Gemeinschaft is a term from German sociology that refers to the social relationships that exist in close-knit, traditional communities, especially those found in pre-industrial villages and small rural towns.
Core characteristics of gemeinschaft (often capitalized as Gemeinschaft, as all German nouns are capitalized) include close personal bonds, collective identity, and shared values and customs within a community. German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies introduced the concept in a book in 1887, in which he contrasts gemeinschaft, "community," with gesellschaft, "society" or "association" — such as that which exists in more urban, large-scale cities in an industrialized world. Today, one might find elements of gemeinschaft in tightly knit rural communities, such as many Amish communities.