secretary-general
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secretary-general
The female person who holds the highest administrative position in a large organization such as a political party, a trade union, or an international institution. She heads the general secretariat and is responsible for ongoing business.
Die Generalsekretärin der Partei gab eine Pressekonferenz zu den Wahlergebnissen.
The party's secretary-general gave a press conference on the election results.
The word is composed of three parts: 'General', 'Sekretär' (secretary), and the feminine ending '-in'. The prefix 'General-' here means 'chief' or 'highest' and refers to the highest position of this kind.
Sie wurde zur neuen Generalsekretärin der Vereinten Nationen ernannt.
She was appointed the new secretary-general of the United Nations.
The title is almost always connected to the relevant organization in the genitive or with 'von' + dative. This makes it clear which organization the person leads.
Die Generalsekretärin der CDU äußerte sich zur aktuellen Debatte.
The secretary-general of the CDU commented on the current debate.
This term belongs to formal language and is mainly used in the context of politics, large associations, and international organizations.
In ihrer Antrittsrede skizzierte die Generalsekretärin ihre Ziele für die nächsten Jahre.
In her inaugural speech, the secretary-general outlined her goals for the next few years.
chairwoman
'die Vorsitzende' and 'die Generalsekretärin' can both refer to important women in an organization. However, they have different duties. A 'Vorsitzende' leads an organization, a meeting, or a committee and is often visibly at the top. A 'Generalsekretärin' mainly has a high-level organizational and administrative role. She takes care of ongoing business and heads the general secretariat of a large organization. The words can be confused because both sound like leadership positions. Pay attention to the task: 'Vorsitz' means chairing and leading, while 'Generalsekretariat' means organizing and administering.
Nach dem Gespräch bleibt Mina Generalsekretärin der Organisation.
After the conversation, Mina remains secretary-general of the organization.
Am Montag spricht die Vorsitzende mit den Mitgliedern über den neuen Plan.
On Monday, the chairwoman talks with the members about the new plan.