Kapo

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See also: kapo, kapò, kápo, and kãpó

German

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Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • Audio:(file)

Etymology 1

Clipping of Kaporal (Upper German), from Italian caporale (“corporal”), from Italian capo, from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput.[1] There is some uncertainty about the etymology of the sense "prisoner functionary". Pfeifer connects it to the same etymology as above, however Duden claims an origin in French caporal.[1][2] In favour of Pfeifer is the fact that the first concentration camp, Dachau, was in Upper German territory and many early inmates came from the workers' movement and trade unions,[3] who could have introduced the dialectal term Kapo (“site foreman”) (construction slang).[4][5] Compare also East Franconian Kapo, Rhine Franconian Kapo, Alemannic German Capo, all meaning "foreman". Although plausible, the folk-etymology which assumes a direct loan from Italian capo (“boss, chief”) suggested by occasional spellings Capo, Lagercapo and no-doubt reinforced in later times by the Italian term's dissemination in the wake of the Godfather trilogy has not been substantiated. Doublet of Korporal and (obsolete) Kapo (“military commander”).

Noun

Kapo m (strong, genitive Kapos, plural Kapos)

  1. (military slang) corporal, non-commissioned officer
    Synonym: Unteroffizier
  2. (Southern Germany, Austria) foreman
    Synonyms: Vorarbeiter, Polier
  3. (historical, prison slang) kapo, prisoner functionary (a prisoner of a Nazi concentration camp who was given food and privileges in return for supervising other prisoners doing forced labor)
    Synonyms: Funktionshäftling, Lagerkapo, Lagercapo
Declension
Declension of Kapo
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Kapo die Kapos
genitive eines des Kapos der Kapos
dative einem dem Kapo den Kapos
accusative einen den Kapo die Kapos
Descendants

Etymology 2

Clipping of Kantonspolizei.

Noun

Kapo f (genitive Kapo, no plural)

  1. (Switzerland) Cantonal police
Declension
Declension of Kapo
singular
indef. def. noun
nominative eine die Kapo
genitive einer der Kapo
dative einer der Kapo
accusative eine die Kapo

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Italian capo.[1] Doublet of Korporal and Kapo (“corporal; prisoner-overseer”).

Noun

Kapo m (strong, genitive Kapos, no plural)

  1. (obsolete) leader, military commander
    Synonym: Oberhaupt
Declension
Declension of Kapo
singular
indef. def. noun
nominative ein der Kapo
genitive eines des Kapos
dative einem dem Kapo
accusative einen den Kapo

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “Kapo”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN
  2. ^ “Kapo” in Duden online
  3. ^ “Die ersten Häftlinge ”, in Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte‎ (in German), (Can we date this quote?)
  4. ^ Kluge, Friedrich (2001) Elmar Seebold, editor, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache (in German), 24 edition, Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 469
  5. ^ “Bauleiter Polier”, in Deutscher Bauzeiger‎ (in German), 2023

Further reading

  • “Kapo” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “Kapo” in Duden online
  • “Kapo” in Duden online
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