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By Steven Matthew Hahn, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, steve@hahn.info

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:

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
No.	Family Name	First Name	Name of Declarant	Name of Child	Relation 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

rêgister

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

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

Herz

Hahn

Levis

Neuheusser

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

“