Alphabetic Sorting of Noble Names
When sorting noble – as well as non-noble – names in alphabetic sequence, the eventual prepositions, as mentioned above, and the titles, in Germany forming part of the surname since 1919, are ignored. Also name elements which have developed from honorary functions, such as Schenk (short for Mundschenk ), are overlooked. Since the prepositions are not considered relevant when sorting, the prepositions are not capitalised unless they begin a sentence. In this the German language practice differs from Dutch in the Netherlands, where the particle van is usually capitalised when mentioned without preceding given names or initials, or from Dutch in Belgium, where the name particle Van is always capitalised. The above-mentioned exemplary Kasimir von der Recke is thus sorted as:
- Recke, Graf Kasimir von der (for people died before 1919), or
- Recke, Kasimir Graf von der (for people alive, or dead thereafter).
Read more about this topic: German Nobility
Famous quotes containing the words noble and/or names:
“Listen, my friend, there are two races of beings. The masses teeming and happy—common clay, if you like—eating, breeding, working, counting their pennies; people who just live; ordinary people; people you can’t imagine dead. And then there are the others—the noble ones, the heroes. The ones you can quite well imagine lying shot, pale and tragic; one minute triumphant with a guard of honor, and the next being marched away between two gendarmes.”
—Jean Anouilh (1910–1987)
“All the names of good and evil are parables: they do not declare, but only hint. Whoever among you seeks knowledge of them is a fool!”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)