D’ Haus- a Flouernimm: House and Field Names
Digital IKI
In the times of the Corona pandemic, Digital IKI aims to give people access to intangible cultural heritage despite social distancing measures. This gave rise to this section on Luxembourg’s house and field names, which regularly explores the meaning and purpose of different house and field names. The author is Sam Mersch, researcher in field names and the history of the Luxembourgish language at the University of Luxembourg.
House and field names are rooted in space and always reference a specific place. They give insights into how this space was and still is experienced by people, linguistically, ecologically, economically and socially - and also in the context of epidemics and contagious diseases.
Siichenhaff
Since Fliederchersdag has been cancelled due to the current situation, the first entry will focus on Siichenhaff. Fliederchersdag, an old custom dating back to times of leprosy, has strong links to Siichenhaff in Pafendall. Siichenhaff is a so-called farmstead name and is therefore to be considered a house name. The farmstead got its name because people with infectious diseases were housed there. "Siich(en)" comes from an old verb that no longer exists in Luxembourgish, which meant "(to be) (seriously) ill". Places like this didn't just exist in Pfaffenthal, they could be found all over the country. As illustrated by the map nr. 1, there were field names referring to places for the disease stricken (with the word "siichen"), in Limpertsberg, Merl, Sandweiler, Weimerskirch, Grevenmacher, Livange, Kirchberg, Echternach and Schieren.
Kräizgrënnchen
Due to the Corona pandemic, this year’s Octave can’t take place as usual. However, as part of Digital IKI, we’ll explore field names referring to processions like the final procession of the Octave. Some fields bear the name Kräizwee (i.e. rather way of the cross, not corassroad) because a regular procession passed them (marked yellow on map no. 2). The same is true of such plots named Kierchepad and Kierchewee (i.e. church paths and trails), which also refer to processions that lead along them. It is interesting to note, that such names occur mostly in uninhabited places. These names are closely linked to religion, which is illustrated by names like the Kräizgrënnchen - also called Val Ste. Croix - in Luxembourg city and also in Livange. Map no. 2 shows a small selection of these names, which are noteworthy because they show how an important, recurring activity - in this case practicing a religion - can become the subject of field names.
Wangert / Wéngert
As an antidote to the COVID-19 pandemic and to accompany the gradual easing of the lockdown we’re going to talk about Luxembourg’s Wéngerten or Wangerten this time. As you can see on map no. 3, these field names show us all the places where wine used to be produced, not just on the Moselle. Linguistically speaking, Wangert (marked in red) is the older form of the word and Wengert the younger one (marked in yellow). In almost all cases the area is on a slope and sometimes near a river valley. The term Wangert or Wéngert essentially means vineyard and can still be found in the form win-gard in the medieval manuscripts. These areas have that name because wine used to be cultivated there and the yard (gard) often indicates that they were sectioned or fenced off in some way.
Krounebierg
The word corona isn’t only relevant today, it has also been used in the past, which is reflected in Luxembourg’s field names. The word Kroun (crown) is particularly important here. It’s derived from the Latin corona and primarily refers to a decorative band designed to be worn on the head.
The crown often features in Luxembourgish field names, mostly together with Bierg (hill), as in the case of the Krounebierg in Mersch, close to the geographical centre of the country where the National Monument of Independence is located. Sometimes it’s said that the hill has only been called Krounebierg since the monument was built in 1929, but the name actually appears in Mersch’s first land registry map from 1867, where it was referred to as Kronenberg. (Here’s the link to the map via Geoportail.lu.)
As you can see on map 4, field names called Krounebierg only occur in the municipalities of Mersch and Bous, although other names featuring the word Kroun are more common. What the map doesn’t show is that mentions of Krounebierg are a lot more common, which indicates how important this name was in the area.
House and Field Names
House and field names, alongside village and street names, form a traditional interpersonal and spatial orientation system. This living cultural heritage has been passed down from generation to generation mainly by word of mouth. The practice of name-giving does not merely have a major cultural-historical importance but also an increased practical surplus value in the sense of sustainable development.
In the past, field names referred to uninhabited places that were not linked to a place or street name.
A rapid population growth and an increase in land developments result in the fact that field names can now be found in new street names, building sites and industrial zones.
Field names give an insight into a society's past by documenting and archiving socio-cultural aspects or recalling the legal and administrative history of a country. Testimony of this would be the example of Gaalgebierger, the hanging places found in every juridical district, as in Esch/Alzette, or the field name Bann, referring to a former legal administrative unit, as in Rédange/Attert.
