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Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim wrote:
>
> nycram schrieb:
>
>
>> As you probably know full well, there are two totally unrelated types
>> of German names including "stein".
>>
>> a) Names derived from geographical features suitable for the placement
>> of a medieval style defensive burg. The name of the geographical
>> feature is then used as a family name, either for the owners or for
>> wannabe owners or for locals who moved away and got called "the people
>> fron x-stein.
>>
>> b) Names in which "stein" means jewel--like your example
>> Bernstein=amber, Marmelstein=marble, rubinstein=ruby, eckstein=diamond.
>> For historical reasons these names are usually borne by people of
>> Jewish origin.
>>
>> No useful purpose other than obfuscation is served by mixing the two
>> classes of names.
>>
>> I think Einstein is one of the jewel-names.
>>
>> Gary
>
> Yes; I believe this makes sense and the German: Edelstein. Do you think
> most people bearing this name were of Jewish origint (the Jews traded
> with Edelsteine (gems)? Does that show Einstein as a name for a jewel
> meant there was only one gem.
What I've been told about the history of these typical Jewish names is that
at times much later than the Christians, Jewish people got last names.
These were taken more or less out of the air, so jewels, or flowers
(Rosenblum 'Rose-Flour') were a good choice, often colours, sometimes
deprecating or loughable names forced upon the people by antisemites.
Joachim
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