Haus, Behausung#

House (German: Haus): The German term has five main meanings: (1) a building for human habitation, classified according to different criteria, such as function (farm-house, tenement house, summer house), location (town house) or the social or financial standing of its occupant (dower house); a building for a special purpose (opera house); a building for keeping animals (hen house, cow house).

(2) a family or dynasty (House of Habsburg)

(3) a legislative body or the building where it meets (Abgeordnetenhaus, Herrenhaus)

(4) a place of refreshment (public house, coffeehouse)

(5) a social group, originally as related to the meaning explained in (1) above: The "house" was traditionally under the absolute power of the Hausherr ("house master") and a Hausfrau ("house mistress") and comprised all persons (whether related or not) under this imperium. This absolute power also encompassed certain rights of self-defence (for instance, the right to kill eavesdroppers in accordance with late medieval court decisions) and immunities (under which peasants were to enjoy the same safety in their own house as a duke in his castle). This was the origin of some of the fundamental civil rights of a later period (Hausrecht - sanctity of the home).

Literature#