House names play an important role in matters of orientation within a village as they are often older than street names themselves. In the Réiserbann (area around Roeser), house names such as a Jangen, an Déidesch, a Kéifesch and an Hierchen can be found. The latter can be linked to the name Hierchesfeld (German cadaster form Herchesfeld). Although the inhabitants of the house an Hierchen have another official family name, the core of local people will refer to them as Hierchens. The Hierchens do not organise events on the Hierchesfeld but the Léiffrawëschdag on the Gaalgebierg.
House and field names can indicate a level of development of the Luxembourgish language that will be older than first transmitted texts. Some field names go back to Roman times, as for example um Kiem, a Roman path at the Kierchbierg. These Kiems or Roman streets are generally older than most churches of the country.
The use of house and field names offers a feeling of identity and continuity to people, enabling them to refer to places of their environment by name and to discuss them with other people. It would therefore be beneficial for anybody living, working or staying in Luxembourg to become involved in this living cultural heritage.
Taking part in this cultural heritage also strengthens social cohesion in Luxembourg and helps people to experience their own environment afresh, all in the sense of sustainable development. Modern mobility leads to a more conscious orientation in the public space as it requires precise denotations of places and can therefore make use of names that have been around for generations in the country. House and field names are increasingly taken into account when naming new streets, building sites, city quarters, industrial zones, bus and tram lines. An adequate analysis of this cultural heritage can lead to identifying potential archaeological sources or habitats prior to any excavation or construction work being undertaken.
When considering the popular creative spirit and cultural manifoldness this cultural heritage brings with it in the public domain, it becomes clear that its usage leads to an improved quality of life for each and everyone.
This living cultural heritage also enables a multilateral exchange across borders, in the Greater Region, in Europe and the UNO (including UNESCO but also the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names - UNGEGN). In Luxembourg, institutions, researchers, private individuals, associations as well as state and council administrations campaign for the preservation of this cultural heritage.
'Haus- a Flouernimm', house and field names were included in the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 29 July 2019.
Links
Institut Grand-Ducal, Section Linguistique, d’Ethnologie et d’Onomastique
https://igd-leo.lu/
Sam Mersch, researcher on house and field names at Luxembourg University
https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/people/sam-mersch )
In the times of the Corona pandemic, Digital IKI aims to give people access to intangible cultural heritage despite social distancing measures. This gave rise to this section on Luxembourg’s house and field names, which regularly explores the meaning and purpose of different house and field names. The author is Sam Mersch, researcher in field names and the history of the Luxembourgish language at the University of Luxembourg.
House and field names are rooted in space and always reference a specific place. They give insights into how this space was and still is experienced by people, linguistically, ecologically, economically and socially - and also in the context of epidemics and contagious diseases.
Siichenhaff
Since Fliederchersdag has been cancelled due to the current situation, the first entry will focus on Siichenhaff. Fliederchersdag, an old custom dating back to times of leprosy, has strong links to Siichenhaff in Pafendall. Siichenhaff is a so-called farmstead name and is therefore to be considered a house name. The farmstead got its name because people with infectious diseases were housed there. "Siich(en)" comes from an old verb that no longer exists in Luxembourgish, which meant "(to be) (seriously) ill". Places like this didn't just exist in Pfaffenthal, they could be found all over the country. As illustrated by the map nr. 1, there were field names referring to places for the disease stricken (with the word "siichen"), in Limpertsberg, Merl, Sandweiler, Weimerskirch, Grevenmacher, Livange, Kirchberg, Echternach and Schieren.
Kräizgrënnchen
Due to the Corona pandemic, this year’s Octave can’t take place as usual. However, as part of Digital IKI, we’ll explore field names referring to processions like the final procession of the Octave. Some fields bear the name Kräizwee (i.e. rather way of the cross, not corassroad) because a regular procession passed them (marked yellow on map no. 2). The same is true of such plots named Kierchepad and Kierchewee (i.e. church paths and trails), which also refer to processions that lead along them. It is interesting to note, that such names occur mostly in uninhabited places. These names are closely linked to religion, which is illustrated by names like the Kräizgrënnchen - also called Val Ste. Croix - in Luxembourg city and also in Livange. Map no. 2 shows a small selection of these names, which are noteworthy because they show how an important, recurring activity - in this case practicing a religion - can become the subject of field names.
