported anti-Semitism) as their Unwort of 2024, which has seen more widespread use since October 7 and the consequent Israel-Palestine conflict. 

As Germany’s support for the state of Israel has clashed with widespread support for Palestinian people among Germany’s international community, discussions of “imported antisemitism” have become more common in the Bundestag and the German media.

"The term imported anti-Semitism suggests that hatred of Jews has only become a problem with the influx of migrants from Arab countries," Cheema and Mendel wrote in a statement. "The term is used in right-wing circles in particular to marginalise Muslims and people with a migration background and to distract from their own anti-Semitism."

German non-word of the year since 2010

Each an insight into the political topics of the years gone by, these are the German Unwörter since 2010:

• 2024: Biodeutsch (biographical Germans or “organic Germans”)
• 2023: Remigration (word used by AfD describing policy plan to deport migrants and Germans with a recent migrant background)
• 2022: Klimaterroristen (climate terrorists)
• 2021: Pushback (Denglisch word referring to anti-migration and asylum policy in Europe)
• 2020: Rückführungspatenschaften, Corona-Diktatur (return sponsorships, corona dictatorship)
• 2019: Klimahysterie (climate hysteria)
• 2018: Anti-Abschiebe-Industrie (anti-deportation industry)
• 2017: Alternative Fakten (alternative facts)
• 2016: Volksverräter (traitor of the people)
• 2015: Gutmensch (hyper-moralistic person)
• 2014: Lügenpresse
• 2013: Sozialtourismus (benefit tourism)
• 2012: Opfer-Abo (literally, "subscription to playing the victim", referring to women who report sexual harassment and assault)
• 2011: Döner-Morde (Döner murders, press term referring to NSU murder spree targeting Turkish people)
• 2010: Alternativlos (literally “no alternative”, referring to a slogan of far-right, populist and conservative political parties)

To find out more about the jury and selection process, head to the Unwort des Jahres website.

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