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Word of the Week

Hanna Grimm / hwDecember 11, 2012

Sometimes it's a family affair.

https://p.dw.com/p/16zm5
Handmade Patchwork Quilt © grandaded
Image: Fotolia/grandaded

Father, mother and one or more children - that's a traditional family. But today, many families look very different. Some parents get divorced and remarry, or live with a new partner. The children of the new partner are often brought into the family, too. Combining the English word "patchwork" with the German word for family, in Germany, this form of family is called a Patchworkfamilie.

Like a patchwork quilt, a Patchworkfamilie is made of many different pieces which make a whole. And although it may sometimes be difficult fitting all the pieces together, the end result can be something entirely worth the effort.