founding member
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founding member
A person who was involved in the founding of an organization, association, or company.
Als Gründungsmitglied des Sportvereins wurde sie für ihre langjährige Treue geehrt.
As a founding member of the sports club, she was honored for her many years of loyalty.
This word consists of three parts: 'Gründung' (founding, from 'gründen' (to found)), the linking -s, and 'Mitglied' (member). So it literally describes a member who was there at the founding.
Die Geschichte des Vereins ist eng mit seinen ersten Mitgliedern verbunden.
The history of the association is closely connected with its first members.
The word belongs to the family of 'gründen' (to bring something into existence / to found). Other related words are 'die Gründung' (the act of founding) and 'der Gründer' (the person who founds something).
Der Gründer des Unternehmens ist heute noch im Vorstand aktiv.
The founder of the company is still active on the board today.
To name the organization to which the founding member belongs, German usually uses the genitive or the preposition 'von' with the dative.
Er ist das letzte noch lebende Gründungsmitglied des Chors.
He is the last still-living founding member of the choir.
member
'das Mitglied' and 'das Gründungsmitglied' are closely related, but they do not mean the same thing. 'Mitglied' is the general term for a person who belongs to a club, organization, or company. 'Gründungsmitglied' is a specific person who was already there when it was founded. The words can be confused because a founding member can also be a member. But many members only join later. If the time of founding is not relevant, you simply say 'Mitglied'.
Sofia ist Gründungsmitglied der kleinen Firma und kennt ihre Geschichte genau.
Sofia is a founding member of the small company and knows its history very well.
Am Morgen bezahlt er den Beitrag, weil er Mitglied im Wanderverein ist.
In the morning, he pays the fee because he is a member of the hiking club.