arsonist / agitator
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arsonist
A person who intentionally and unlawfully sets fire to buildings or other property.
Die Polizei konnte den Brandstifter fassen, der für die Feuer in der Altstadt verantwortlich war.
The police were able to catch the arsonist who was responsible for the fires in the old town.
The word is made up of 'Brand' (fire) and the verb 'stiften' (to cause, to found). A 'Brandstifter' is therefore literally a person who causes a fire.
Wer Frieden stiftet, sorgt für Frieden.
Someone who creates peace ensures peace.
The act that a 'Brandstifter' (arsonist) commits is called 'die Brandstiftung' (arson). This word refers to the crime of intentionally setting a fire.
Er wurde wegen mehrfacher Brandstiftung zu einer langen Haftstrafe verurteilt.
He was sentenced to a long prison term for multiple counts of arson.
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the context. If politics, disputes, or social conflicts are being discussed, it often means a person who provokes unrest. If it is about a real fire, the police, or the fire department, the literal meaning is meant.
Die Feuerwehr vermutet, dass ein Brandstifter das alte Lagerhaus angezündet hat.
The fire department suspects that an arsonist set fire to the old warehouse.
In the figurative meaning, the word is often combined with adjectives such as 'politisch' (political) or 'geistig' (intellectual). People then speak of a 'politischen Brandstifter' (political agitator) or a 'geistigen Brandstifter' (intellectual agitator).
Manche Journalisten nannten den populistischen Redner einen geistigen Brandstifter.
Some journalists called the populist speaker an intellectual agitator.
agitator
'Brandstifter' and 'Hetzer' can both refer to people who deliberately cause unrest or conflicts. Here, 'Brandstifter' is meant figuratively: the person makes conflict burn like a fire. 'Hetzer' is stronger and more directly negative. It fits especially when someone spreads hatred or hostility against other people or groups. 'Brandstifter' often sounds a bit more figurative, while 'Hetzer' names the aggressive incitement more clearly.
Mit seinen falschen Gerüchten wurde Paul im Team zum Brandstifter.
With his false rumors, Paul became the agitator on the team.
Der Redner war kein Kritiker mehr, sondern ein Hetzer gegen die Nachbarn.
The speaker was no longer a critic, but an agitator against the neighbors.