die Festung
fortress
A large, heavily fortified military structure used to defend a place.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Festung über der Stadt ist heute eine beliebte Touristenattraktion.
The old fortress above the city is now a popular tourist attraction.
die Festung
fortress
die Festung, die Festungen
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Meanings
die Festung
fortress
In a figurative sense, a place or system that is considered impregnable or difficult to access.
EXAMPLE
Die Firma galt lange als uneinnehmbare Festung gegen die Konkurrenz.
The company was long considered an impregnable fortress against the competition.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Festung, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Festungen |
| genitive | der Festung |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Festung | die Festungen |
| accusative | die Festung | die Festungen |
| dative | der Festung | den Festungen |
| genitive | der Festung | der Festungen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Die Festung' (fortress) is derived from the adjective 'fest', which means 'stable' or 'solid'. The ending '-ung' turns it into a noun. A fortress is therefore literally a place that has been 'made firm'.
EXAMPLE
Die Mauern der Festung waren extrem dick und fest.
The walls of the fortress were extremely thick and solid.
Word family
The word belongs to the family of 'fest' (firm/solid) and the verb 'befestigen' (to fortify/attach). 'Befestigen' means to make something stable or to defend it. A 'Festung' is therefore a fortified place.
EXAMPLE
Die Soldaten befestigten das Lager für die Nacht.
The soldiers fortified the camp for the night.
Typical collocations
In a military or historical context, 'Festung' (fortress) is often combined with certain verbs. Typical expressions are 'eine Festung erobern' (to capture a fortress), 'eine Festung belagern' (to besiege a fortress), or 'eine Festung verteidigen' (to defend a fortress).
EXAMPLE
Die Armee belagerte die Festung monatelang.
The army besieged the fortress for months.
Es war unmöglich, die Festung zu erobern.
It was impossible to capture the fortress.
Context clue
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the context. If it is not about a historical building, but about business, politics, or personal boundaries, the metaphorical 'Festung' (fortress) is meant. One example is the term 'Festung Europa' (Fortress Europe).
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine emotionale Festung um sich errichtet, die niemand durchbrechen kann.
He has built an emotional fortress around himself that no one can break through.
Compare with
Festung vs Burg
castle
A Burg and a Festung are fortified structures that served or serve defensive purposes. Burg emphasizes a medieval structure that served as a residence for nobles, while Festung primarily refers to a heavily fortified military structure. Therefore, Burg is more suitable for a ruler’s residence, while Festung is more suitable for military defense.
Festung
Die Soldaten verteidigten den Ort von einer starken Festung aus.
The soldiers defended the area from a heavily fortified fortress.
Burg
Die Adelsfamilie lebte früher in einer Burg auf dem Hügel.
The noble family used to live in a castle on the hill.
In real life
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