marionette
Loading your saved state.
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.
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.
robot
'der Roboter' and 'die Marionette' can both figuratively describe a person who does not seem free or independent. 'Roboter' emphasizes that someone acts mechanically, coldly, or without any initiative of their own. 'Marionette' emphasizes more strongly that someone is controlled and directed by another person. So the images are different: a robot functions like a machine, while a marionette hangs from another person's strings. When the focus is on emotionless, automatic behavior, 'Roboter' fits better. When the focus is on control by others, 'Marionette' is more precise.
Der neue Sprecher wirkt wie eine Marionette, weil er nur die Worte seines Chefs wiederholt.
The new spokesperson seems like a puppet because he only repeats his boss's words.
Nach vielen Stunden am Computer fühlt sich mein Vater wie ein Roboter.
After many hours at the computer, my father feels like a robot.