Volkstum

German

Alternative forms

• Volksthum (superseded)

Etymology

19th century, from Volk +‎ -s- +‎ -tum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔlksˌtuːm/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Volkstum n (strong, genitive Volkstums or Volkstumes, plural (rare) Volkstümer)

1. (dated) character of a people, folklore, that which defines a people’s original nature and culture (or an individual's tie to it)

   Synonyms: Volkscharakter, Volkszugehörigkeit, nationale Eigenart

2. (nationalism, especially Nazism) matters to do with Germanization, colonization, and German minorities

Declension

Declension of Volkstum [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Volkstum	die	Volkstümer
genitive	eines	des	Volkstums, Volkstumes	der	Volkstümer
dative	einem	dem	Volkstum, Volkstume1	den	Volkstümern
accusative	ein	das	Volkstum	die	Volkstümer

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• volkstümlich

Related terms

• Volksdeutscher

Descendants

• → English: folkdom (calque)

Further reading

• “Volkstum” in Duden online
• “Volkstum” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache