ARBEITISM... from "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work shall set you free.", the sign over the entrances of the Nazi death camps.) Definition: A term or phrase of penultimate irony, in which the reality is opposite the conventional definition of the term or interpretation of the phrase.
ARBEITISM: "Department of Corrections", "Conservative Politician", "Christian", "Department of Justice", "Equal Justice Under Law" (over the Supreme Court building), "In God We Trust", etc.
by Lexicographer Incognito April 23, 2021
by big666doinker March 07, 2019
Correct interpretation is "Work sets you free" rather than direct from German "Work makes free" which does not make sense in English.
Commonly used over the gates of concentration camps.
Commonly used over the gates of concentration camps.
by Just a girl wanting to be love September 11, 2018
by Felix February 20, 2005
by Arbeit_Macht_Frei November 24, 2004
( a modern variation of the Arbeit macht frei sign that once stood above the gates to Auschwitz): a phrase meaning, in modern--as opposed to Nazi German--not "work makes free" in Nazi German, but rather "work makes people free", in neo-modern German
although i -- as a Jew of German and Polish descent, and above all a History major, but never as a yidiot-- perfectly understand that the phrase Arbeit macht Menschen frei can, and will be deemed, offensive by most Jews, I have arrogated myself the right (for exactly the reasons previously mentioned ) to re-use this phrase in a somewhat different political/cultural/socio-cultural zeitgeist.
How I would personally use the phrase Arbeit macht menschen frei is somewhat unconventional: I would have to say that "work (even a minimum wage job in the United States in the post 2016 US presidential election worldview) makes people (i.e anti-Trump anarchists shit-disturbers) free (from Obamaganda and incompetently planned and carried out Obamanomics".
The most rational, (atm-at the moment-) pro-civic society action that these immoral and amoral, hedonistic, anti-civics, deplorable, pigvilizing anarchists can take, is to drive yourself away, get a real minimum wage job and get over the fact that their candidate lost; after a hard day's work, these losers, hopefully, wouldn't have the time, money or energy to violently protest and destroy property, thus not taking the rest of civilised society to hell in a hand basket along with them.
How I would personally use the phrase Arbeit macht menschen frei is somewhat unconventional: I would have to say that "work (even a minimum wage job in the United States in the post 2016 US presidential election worldview) makes people (i.e anti-Trump anarchists shit-disturbers) free (from Obamaganda and incompetently planned and carried out Obamanomics".
The most rational, (atm-at the moment-) pro-civic society action that these immoral and amoral, hedonistic, anti-civics, deplorable, pigvilizing anarchists can take, is to drive yourself away, get a real minimum wage job and get over the fact that their candidate lost; after a hard day's work, these losers, hopefully, wouldn't have the time, money or energy to violently protest and destroy property, thus not taking the rest of civilised society to hell in a hand basket along with them.
by Sexydimma November 21, 2016
A part-time job, especially for students. Derived from Japanese "アルバイト" which is a loanword from German ("Arbeit"). The German word "Arbeit" is also a cognate with the Middle English "arveð", which may be used instead (as "arveth").
by Mushiking42 March 15, 2025