suicide note / farewell letter
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suicide note
A letter that a person writes before taking their own life, in order to explain their motives or say goodbye to relatives.
Die Polizei fand einen Abschiedsbrief auf dem Schreibtisch des Verstorbenen.
The police found a suicide note on the deceased person's desk.
The word is a clear compound of 'der Abschied' (farewell) and 'der Brief' (letter). The 's' in the middle is a linking s that connects the two words. So it is literally a letter for saying goodbye.
Zum Ende ihres Praktikums schrieb sie dem ganzen Team einen netten Abschiedsbrief.
At the end of her internship, she wrote the whole team a nice farewell letter.
In the serious context of suicide, the letter is typically 'hinterlassen' (left behind) or 'gefunden' (found) by other people. These verbs emphasize the serious and final nature of the situation.
Er hat seiner Familie einen Abschiedsbrief hinterlassen.
He left his family a suicide note.
The meaning 'Suizidbrief' (suicide note) is very strong. If you mean the more harmless meaning 'Abschiedsbrief beim Weggehen' (farewell letter when leaving), the context should make this very clear in order to avoid misunderstandings.
Vor ihrer Weltreise schickte sie ihren Eltern einen langen Abschiedsbrief.
Before her trip around the world, she sent her parents a long farewell letter.
will / Testament
'das Testament' and 'der Abschiedsbrief' can both be something written that someone leaves behind in a serious life situation. However, they have different functions. A 'Testament' is a will: a legal document that regulates what happens to possessions after death. An 'Abschiedsbrief' is a personal letter in which someone says goodbye or explains their thoughts. It can be connected with a final goodbye, but also with leaving a place or a job. The confusion arises because both can be written before a farewell. In legal contexts and for inheritance, you say 'Testament'; for personal words, you say 'Abschiedsbrief'.
Vor ihrem Umzug schreibt Maria einen Abschiedsbrief an ihre Nachbarn.
Before moving away, Maria writes a farewell letter to her neighbors.
Heute unterschreibt die Chefin ihr Testament beim Notar.
Today, the boss signs her will at the notary's office.