Drittes Reich
/ˈdʁɪtəs ˈʁaɪ̯ç/neuter
The English phrase "third reich" is translated into German as Drittes Reich.
In modern German, Drittes Reich is used almost exclusively as a historical designation for the period of Nazi Germany (1933, 1945).
Meaning: Germany under the Nazi regime (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the ordinal number drittes (third) and the noun Reich (empire or realm).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes based on its role in a sentence. To indicate possession or to say "of the Third Reich", use the genitive form des Dritten Reiches. When using the preposition "in" to indicate a location in time or space, such as "in the Third Reich", the phrase takes the dative form im Dritten Reich.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdʁɪtəs ˈʁaɪ̯ç/
When do people say it?
While Drittes Reich is the standard historical term, the informal expression Nazizeit can be used to refer to the Nazi era or Nazi time.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Die Taten des Dritten Reiches werden noch heute erforscht.The actions of the Third Reich are still being studied today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “third reich” translations and entries Drittes Reich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Reich, reich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
