411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Gretchenfrage
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
German
Etymology
From de Gretchen diminutive of de Grete = de Margarete Frage question. Refers to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Goethe's Goethe's Faust Faust (published 1808), where the character of Gretchen asks the protagonist, who is secretly in league with the devil: de Nun sag, wie hast du's mit der Religion? Now say, what is your stance on religion? ≈ what's the role of religion in your life?. The expression of de Gretchenfrage was coined in the mid-19th century (attested 1865 in Löwe [ed.], Schlesische Provinzialblätter, issue 1168, p. 147).
Pronunciation
de /ˈɡʁeːtçənˌfʁaːɡə/
de De-Gretchenfrage.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
de De-at-Gretchenfrage.ogg Austria
Noun
f
a question as to the addressee's religiosity or belief in God
a question that goes to the core of an issue, especially by exposing fundamental conflicts
a crucial question that is difficult or unpleasant to answer truthfully
Declension
f
Further reading