atrocity
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atrocity
An extremely cruel, inhuman, and abhorrent act, especially in the context of war or serious crimes.
Die Überlebenden berichteten von den schrecklichen Gräueltaten der Soldaten.
The survivors reported the soldiers' terrible atrocities.
The word is made up of 'der Gräuel' (horror, revulsion) and 'die Tat' (act). So a 'Gräueltat' (atrocity) is literally a 'horror act' or 'abhorrent act'.
Die Taten des Regimes waren von unvorstellbarem Gräuel.
The acts of the regime were marked by unimaginable horror.
'Gräueltat' (atrocity) is a very strong and formal word. It is used only for extremely cruel and inhuman crimes, usually in the context of war, genocide, or terrorism.
Der Internationale Gerichtshof untersucht die Gräueltaten des Bürgerkriegs.
The International Court of Justice is investigating the atrocities of the civil war.
In connection with 'Gräueltat' (atrocity), the formal verbs 'begehen' (to commit) or 'verüben' (to perpetrate) are often used. You can also say 'von Gräueltaten berichten' (to report atrocities) or 'Gräueltaten aufklären' (to investigate/clarify atrocities).
Es ist wichtig, die während des Krieges begangenen Gräueltaten nicht zu vergessen.
It is important not to forget the atrocities committed during the war.
crime
'das Verbrechen' and 'die Gräueltat' can both refer to a very serious act. 'das Verbrechen' is the more general term for a serious crime. 'die Gräueltat' is much stronger and emphasizes extreme cruelty and inhumanity. The word is especially appropriate in contexts of war, terror, or very serious crimes against people. Learners may confuse the words because an atrocity is often also a crime. But not every crime is an atrocity. For normal reports about criminal offenses, you usually use 'Verbrechen'; for especially cruel acts, 'Gräueltat' is appropriate.
Im Museum berichtet eine Ausstellung über die Gräueltaten des Krieges.
In the museum, an exhibition reports on the atrocities of the war.
Der Zeuge hat das Verbrechen vom Fenster aus beobachtet.
The witness observed the crime from the window.