Don't really know where to stick this, it's nothing to do with politics, race, religion.
Just interest, nothing more. So PLEASE bear that in mind when you reply.

Wondering why it is that Jews in America, well, likely elsewhere too, haha, stick to German family names?
Considering what happened during WW2, isn't that weird? I wouldn't want anything German and I'd change my name accordingly.
But many are named Epstein, Bernstein, Goldblum, Dreyfuss, Weisz, Hirsch, Cohen, Sandler, Segel, Braff, Seinfelt, etc. etc.
Just using celebrities as an example here.

Why would they choose to stick to German names? Was it not possible to change their names when they entered America?
AGain, just curious.

I think to the jewish people/faith family names and bloodlines are an important thing. Perhaps they felt they would be somehow disrespectful to do so.
Many probably did change.

May I tell my opinion? I dont want to offend you because I am german (but did not live that time in WW2).

Perhaps with the long, long, long history of anti-semitism and general intolerance and injustice towards "others" around the world right up to this day, we would all be nameless. Will mankind ever learn from its brutal past and present - I doubt it!

Good points! Thanks :)

Sure. I obviously did not live in that time either. I've only heard a few stories from my direct family. Of course the fear part and scarcity of goods.
My mother was born during the war, so she cannot recall anything. My grandparents did of course.
But what I'm trying to say is, my family wasn't traumatized like the Jews. I'm not sure how it'd be then.
I do think Steve had a good point, that maybe they are quite a proud people, and value roots etc. an awful lot.

Not every German was a nazi.


I'm only 8% German, but a Jew nonetheless.

A name is very personal, belongs close to the person. Why should somebody change is own name just because of those Nazis. Nazis are not worth that I change my name.
Changing a name in Germany is nearly impossible, except out of an important reason. i.e. a lot of Germans with name "Hitler" or "Adolf" could change it. On our numberplates no nazi symbols are permitted like "SS" or "NS" or "KZ".

What is a "Jew"?
- someone living jewish religion? Going in synagoge?
- someone livnig jewish tradition
- someone circumsized? (the sign of the old covenant between God and the israel tribes). But americans, muslims, some africans are circumsized too
- someone who had once a jewish forfather? The Jews left the area of todays Israel in the first and second century A.D. They spread all over the world. I dont believe there is any pure jewish genetically line left.
- someone who believes in ONE God, the Talmud and Old Testament? But dont accept the the messia almost came?

I guess many people with "jewish" names are not jews in the upper definition.
Jews living and being born in Germany are germans. Why changing names?

Do you (all readers here) know that in Great Britain, Holland, Belgium and even U.S. are more Nazis than in Germany? Of course I know, the world is looking to Germany, if there my pop up a nazi. And we germans are very sensible too about this matter. Being a Nazi life and chances are much better in other countries than Germany.

Again to the question: the Nazis are not worth and important enought to let a person change its name.

One aspect: english is not my mother language. So if I understand something wrong or write not proper: have mercy. Thank you.

I agree that changing one's name due to attacks, feels like giving in to the attackers. Letting them succeed.

However, I also want to point something out: the fact that people can identify Jewish families by way of certain Germanic names, suggests that those names are as much Jewish, as they are German.

I do know, that especially during the wars, a number of non-Jews changed their germanic names, to avoid appearing unpatriotic. I understand that the British Royal family officially changed their name to Windsor, specifically to leave the germanic family name behind.

I'm not clear on why Bob Zimmerman changed his name to Dylan. Maybe it was an art thing, likening himself to Dylan Thomas. And I know that lots of people in the entertainment business have changed their names, mainly to make them sound more "snappy" for advertising. One, changed her name because some psychic told her that adding an E to the end would nudge her over into the next level of success. That seemed to backfire, and she eventually changed her name back to Dionne Warwick.

Someone with a jewish mother.

Me.