assisted dying / euthanasia
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assisted dying
Assistance in the dying process of a person, especially someone with an incurable illness. A distinction is made between active euthanasia (intentional killing), passive euthanasia (withholding life-prolonging measures), and assisted suicide.
Die Debatte über die Legalisierung von aktiver Sterbehilfe ist ethisch sehr komplex.
The debate about legalizing active euthanasia is ethically very complex.
The word consists of the verb stem 'sterbe-' (from 'sterben' — to die) and the noun 'die Hilfe' (help). So it literally describes 'Hilfe beim Sterben' (help with dying).
Das Thema Sterbehilfe wird in der Gesellschaft kontrovers diskutiert.
The topic of assisted dying is discussed controversially in society.
To specify the type of assistance, the word is often combined with adjectives such as 'aktiv' (active), 'passiv' (passive), or 'indirekt' (indirect). Typical verbs are 'Sterbehilfe leisten' (to provide assisted dying) or 'Sterbehilfe in Anspruch nehmen' (to make use of assisted dying).
Passive Sterbehilfe durch den Verzicht auf Behandlung ist in bestimmten Fällen erlaubt.
Passive euthanasia through withholding treatment is allowed in certain cases.
'Sterbehilfe' (assisted dying / euthanasia) is a technical term from law, medicine, and ethics. It is mainly used in formal and serious discussions and is not an everyday word.
Das Parlament debattiert über ein neues Gesetz zur Sterbehilfe.
Parliament is debating a new law on assisted dying.
euthanasia
Both words can refer to ending the life of an incurably ill person in order to shorten their suffering. In modern German, „Sterbehilfe“ is the broader and more common term, whereas „Euthanasie“ usually refers to intentional active killing and carries a strong historical burden. Therefore, „Sterbehilfe“ is normally the preferred term.
Die Familie sprach über Sterbehilfe und den Verzicht auf lebensverlängernde Maßnahmen.
The family discussed assisted dying and forgoing life-prolonging measures.
Der Arzt lehnte Euthanasie ab, also die gezielte Beendigung des Lebens eines unheilbar Kranken.
The doctor rejected euthanasia, meaning the intentional ending of an incurably ill person’s life.
