hangman
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hangman
An obsolete or dialectal term for an executioner, that is, a person who was formerly appointed to carry out death sentences by hanging.
In alten Chroniken wird berichtet, dass der Hängst außerhalb der Stadtmauern wohnte.
Old chronicles report that the hangman lived outside the city walls.
The word 'Hängst' (hangman) is derived directly from the verb 'hängen' (to hang). Historically, it referred to the person who carried out the act of hanging as a punishment.
Der Hängst war eine gefürchtete Figur im Mittelalter.
The hangman was a feared figure in the Middle Ages.
This word is obsolete and is no longer used in modern German. It is found almost exclusively in historical texts or in certain regional dialects.
In dem alten Roman wurde die Figur des Hängstes beschrieben.
In the old novel, the figure of the hangman was described.
The word is closely connected to European legal history, in which hanging was a form of capital punishment. It therefore conveys a dark, historical atmosphere.
Die Aufgabe des Hängstes war im alten Rechtssystem klar definiert.
The task of the hangman was clearly defined in the old legal system.
executioner
'der Henker' and 'der Hängst' both refer to a person who carried out death sentences in the past. 'Henker' is the normal and understandable word for this, especially in historical texts or stories. 'Hängst' also means an executioner, but it is outdated or dialectal and is hardly used in everyday language today. In this meaning, the words are synonyms, but they do not sound equally natural. If you want to speak or write in a generally understandable way, 'Henker' is almost always the better choice.
In der alten Chronik wird der Hängst als gefürchtete Person beschrieben.
In the old chronicle, the hangman is described as a feared person.
Im Roman wartet der Henker schon auf dem Marktplatz.
In the novel, the executioner is already waiting in the marketplace.