submission
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submission
The act of yielding to the will, power, or authority of another person or a superior force and giving up resistance.
Die Geschichte des Volkes ist von Kampf und nicht von Unterwerfung geprägt.
The history of the people is shaped by struggle, not by submission.
The word derives from the verb 'unterwerfen' (to subjugate, to submit), which consists of 'unter' (under) and 'werfen' (to throw). The literal idea is to 'throw' oneself or something 'under' the power of another.
Die bedingungslose Unterwerfung der feindlichen Truppen beendete den Krieg.
The unconditional submission of the enemy troops ended the war.
'Unterwerfung' (submission) is the noun corresponding to the reflexive verb 'sich unterwerfen' (to submit). This verb is often used with the dative to name the authority one yields to: 'sich jemandem unterwerfen' (to submit to someone).
Er weigerte sich, sich dem Willen des Chefs zu unterwerfen.
He refused to submit to the boss's will.
'Unterwerfung' (submission) is often used with the preposition 'unter' (under/to) and the dative to describe the power or authority one yields to.
Die Unterwerfung unter eine fremde Herrschaft war für das Volk unvorstellbar.
Submission to foreign rule was unimaginable for the people.
The second meaning is used almost exclusively in psychological or sociological contexts. Words like 'emotional', 'psychisch' (psychological), or 'in einer Beziehung' (in a relationship) point to this meaning.
In der Therapie wurde ihr Muster der psychischen Unterwerfung deutlich.
In therapy, her pattern of psychological submissiveness became clear.
resistance
'der Widerstand' and 'die Unterwerfung' are clear opposites. With 'Widerstand', someone resists a power, a rule, or an order. With 'Unterwerfung', someone gives up their own will and submits to another power. So 'Widerstand' fits when someone does not give in. 'Unterwerfung' fits when someone stops resisting and submits to authority.
Nach der Niederlage verlangte der Sieger die Unterwerfung der Gegner.
After the defeat, the victor demanded the submission of the opponents.
Viele Bürger leisten Widerstand gegen das neue Verbot.
Many citizens are resisting the new ban.