noun
- Plural of lebensraum; territory or space regarded as necessary for a nation or group to survive, expand, or achieve its potential.
Usage: From German; often used in historical or geopolitical contexts; Frequently associated with Nazi ideology and territorial expansion in World War II; Can refer more broadly to any group's claimed need for territorial expansion
Examples
- The historian explained how lebensraums became a central justification in Nazi propaganda.
- Some geopolitical analysts discuss lebensraums when examining modern territorial disputes.
- The concept of lebensraums has been widely criticized as a dangerous ideology.
- Colonial powers often invoked notions similar to lebensraums to justify their expansion.
- The term lebensraums appears frequently in discussions of 20th-century European history.