kidnapping / hijacking
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kidnapping
The crime of taking a person to another place against their will, often using force, in order to hold them captive.
Die Entführung des Managers endete glücklicherweise mit seiner Freilassung.
The kidnapping of the manager fortunately ended with his release.
hijacking
The violent takeover of control over a vehicle, especially an airplane or ship.
Die Passagiere erlebten bei der Entführung des Flugzeugs Stunden der Angst.
During the hijacking of the airplane, the passengers experienced hours of fear.
'Entführung' (kidnapping/hijacking) comes from the verb 'entführen' (to kidnap / to hijack). The prefix 'ent-' here means 'away', and 'führen' means 'to lead'. An 'Entführung' is therefore literally the 'leading away' of a person or thing against their will.
Die Polizei ermittelt wegen versuchter Entführung.
The police are investigating an attempted kidnapping.
The word belongs to a word family: the verb is 'entführen' (to kidnap / to hijack), the person carrying out the act is 'der Entführer' or 'die Entführerin' (the kidnapper/hijacker), and the victim is 'der/die Entführte' (the kidnapped person / hijacked person).
Der Entführer forderte ein hohes Lösegeld.
The kidnapper demanded a large ransom.
The object of the 'Entführung' is crucial for the meaning: the 'Entführung eines Menschen' (kidnapping of a person) is kidnapping. The 'Entführung eines Fahrzeugs' (hijacking of a vehicle), e.g. an airplane or ship, is hijacking.
Die Entführung des Geschäftsmannes dauerte drei Wochen.
The kidnapping of the businessman lasted three weeks.
Common verbs used with 'Entführung' are 'eine Entführung planen' (to plan a kidnapping/hijacking), 'eine Entführung verhindern' (to prevent a kidnapping/hijacking), or 'Opfer einer Entführung werden' (to become the victim of a kidnapping/hijacking).
Er wurde zum Glück nicht Opfer der Entführung.
Fortunately, he did not become a victim of the kidnapping.
hostage-taking
Entführung and Geiselnahme can both involve holding a person by force. Entführung primarily emphasizes taking the person to another place, while Geiselnahme emphasizes holding the person as leverage to make specific demands. Choose the word according to which aspect of the event is being emphasized.
Die Polizei untersucht die Entführung des Mannes, der gewaltsam in ein anderes Haus gebracht wurde.
The police are investigating the kidnapping of the man, who was forcibly taken to another house.
Die Polizei untersucht die Geiselnahme des Mannes, der als Druckmittel festgehalten wurde.
The police are investigating the hostage-taking of the man, who was held as leverage.
