Abstract
<jats:p>In the context of evolving political media discourse, analyzing the mechanisms that saturate political terminology with metaphorical and symbolic meanings acquires particular significance; although these meanings differ in their degree of abstraction, cultural anchoring, and usage, they frequently overlap in practice. The study aims to identify the specific features of objectifying the metaphorical-symbolic meaning of the political images Friedenstaube (“dove of peace”) and Kriegsfalke (“war hawk”) in German media discourse. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that these figurative designations are examined as political metaphor-symbols that have acquired an integrated metaphorical-symbolic meaning, thereby becoming instruments for the deep conceptualization, evaluation, and transmission of cultural meanings. The research demonstrates that the figurative designations of politicians as Friedenstaube and Kriegsfalke serve as stable metaphor-symbols in the German media, performing cognitive, pragmatic, axiological, legitimizing, and expressive-aesthetic functions (specifically in political cartoons).</jats:p>