Jedem das Seine
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"Jedem das Seine" is a German translation of Suum cuique, the Latin phrase meaning "to each his own".
History
Antiquity
The Latin phrase goes back an old Greek principle of justice which translates literally into English as "To each his own," but with the idiomatic meaning of "To each what he deserves." In his Politeia, Plato concluded that justice is realised, "when each and everyone minds his own business, and does not involve in everything" (Greek: to ta auton prattein kai me polypragmonein dikaiosyne; IV 433a). Everyone should do according to his abilities and capabilities, to serve the country and the society as a whole. Also, everyone should receive "his own" (e.g. rights) and not be deprived of "his own" (e.g. property) (433e).
The phrase was made famous by the Roman author, orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC): "Justitia suum cuique distribuit." ("Justice renders to everyone his due." (De Natura Deorum, III, 38.) De Finibus, Bonorum et Malorum, liber V, 67: "(...) ut fortitudo in laboribus periculisque cernatur, (...), iustitia in suo cuique tribuendo." - "so that fortitude may be seen in hardship and danger, (...) justice in attributing to each his own").
Prussia
"Suum cuique" served as a motto to Prussia's King Frederick the Great, and is still used by the German military police (the Feldjäger). It was a symbol of the liberalism and religious tolerance of the Prussian Kingdom, which meant that "each can do as they choose", but all citizens must unite in their support of Prussia.
World War II
During World War II, the Nazis placed the slogan Jedem das Seine over the main entrance gate to the Buchenwald concentration camp, Germany. After the war, the Soviets used the occupied Buchenwald concentration camp to imprison Nazis, keeping "to each his own" as the camp slogan. Jedem das Seine was a typical propaganda phrase of the time, similar to Arbeit macht frei. In English, Arbeit macht frei means "work shall set you free." This slogan was placed at the entrances of several Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Dachau concentration camp, Gross-Rosen, Sachsenhausen, and the Theresienstadt.
Other uses
The phrase is still used commonly as a proverb in German-speaking countries.
Several modern advertising campaigns in the German language, including ads for Nokia, Rewe grocery stores, Burger King, and Merkur Bank have been marred by controversy after using the phrase "Jedem das Seine" or "Jedem den Seinen." An ExxonMobil ad campaign in January 2009 touted Tchibo coffee drinks at the company's Esso stores with the slogan "Jedem den Seinen!" The ads were withdrawn after protest from the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and a company spokesman said its advertising contractor had been unaware of the proverb's association with Nazism.[1] In March 2009, a student group associated with the Christian Democratic Union used the slogan for an education campaign in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), but later withdrew it due to public outcry.[2]
See also
References
- ^ David Wroe, Petrol station used Nazi slogan on posters, The Telegraph, 14 January 2009.
- ^ jol, dpa/ddp Nazi Slogan: CDU stoppt Kampagne "Jedem das Seine", der Spiegel, 12 March 2009. (in German)
External links
