Ernst Wasserzieher

Born in Stettin on May 15, 1860, Ernst Wasserzieher was a German etymologist and lexicographer. He studied philosophy in Leipzig and Jena, later worked as a teacher, and also spent time in the United States in 1882–83, observing schools around Nauvoo.

He first published travel writing before becoming widely known for language books. His best-known works include Woher? (1918), an etymological dictionary of German, and Hans und Grete (1920), a name dictionary explaining the origins of thousands of German first names. He also wrote popular books on language such as Schlechtes Deutsch, Bilderbuch der deutschen Sprache, and Leben und Weben der Sprache.

Wasserzieher later served as an Oberlycealdirektor, a senior school leadership role. He died in Halberstadt on April 21, 1927. His writing remained influential afterward, especially his name explanations, which continued to shape later works on German given names.