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From Testzentrum in Sachsen-Anhalt: So können Drohnen im Katastrophenfall helfen, tagesschau.de, 18 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
One possible application is to keep the communications network up and running in crisis areas.
Word for word: A possible use-purpose is, in crisis areas the communication-network to-maintain-up.
The speaker names one possible purpose or field of use for something (e.g. a technology): keeping communications networks functioning in crisis regions.
The sentence is a statement with the verb in second position ('ist'). The subject is the noun phrase 'Ein möglicher Einsatz-Zweck' in the nominative. The predicate complement is a zu-infinitive clause 'in Krisengebieten das Kommunikationsnetz aufrechtzuerhalten', set off by a comma; 'aufrechtzuerhalten' is the zu-infinitive of the separable verb 'aufrechterhalten', with zu inserted between prefix and stem. 'in Krisengebieten' is a prepositional phrase with dative plural expressing location, and 'das Kommunikationsnetz' is the accusative object of the infinitive.
Rules at work(7)
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Ein möglicher Einsatz-Zweck ist
In a declarative main sentence the finite verb occupies the second position, after the subject phrase.
In a German main clause the finite verb is always the second element. The first element can be the subject, but it can just as easily be a time expression, an object or a whole subordinate clause; whatever it is, it counts as one element and the verb follows it. This is why putting something other than the subject first pushes the subject after the verb.
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aufrechtzuerhalten
The predicate complement is an infinitive clause introduced by zu, inserted between the separable prefix and the stem.
Many verbs, adjectives and nouns take an infinitive introduced by zu, which stands at the end of its clause. With a separable verb the zu goes between the prefix and the stem, giving aufzustehen.
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Ein möglicher Einsatz-Zweck
The subject of 'ist' stands in the nominative.
The nominative marks the subject of the clause: whoever or whatever is doing the verb. It is also the case used after the verbs sein, werden and bleiben, so both sides of Das ist mein Bruder stand in the nominative.
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das Kommunikationsnetz
It is the direct object of 'aufrechtzuerhalten' and therefore accusative.
The accusative marks the direct object: the thing the action is done to. Only the masculine changes visibly, from der to den and from ein to einen, which is why the masculine is where accusative errors show.
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in Krisengebieten
'in' governs the dative when describing where something happens rather than movement into.
An, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor and zwischen take the accusative when the phrase answers where to, and the dative when it answers where. The distinction is movement across a boundary against position, not motion against stillness.
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Ein möglicher Einsatz-Zweck
After the indefinite article 'ein', which shows no ending in the masculine nominative, the adjective takes the strong ending -er.
After ein, kein and a possessive, the adjective takes strong endings exactly where the article shows nothing, which is the masculine nominative and the neuter nominative and accusative, and weak endings everywhere else.
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Einsatz-Zweck, Krisengebieten, Kommunikationsnetz
Three compounds appear; the final element determines gender, plural and declension.
German builds long nouns by joining shorter ones. The last part carries the gender and the plural, and everything before it modifies what follows, so a compound is read from the right.
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Words(9)
- ein
a, an, one
determinerA1indefinite
The form einer here is dative feminine singular, not the pronoun meaning 'one'.
- möglich
possible
adjectiveA2möglicher, am möglichsten
- der Einsatzzweck
application purpose, field of use
nounC1pl. Einsatzzweckegen. Einsatzzweckesmixed declension
Here written as 'Einsatz-Zweck' with a hyphen; normally one word.
- sein
to be
verbA1sein, war, ist gewesenmit seinirregular
Copula here linking subject to predicate noun.
- in
in, into
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Dative for location, accusative for direction.
- das Krisengebiet
crisis area, crisis region
nounB2pl. Krisengebietegen. Krisengebietesstrong declension
- das
the
determinerA1definite
- das Kommunikationsnetz
communications network
nounB2pl. Kommunikationsnetzegen. Kommunikationsnetzesstrong declension
- aufrechterhalten
to maintain, to keep up, to sustain
verbC1aufrechterhalten, erhielt aufrecht, aufrechterhaltenmit habenseparablestronggoverns accusative
Separable verb; in the zu-infinitive it appears as 'aufrechtzuerhalten'. Related to 'erhalten' (hielt, erhalten).