marionette
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marionette
A jointed puppet that is moved by a puppeteer using strings attached to its limbs.
Im Puppentheater führte der Spieler die Marionette gekonnt über die Bühne.
In the puppet theater, the puppeteer skillfully guided the marionette across the stage.
puppet
A person who has no will of their own and is completely controlled and directed by someone else.
Viele sahen den neuen Regierungschef nur als eine Marionette mächtiger Wirtschaftsführer.
Many saw the new head of government only as a puppet of powerful business leaders.
The idiom 'an den Fäden ziehen' (to pull the strings) comes from the marionette. It means to secretly control someone or something, and it fits both the real puppet and the figurative meaning.
Man spürt, dass im Hintergrund mächtige Leute an den Fäden ziehen.
You can sense that powerful people are pulling the strings in the background.
Calling someone a 'Marionette' (puppet) is always strong, negative criticism. It means that this person is seen as lacking a will of their own and being controlled by others.
Die Opposition bezeichnete den Minister als Marionette der Industrie.
The opposition called the minister a puppet of industry.
To express who has control, German usually uses the preposition 'von' with the dative or the genitive. The structure is therefore 'eine Marionette von jemandem' (a puppet of someone) or 'jemandes Marionette' (someone's puppet).
Er wollte keine Marionette von seinem Chef sein.
He did not want to be a puppet of his boss.
farmhand / servant
Both words can be used derogatorily to describe a person who carries out the will of someone more powerful. A „Knecht“ mainly suggests submissiveness and dependence, while a „Marionette“ emphasizes the person’s lack of control over their own actions. „Knecht“ fits servile obedience, while „Marionette“ is more suitable when someone is completely controlled by another person.
Der Berater war nur eine Marionette des Chefs und durfte keine Entscheidung selbst treffen.
The adviser was nothing more than the boss’s puppet and was not allowed to make any decisions himself.
Der Berater war nur ein Knecht des Chefs und führte jeden seiner Befehle ohne Widerspruch aus.
The adviser was nothing more than the boss’s lackey and carried out every one of his orders without objection.
