Register of Name Changes of the Jews in Eppelsheim

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

By Steven Matthew Hahn, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

 

On 20 July 1808, by Imperial Decree, Napoléon I ordered all Jews living in the French Empire to adopt a stable family name and to register their new names at the Town Hall in the place where they lived. From 1797 to 1814, Eppelsheim was under French rule, and the Jews there were subject to the decree.

 

There are two registers containing the name changes of the Jews in Eppelsheim. The first is dated, 26 October 1808, and the second is dated, 9 December 1808. Each register records the adopted name of each Jew living in Eppelsheim, totaling thirty-one adults and children. Members of a single family are grouped together beginning with the male head of household, followed by the wife, and then the children from the oldest to the youngest. Eight households are listed, including four couples with children (LEVIS, HERZ, SCHLOSS, LEVIS), three single adults (HAHN, HAHN, LEVIS), and one widow (NEUHEUSSER). There is otherwise no discernable order to the names, except that the single adults are grouped together with their siblings. Each name change entry is signed by the one making the declaration and by the mayor.

 

Four children are listed in the register with a date of birth that is in discrepancy with their birth certificate. They are listed here with their name and date of birth as it appears on their birth certificate.

 

·      Michael HERZ

·      Rehle HERZ

·      Vogel Michel HERZ

·      Gütle HERZ

b.14 Vendemiaire Year VIII

b. 25 Nivose Year XI

b. 11 Frimaire Year XIII

b. 27 February 1807                     

[6 Oct 1799]

[15 Jan 1803]

[2 Dec 1804]

 

The following variations exist between the two registers and between entries of the same register.

 

·      The phrase, “domicilé à Epelsheim”, is used for the widow, Theresa NEUHEUSFER and translated, “residing at Epelsheim”. The phrase, “demeûrant à Epelsheim”, is used for everyone else and translated, “living at Epelsheim”.

 

·      The family name is given before the first name for each male head of household and for each single adult as shown in the translation. For all wives and children, the first name is given before the family name (i.e. the phrase, “pour Nom de famille (family name) celui de ________” comes after the phrase, “pour prênom (first name) celui de ________”).

 

·      A number appears above each registered name in the left margin of the register dated, 9 December 1808. This number appears in an alphabetical table of names index at the end of the 9 December 1808 register.

 

·      Theresa NEUHEUSFER is referred to as a “widowed wife” in the earlier register and as a “widow” in the later register.

 

·      The mayor refers to himself as “Nous” in the earlier register and as “Soùrfige” in the later register, following the last entry.

 

The transcription of the two registers is shown together below in the original French text and its translation in English. There is French and German text on the covers of each register, but only the French and its translation in English is provided.

 

 


FRENCH:

Rêgistre

 

des Actes de Changements des Noms des Juifs

dans la Comune d' Epelsheim

 

L'an 1808.

 

 

 

 

ENGLISH:

Register

 

of the Acts of Changes of the Names of the Jews

in the Commune of Epelsheim

 

The year 1808.


FRENCH:

 

_____A____      Par devant Nous Jean Grün, Maire de la Commune d'Epelsheim, Canton de Bechtheim, Arrondissement de Mayence, Dêpartément du Mont Tonnérre, est comparû [le/la Sieur/Demoiselle] _____B____, [femme du dit _____C____] [veuve femme du feu _____D____], demeûrant/domicilé à Epelsheim, qui/lequel/laquelle [a déclare] [rêitre la déclaration deja porteé et faite devant Nous le vingt sixième d'Ottobre de l'an Mil huit Cent huit savoir] de vouloir [adopter][donner à son fils/fille _____E____, née _____F____], pour Nom de famille celui de _____G____, et pour prênom celui de _____H____ et a le dit signé avec Nous a Epelsheim le [vingt six Ottobre] [neufiéme Decembre] de l'an Mil huit Cent huit.

 

                                    _____I____                                                                 _____J____

 

Arrêté le présent Rêgistre contenant trente l'un Actes par Nous/Soùrfige Maire de et à Epelsheim le 2 Janvier de l'an 1809.

Le Maire

_____J____

 

 

ENGLISH:

 

_____A____      Before I, Jean Grün, Mayor of the Commune (Municipality) of Epelsheim, Canton (District) of Bechtheim, Arrondissement (Division) of Mayence (Mainz), Dêpartément (County) of Mont Tonnérre (Mount Thunder), is appeared [the Sir/Miss] _____B____, [wife of _____C____] [widowed wife of the late _____D____], living/residing at Epelsheim, who/which [declares] [in reiterating the declaration already carried out before Me the twenty sixth of October of the year one thousand eight hundred eight acknowledges] being willing to [adopt][give to his son/daughter _____E____, born _____F____], for a family Name the one of _____G____, and for a first name the one of _____H____ and the said signed with Me at Epelsheim the [twenty six of October] [ninth of December] of the year one thousand eight hundred eight.

