The Nostalgia of the Soul
A longing of the soul for that which you do not even really know what it is or why you feel it…
Sehnsucht is a German noun translated as "longing," "yearning," "desire," or "craving." It describes an intense, often bittersweet, and inconsolable longing for something remote, unattainable, or unknown. Unlike simple desire, Sehnsucht is characterized by a sense of incompleteness and a yearning for ideal alternative experiences or utopian states that may never be realized.
The word is composed of two parts: sehnen (to yearn) and Sucht (addiction or craving), literally suggesting a "sickness caused by yearning." It captures a complex emotional state that is both painful and pleasurable, often associated with nostalgia for a place or time one has never actually experienced.