Jedem das Seine Jedem das Seine "" () is the literal German translation of Latin "suum cuique", a fundamental juridical concept meaning "to each his own" or "to each what he deserves". During World War II the phrase was cynically used by the Nazis as a motto displayed over the entrance of Buchenwald concentration camp. This has resulted in use of the phrase being considered controversial in modern Germany. "Jedem das Seine" has been an idiomatic German expression for several centuries. For example, it is found in the works of Martin Luther and contemporaries. It appears in the title of a cantata by
Set phrase Set phrase A set phrase or fixed phrase is a phrase whose parts are fixed in a certain order, even if the phrase could be changed without harming the literal meaning. This is because a set phrase is a culturally accepted phrase. A set phrase does not necessarily have any literal meaning in and of itself. Set phrases may function as idioms (e.g. "red herring") or as words with a unique referent (e.g. "Red Sea"). There is no clear dividing line between a commonly used phrase and a set phrase. It is also not easy to draw a clear distinction