 

                                    _____I____                                                                 _____J____

 

Stopped the present Register containing thirty-one Acts by Me Mayor of and to Epelsheim January 2 of the year 1809.

The Mayor

_____J____

 

LEGEND:

 

A  - Full Registered Name

B  - Name of Declarant

C  - Name of Husband

D  - Name of Deceased Husband

E  - Name of Child

F  - Birthdate of Child

G  - Registered Family Name

H  - Registered First Name

I   - Signature of Declarant

J   - Signature of Mayor

 

[…] - Text varying between the two registers or between entries of the same register, or text that is added as needed

(…)  - Closest English equivalent

 

 


Entries in the Register of-Name Changes of the Jews in Eppelsheim

No.

Family

Name

First

Name

Name of Declarant

Name of

Child

Relation

of Child

Birthdate of Child

Day

Month

Year

Gregorian

1.

 

 

 

Levis

Lazarus

Lazarus Beer Mendle

 

 

 

2.

Barbara

Bäunle

wife of Lazarus Levis

3.

Emanuel

 

 

Lazarus Levis

Mendle

son

10

Ventôse

Year VII

24 Feb 1799

4.

Isaak

Eissik

son

5

Ventôse

Year IX

24 Feb 1801

5.

Jacques

Mosche

son

22

Vendémiaire

Year XI

14 Oct 1802

6.

Jeanette

Hanne

daughter

26

Praireal

Year XII

15 Jun 1804

7.

Kunigunde

Gentle

daughter

3

September

1807

 

8.

 

 

 

 

 

Herz

Michel

Herz Michel

 

 

9.

Judithe

Judle

wife of Michel Herz

10.

Mariane

 

 

 

Michel Herz

Merian

daughter

20

March

1790

11.

Jeanette

Hanna

daughter

6

March

1792

12.

Kunigunde

Gendle

daughter

6

June

1794

13.

Sare

Esther

daughter

25

July

1796

14.

Michel

Magol

son

1

December

1799

15.

Regine

Rehle

daughter

9

January

1802

16.

Philippine

Vohle

daughter

17

December

1804

17.

Agathe

Gitle

daughter

14

January

1806

18.

Hahn

Emanuel

Mendle Isaak

 

 

19.

Hahn

Jean

Isaak Hahn

20.

 

 

 

Schloss

Isaac

Isaak Loeb

21.

Clare

Clare

wife of Isaac Schloss

22.

Isaak

 

 

Isaac Schloss

Eùßig

son

20

Frimaire

Year VIII

11 Dec 1799

23.

Jacques

Heirem

son

25

Thermidor

Year IX

13 Aug 1801

24.

Jean

Hahne

son

11

Vendémiaire

Year XII

4 Oct 1803

25.

Samuel

Samel

son

11

Vendémiaire

Year XIV

3 Oct 1805

26.

Salomon

Seligman

son

1

October

1807

 

27.

Neuheusser

Therese

Rehse Loeb

widow of Magol Gumerz

 

28.

 

Levis

Emanuel

Mendle Mendle

 

29.

Sare

Ziper

wife of Emanuel Levis

30.

Mose

Emanuel Levis

Mosche

son

8

January

1808

31.

Levis

Jeanette

Michle Mendle

 

 

Note: In the 26 Oct 1808 register, Hanne (#6) appears as Hanna, and Gumerz (#27) appears as Gumperz


FRENCH:

 

Table alphabetique

 

des Actes de Changements de Noms des Juifs de la

Mairie d'Epelsheim

de L'an 1808.

 

No.

d'ordre

 

 

Noms

 

Prénoms

 

Demeûres

Date

des Actes

folio

du

rêgister

1

2

 

 

Epelsheim

Le 9 Decembre

 

 

Cèrtifié le présent état vêritable par Le Soùrfigue Maire de et à Epelsheim le 2 Janvier 1809.

Le Maire

_____Signature of Mayor____

 

ENGLISH:

 

Alphabetical table

 

Acts of Changes of Names of the Jews of the

City Hall of Epelsheim

of The Year 1808.

 

No.

order

 

 

Names

 

First Names

 

Residence

Date back

to the Acts

sheet

of

register

1

2

 

 

Epelsheim

9 December

 

 

Certified the present veritable state by The Soùrfigue Mayor of and to Epelsheim January 2 1809.

The Mayor

_____Signature of Mayor____

 

No.

order

 

 

Names

 

First Names

 

Residence

Date back

to the Acts

sheet

of

register

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Herz

Hahn

Hahn

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Levis

Neuheusser

Schloss

Schloss

Schloss

Schloss

Schloss

Schloss

Schloss

Michael

Judithe

Mariane

Jeanette

Kunigunde

Sare

Michel

Regine

Philippine

Agathe

Emanuel

Jean

Lazarus

Barbara

Emanuel

Isaak

Jacques

Jeanette

Kunigunde

Emanuel

Sare

Mose

Jeanette

Theresa

Isaak

Clare

Isaak

Jacques

Jean

Samuel

Saloman

Epelsheim

9 December

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

4

4

4

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3