Let the French keep their melodious surnames. German last names have all the melody of an old school nun rebuking a talkative pupil, all the rhythm of a jackhammer tearing up a sidewalk, and the smooth sound of a barking affenpinscher. It was especially so of the original German immigrants, who hadn’t yet gotten around to shortening their names. Some have delightful hidden meanings, if one can associate “delightful” to a sound so gravelly. You’ll read all about it in the upcoming Second Edition of Beer, Brats, and Baseball: St. Louis Germans.
We dug up some really odd German-sounding names of folks buried buried in the historic St. Matthew Cemetery at 4360 Bates Street in South St. Louis. We found such names as Antweiler, Bloedt, Freeburghaus, Kiesenwetter, Schlickenmeyer, Zimmenbuer, and Zuckschwer. The book will be out this summer. Plan now to pick it up.
Jim Merkel the Writer 