Wangert / Wéngert
As an antidote to the COVID-19 pandemic and to accompany the gradual easing of the lockdown we’re going to talk about Luxembourg’s Wéngerten or Wangerten this time. As you can see on map no. 3, these field names show us all the places where wine used to be produced, not just on the Moselle. Linguistically speaking, Wangert (marked in red) is the older form of the word and Wengert the younger one (marked in yellow). In almost all cases the area is on a slope and sometimes near a river valley. The term Wangert or Wéngert essentially means vineyard and can still be found in the form win-gard in the medieval manuscripts. These areas have that name because wine used to be cultivated there and the yard (gard) often indicates that they were sectioned or fenced off in some way.
Krounebierg
The word corona isn’t only relevant today, it has also been used in the past, which is reflected in Luxembourg’s field names. The word Kroun (crown) is particularly important here. It’s derived from the Latin corona and primarily refers to a decorative band designed to be worn on the head.
The crown often features in Luxembourgish field names, mostly together with Bierg (hill), as in the case of the Krounebierg in Mersch, close to the geographical centre of the country where the National Monument of Independence is located. Sometimes it’s said that the hill has only been called Krounebierg since the monument was built in 1929, but the name actually appears in Mersch’s first land registry map from 1867, where it was referred to as Kronenberg. (Here’s the link to the map via Geoportail.lu.)
As you can see on map 4, field names called Krounebierg only occur in the municipalities of Mersch and Bous, although other names featuring the word Kroun are more common. What the map doesn’t show is that mentions of Krounebierg are a lot more common, which indicates how important this name was in the area.
House and Field Names
House and field names, alongside village and street names, form a traditional interpersonal and spatial orientation system. This living cultural heritage has been passed down from generation to generation mainly by word of mouth. The practice of name-giving does not merely have a major cultural-historical importance but also an increased practical surplus value in the sense of sustainable development.
In the past, field names referred to uninhabited places that were not linked to a place or street name.
A rapid population growth and an increase in land developments result in the fact that field names can now be found in new street names, building sites and industrial zones.
Field names give an insight into a society's past by documenting and archiving socio-cultural aspects or recalling the legal and administrative history of a country. Testimony of this would be the example of Gaalgebierger, the hanging places found in every juridical district, as in Esch/Alzette, or the field name Bann, referring to a former legal administrative unit, as in Rédange/Attert.
House names play an important role in matters of orientation within a village as they are often older than street names themselves. In the Réiserbann (area around Roeser), house names such as a Jangen, an Déidesch, a Kéifesch and an Hierchen can be found. The latter can be linked to the name Hierchesfeld (German cadaster form Herchesfeld). Although the inhabitants of the house an Hierchen have another official family name, the core of local people will refer to them as Hierchens. The Hierchens do not organise events on the Hierchesfeld but the Léiffrawëschdag on the Gaalgebierg.
House and field names can indicate a level of development of the Luxembourgish language that will be older than first transmitted texts. Some field names go back to Roman times, as for example um Kiem, a Roman path at the Kierchbierg. These Kiems or Roman streets are generally older than most churches of the country.
The use of house and field names offers a feeling of identity and continuity to people, enabling them to refer to places of their environment by name and to discuss them with other people. It would therefore be beneficial for anybody living, working or staying in Luxembourg to become involved in this living cultural heritage.
Taking part in this cultural heritage also strengthens social cohesion in Luxembourg and helps people to experience their own environment afresh, all in the sense of sustainable development. Modern mobility leads to a more conscious orientation in the public space as it requires precise denotations of places and can therefore make use of names that have been around for generations in the country. House and field names are increasingly taken into account when naming new streets, building sites, city quarters, industrial zones, bus and tram lines. An adequate analysis of this cultural heritage can lead to identifying potential archaeological sources or habitats prior to any excavation or construction work being undertaken.
When considering the popular creative spirit and cultural manifoldness this cultural heritage brings with it in the public domain, it becomes clear that its usage leads to an improved quality of life for each and everyone.
This living cultural heritage also enables a multilateral exchange across borders, in the Greater Region, in Europe and the UNO (including UNESCO but also the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names - UNGEGN). In Luxembourg, institutions, researchers, private individuals, associations as well as state and council administrations campaign for the preservation of this cultural heritage.
'Haus- a Flouernimm', house and field names were included in the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 29 July 2019.
Links
Institut Grand-Ducal, Section Linguistique, d’Ethnologie et d’Onomastique
https://igd-leo.lu/
Sam Mersch, researcher on house and field names at Luxembourg University
https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/people/sam-mersch )
