Fritz

Borrowed from German Fritz, pet form of Friedrich (“Frederick”).

• IPA^(key): /fɹɪts/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪts

Fritz (plural Fritzes)

1. (UK, offensive, ethnic slur) A German person, usually male.
   • 1918, Elaine Sterne, Over the Seas for Uncle Sam‎:

     Someone sent up a shout and word came that oil had begun to show on the water—that meant one less submarine afloat! Again the roar of guns—again the shout! Two Fritzes sunk. . . !

• Boche
• jerry
• Kraut
• Hun

Fritz (plural Fritzes)

1. (UK, offensive) A name used to represent the German people (particularly the German armed forces) as a group.

   But if Fritz is stationed in that patch of woodland, we've got no chance!

   You! Fritz! Tell us where the ammunition's kept!

   • 1923, Frank Fox, “The Man-Made Earthquake”, in Charles Francis Horne, The Great Events of the Great War‎, volume 5:

     so Fritz could sleep easily in his trench, so far as mines were concerned; and Fritz, confident in his Herr Professors, altogether neglected any attempt to counter-mine.

   • 1952, Vasily Grossman, translated by Robert Chandler and Yury Bit-Yunan, Stalingrad, page 227:

     'Fritz is pounding away at the crossing,' he said. 'We'd do better to wait till things quieten down.'

2. A diminutive of the male given name Friedrich.
   • 1892, Evelyn Raymond, chapter VII, in Mixed Pickles, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Y. Crowell Co. , →OCLC, page 81:

     Uncle Fritz “talked eyes” when he was the most deeply aggrieved; and little Fritz found it most unpleasant to have an American relative addicted to the same bad habit. She came into the room just then and there, and, seeing the two Fritzes in such confidential discussion, would have speedily withdrawn, had not the gentleman risen and begged her to remain.

   • 1943, Madeleine Goss, Robert Haven Schauffler, “Black Forest Magic”, in Brahms: The Master, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC, page 205:

     “Has she any children?” asked the practical Johannes. / “Just one—a nice boy, too. Thirteen. Fritz is his name.” Jakob chuckled. “Just the same as your brother. That’s a good one—there’ll be two Fritzes in one family!”

3. A surname from German.
   • 2024 September 6, Jordan Valinsky, “Ticket prices for the all-American men’s matchup at the US Open are surging”, in CNN‎:

     The highly anticipated all-American matchup between Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe — marking the first US Open semifinals between two US men in nearly 20 years — will cost you quite a few Honey Deuces to attend.

Shortened form of Friedrich. Cognate to English Fred.

Fritz m (proper noun, strong, genitive Fritz' or (older ending) Fritzens, plural Fritze)

1. a diminutive of the male given name Friedrich
   • 1856, Archiv des historischen Vereines von Unterfranken und Aschaffenburg, 14. Band, 1. Heft, page 138:

     Wohl möglich wäre, daß zwei Fritze unterschieden werden müssen, Vater und Sohn, etwa Fritz I. 1400-1428 und Fritz II c. 1444.

     It is quite possible that two Fritzes had to be distinguished, father and son, perhaps Fritz 1 (1400-1428) and Fritz 2 (c. 1444).

   • 2008, Julia Schroda, Nationaler Anspruch und regionale Identität im Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen im Spiegel des französisch-sprachigen Elsaßromans (1871-1914), Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philogischen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br., →ISBN, page 287:

     Louise ist auf dem dünnen Eis eingebrochen, heroisch eilt der junge Offizier zu ihrer Rettung. Der Erzähler gesteht den deutschen Soldaten, die schnell Louisens und Fritzens Rettung organisieren, Entschlossenheit und Tatkraft zu.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • (Can we date this quote?) Otto Behagel, Von deutscher Sprache, page 385:

     Eine besonders fruchtbare Tätigkeit haben zwei Fritze entfaltet: Fritz Diehm und Fritz Römhild, der sich als Schriftsteller Fritz Romeo nennt.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Fritzchen

• Hans
• Hinz
• Kunz
• Petz
• Lutz
• Max

From the proper noun, used as a derogatory term for a German person in translations into German.

Fritz m (strong or mixed, genitive Fritz' or (older ending) Fritzens, plural Fritze or Fritzen)

1. (used by non-Germans, derogatory) a Fritz, a German
   • (Can we date this quote?), Alaksandr A. Fadeev, Der junge Garde, German translation, page 135:

     Nadja wußte, daß Serjoshka die Wahrheit sprach; er hatte zwei Fritze erschossen und würde noch mehr erschießen. „Sie werden dich erschießen", befürchtete sie.

     Nadia knew that Serioshka was telling the truth; he had shot two Fritzes and would shoot still more. "They'll shoot you", she feared.

   • (Can we date this quote?), Eessaare Aadu, Endel Sőgel, Estnische Novellen, German translation by Aivo Kaidja, Helga Viira and Viktor Sepp, page 372:

     Ein Güterzug der Deutschen war entgleist, irgendwo im Wald waren zwei Fritze kaltgemacht und beide Taten den Kommunisten angelastet worden,

     One of the Germans' goods trains had derailed, somewhere in the forest two Fritzes had been killed, and both deeds had been blamed on the Communists,

   • 1979, Willi Bredel, Die Enkel, page 416:

     "Wassilij allein", der Major wies auf den schlafenden Offizier, „hat drei Fritze mit seinem Revolver niedergestreckt."

     "Vasily alone", the major pointed to the sleeping officer, "shot three Fritzes with his revolver."

   • (Can we date this quote?), Vasily Grossman, Leben und Schicksal, German translation by Efim Etkind and Simon Markish, page 239:

     «  seit heute Morgen habe ich fünf Fritzen umgelegt und dabei vier Granaten verbraucht.»

     " since this morning I have killed five Fritzes and used four grenades in the process."

   • (Can we date this quote?), Vasily Grossman, Leben und Schicksal, German translation by Efim Etkind and Simon Markish, page 250:

     Kommandeur des Trupps sich geweigert habe, einen Rechenschaftsbericht zu schreiben, mit der Begründung: «Ich hab keine Zeit, mich mit blödem Papierkram zu befassen. Wir legen nur vor den Fritzen Rechenschaft ab.»

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1978, Hans Blickensdörfer, Die Söhne des Krieges, page 239:

     Eigentlich, denkt er, bist du das größte Rindvieh unter Rußlands Sonne, Fedor Tarkanow. Kaum hast du Sohn und Frau, stürzt du dich in das verrückteste aller Abenteuer und riskierst Kopf und Kragen für zwei Fritzen.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Fritzchen

• Ami
• Tommy
• Iwan

• “Fritz” in Duden online