das Kriegsbeil begraben

to bury the hatchet; to make peace, end a quarrel

Origin

The idiom refers to peace rituals of North American Indigenous peoples, in which the war axe (tomahawk) was symbolically buried in times of peace. In Germany the image spread mainly through James Fenimore Cooper's 'Leatherstocking' novels; it is a loan translation of English 'to bury the hatchet'.

Source

Building blocks

Words in this expression

Examples

  • Nach Jahren des Streits haben die beiden Nachbarn das Kriegsbeil .

    After years of quarrelling, the two neighbours have finally buried the hatchet.