Tree Name Requirement - Germany - Jews

Puma · Nov 24, 2007

A rep point to anyone who can answer this question for me: Ages ago I was told that at some point in German history, Jews were required to take tree names as their surnames - Apfelbaum, Rosenbaum, Nusbaum, etc. Does anyone have information on when (and why) this happened? Thanks in advance. Puma

zenwriter · Nov 24, 2007

I found an article that mentions the name changes briefly:

http://www.iht.com/articles/1994/09/08/etopics_5.php

job · Nov 24, 2007

Hi Puma --

The Astro-Hungarian Empire, in 1787, required that Jews adopt a permanent surname. Given the choice of all possible names, many Jews chose names they felt were attractive or lucky. Thus Baum, Apfelbaum, Blume, Stern, Rosen, etc. (Tree, Appletree, Flower, Star, Rose.)

The names aren't particularly 'tree'. They're just beautiful names.

Puma · Nov 25, 2007

Thank you Zenwriter and Job. Your article is very interesting, Zenwriter, but I think that's a very small individual circumstance - but very intersting. Job, I'm pretty sure you've gotten what I was looking for. I thought it was Germany which is why I couldn't find anything - Austro-Hungarian makes even more sense for what I'm looking at. Thank you. I've given you both rep points for your help. Puma

Tree Name Requirement - Germany - Jews

Puma

Retired and loving it!

zenwriter

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

Puma

Retired and loving it!