puppeteer
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puppeteer
A person who, professionally or as a hobby, moves puppets (e.g. hand puppets, marionettes) in a puppet theater and gives them a voice.
Der talentierte Puppenspieler faszinierte die Kinder mit seiner Vorstellung.
The talented puppeteer fascinated the children with his performance.
puppet master
In a figurative sense, a person who secretly manipulates and controls other people from behind the scenes in order to achieve their own goals.
In der Politik gibt es oft mächtige Berater, die als die eigentlichen Puppenspieler hinter den Kulissen agieren.
In politics, there are often powerful advisers who act as the real puppet masters behind the scenes.
The word is made up of 'die Puppe' (the doll/puppet) and 'der Spieler' (the player). So it literally describes a person who plays with puppets or moves them professionally.
Als Kind wollte er unbedingt Puppenspieler werden.
As a child, he really wanted to become a puppeteer.
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the context of power, control, and manipulation, often with expressions like 'hinter den Kulissen' (behind the scenes). The literal meaning appears in the context of theater, art, and entertainment for children.
Der Puppenspieler trat auf einem Kindergeburtstag auf.
The puppeteer performed at a children's birthday party.
In the literal meaning, 'Puppenspieler' (puppeteer) is often combined with the type of puppets (e.g. 'Marionetten' (marionettes), 'Handpuppen' (hand puppets)) or the place where the person works ('Puppentheater' (puppet theater)).
Der Puppenspieler ließ die Marionette elegant über die Bühne tanzen.
The puppeteer made the marionette dance elegantly across the stage.
The figurative meaning is closely connected with the idiom 'die Fäden ziehen' (to pull the strings). A 'Puppenspieler' (puppet master) is therefore someone who pulls the strings in the background.
Niemand weiß genau, wer in diesem Skandal wirklich die Fäden zieht, aber es gibt einen Puppenspieler.
No one knows exactly who is really pulling the strings in this scandal, but there is a puppet master.
mastermind
Both a „Drahtzieher“ and a „Puppenspieler“ can refer to a person who influences others from behind the scenes. „Drahtzieher“ emphasizes more strongly the originator or organizer of an operation, while the figurative „Puppenspieler“ highlights the covert control of other people. Choose „Drahtzieher“ for the planned action and „Puppenspieler“ for the people being controlled.
Hinter den rivalisierenden Gruppen stand ein Puppenspieler, der ihre Entscheidungen heimlich kontrollierte.
A puppet master stood behind the rival groups, secretly controlling their decisions.
Die Polizei suchte den Drahtzieher hinter dem gut geplanten Betrug.
The police searched for the mastermind behind the carefully planned fraud.
