accession / joining
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accession / joining
The formal act of becoming a member of an organization, association, alliance, or community of states.
Der Beitritt des Landes zur NATO wurde intensiv diskutiert.
The country's accession to NATO was intensely debated.
'Der Beitritt' (accession/joining) is the noun corresponding to the separable verb 'beitreten' (to join) (bei + treten). It describes the formal act of entering a group or organization.
Die Partei beschloss, der Koalition beizutreten.
The party decided to join the coalition.
The noun 'Beitritt' (accession/joining) is almost always used with the preposition 'zu' followed by the dative to indicate which organization someone is joining.
Der Beitritt zur Europäischen Union ist ein langer Prozess.
Accession to the European Union is a long process.
'Beitritt' (accession/joining) is often used in formal or political contexts. Common verbs are 'den Beitritt beantragen' (to apply for accession), 'über den Beitritt verhandeln' (to negotiate accession), or 'einem Beitritt zustimmen' (to agree to accession).
Mehrere Länder haben den Beitritt zur Allianz beantragt.
Several countries have applied for accession to the alliance.
connection
'der Anschluss' and 'der Beitritt' can both have to do with something becoming part of a larger political or organizational whole. However, 'der Beitritt' is a formal and usually neutral process: a country, association, or person becomes a member. 'der Anschluss' has a special meaning in history: it refers to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. For that reason, 'Anschluss' in this sense is not simply a normal word for membership. Learners may confuse the words because both sound like 'joining in' or 'becoming part of something'. For voluntarily becoming a member, you normally say 'Beitritt'.
Der Beitritt zum Sportverein kostet eine kleine Gebühr.
Joining the sports club costs a small fee.
Im Geschichtsunterricht sprechen wir über den Anschluss Österreichs im Jahr 1938.
In history class, we are talking about the Anschluss of Austria in 1938.