Title, name and background for a German character with a stereotypically aristocratic name.

[penitentmoomin]

Anyone who has a name that strongly suggests a national, class or other stereotype has to learn to deal with the reactions of other people. I want one of the characters in my novel, a German living in Britain, to have a name and title that sounds to British ears almost ridiculously typical of a German noble; like something from a movie. As a result

Comments

[lied_ohne_worte]

I'm not too well up on all this, but just a note: None of these people actually have "noble titles" any more according to German law, nor are they "aristocrats". They're just normal citizens. The "Freiherr" etc. is technically part of their name, not a title. That's why they are Karl-Theodor etc. Freiherr zu Guttenberg, rather than "Freiherr Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg". Some of them try to keep up all the old customs and count out their place in the line to the non-existent German throne, but that's all theatre.

That of course also means that it is absolutely not required to address someone like that as "Herr Baron", seeing as he is not actually a baron. I'd address him as "Herr zu Guttenberg", so basically "Herr + Lastname" just like every other German. Mind, there are people who like to read the gossip papers and would fall over themselves fawning, who might do that sort of thing. I however (and I'm not the only one thinking like that) am a German citizen of exactly equal "rank" to such persons. I'll respect them just like I

[openidwouldwork]

Another German here, can I say 'genau' or exactly like said in the above post? And thank you so much for the post lied_ohne_worte!

[penitentmoomin]

Thanks. Based on your reply and that of asthenie_vd, I've somewhat diminished my estimate of the difference between the reactions my main character has been getting all his life as he grew up in Germany and the reactions he gets when he comes to Britain. In both places he'll get some undeserved fawning and also some undeserved ridicule, with, I think, an extra undercurrent of hostility in Britain.

I've noted that German noble titles no longer have any legal status. Nonetheless I hope that I can come up with understandable reasons to have my character keep some remnant of his aristocratic identity, such as pressure from the expectations of his family.

[reapermum]

When is he in Britain? WWI time and he's in trouble for his name. That was when the royal family changed their name from Saxe Coburg to Windsor. Not much different around WWII.

Mod Request

[orange_fell]

Please edit your post to include the time period your story is set.

So here's what little I can tell you

[asthenie_vd]

Like in English you'd put the military rank first. Famous example: Oberst Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. Characters would refer to your character as [military rank] von/zu [name]. He'd be Herr [military rank] before anything else

RE: So here's what little I can tell you

[penitentmoomin]

I did indeed think that "Baron" and "Freiherr" were the same. Obviously I need to look deeper.

I will get out an atlas and look for some old ruined castles in Frankonia, although I am not too worried about giving my character a title that really could exist, just one that sounds plausible. He's generally one of the good guys in my story, despite some faults, so I'm assuming that I won't be challenged to a duel if I inadvertently name him after a real family! ;-)

[germankitty]

As an aside, when Richard von Weizsäcker was the German President (1984-94) and went on a State visit to the UK, he was introduced as "His Excellency (I think) President von Weizsäcker and Baroness Weizsäcker" (--> his wife).

So in a very formal setting, his rank superseded his title.

Also, when talking about a titled military person, you'd mention "Oberst Baron X" -- never add a "Herr", that's reserved for direct address.