Bildung? mikä se on?

tulee mieleen (lukemalla saavutettu) sivistys

Periaatteessa sana viittaa "henkiseen kehitykseen" tai "ihmiseksi kasvuun henkisten ominaisuuksien mielessä".
Esim. kirjallisuustieteen puolella tunnetaan termi Bildungsroman, joka on totuttu suomentamaan "kehitysromaaniksi".

En kyllä yhtään tunne sanalle annettuja kasvatustieteellisiä erityismerkityksiä. Ainakin saksankielinen Wikipedia-artikkeli vaikuttaa melko laajalta. Googlella löytyy tämä: http://www.eaea.org/index.php?k=15098

"The German term "Bildung" has no equivalent in any other of the European languages. Not only is it more comprehensive than "education"; it is, above all, more complex and holistic in meaning. It is difficult to define even in the German language. One definition, taken from an encyclopedia, reads for example:
"Bildung" is a process of spiritual formation; it also refers to the inner shape human beings can attain when developing their aptitudes in touch with and through the agency of the spiritual contents found in their environment. "Bildung" not only implies the dimension of teaching but also that of learning ("sich bilden"), not only knowledge and skills, but also values, ethos, personality, authenticity and humanity."