Von: fpbusser@cybercable.tm.fr (Francis BUSSER)
  Datum: 28.09.98, 03:44:02
Betreff: Translation of our names

Hello Robert,

It is effectively frequent that by migrations the names were translated
or adapted to the language in the destination country.

I agree with your examples, but the translation of most of our Alsacian
names was not creativity, but the result of imperialism or tyranny from
our successive rulers.

The early begin of the story lies with the conquest from Alsace by the
French King Louis-XIV. After the French Révolution, Napoleon's Empire
and the 2nd Empire, it became fine to learn French and to use French
given names, in some cases also to translate the surname.

After 1871, as Alsace became German, our parents in Alsace had to chose
between the French or the German nationality. Those who have opted for
France had to left Alsace 1872. In her new residence in France, many of
them became heavy incitations to translate her name into French.

Between 1871 and 1918, under German rule, many Alsacian with French
names had to translate them into German to live in peace.

But 1918, Alsace returned to France. It was highly recommended to
translate in French, all too German surnames and cities names. So as an
example, 'Oberehnheim' became 'Obernai' or 'Zabern', 'Saverne'.

Then came 1939, Hitler and the Nazis. The french given names, surnames,
street names and city names in Alsace had imperatively to be translated
into German. And we had also to establish our genealogy to prove our
arianity.

During the major part of WW-II, I lived in Bretagne, about 900 km from
Alsace, on the opposite side of France in the West, where my parents
were 'réfugiés'. The pronounciation of my Alsacian name (of Swiss
origin) was crippled from "Büss'r" to something like "Bussère". I found
it several times written on this way.

After the German defeat 1944-45, my school-fellows found me guilty, as
an Alsacian, to be a "sale petit boche" (I cannot translate, but it is
somewhat as an 'ugly little German'). I was a 9 years old child.

One or two time the week, after the school, I was beated, lynched,
stoned by elder fellows, until I had some (exercise) hand-grenade in my
school-bag and used one again my agressors. I gained so respect and was
nevermore molested, but nevertheless I left the school.

At this time, a part of me became adult...

My family returned to Alsace in fall 1945. Thought I was born in Alsace
and Alsacian was my mother tongue, I had forgotten most of her.

In Alsace, the French propaganda said in every shop-window and on every
wall "C'est chic de parler français" (It is fine to speak French). As a
confirmation or a result, in my new school in Alsace, speaking Alsacian
was strictly forbidden and punished.

Our street names and city names aswell as some of our given names and
surnames were one time more translated from German to French, and often
incredibly bad translated.

Here we cannot speak from a talent, it was pitifull !

And now we are still crushed down, forget more and more our Alsacian
dialects and must learn english to communicate ...

Avec toutes mes amitiés,
	Francis Busser (in Strasbourg, Alsace, France)



RobtBehra@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 9/27/98 12:04:18 AM, fpbusser@cybercable.tm.fr wrote:
>
> <<You have in the US, an unfathomable creativity in the matter of
>
> pronounciation and of spelling of european names and an irresistible
>
> need to translate or transliterate surnames and given names. This is
>
> leading to great confusion by genealogical researches.
>
> >>
>
> We are pretty creative, aren't we?  However, lest we give the impression
> that such creativity is solely an American talent let's remind our
> readers about the tendency in Alsace and Lorraine to translate or
> otherwise transmogrify surnames when going from a French-speaking
> area into a German-speaking one (and vice versa).  Well known examples
> include:
>
> Kauffmann = Marchand, Martschan
> Seiler = Cordier
> Schumacher = Cordonnier
> Bischoff = L'éveque
>
> in my own research I have come across these examples:
>
> Gebel = Fourchette
> Luttenschlager = Baccler
> Trommenschlager = Taboura
>
> and my own surname has ended up transformed in French-speaking
> areas into:
>
> Poirot
> Paraut
> Pérat
>
> It pays to keep an open mind about the wide variety of spellings
> and pronunciations which can befall a name when its owner
> moves from one linguistic environment into another.
>
> Robert Behra