Pumpernickel (1766)

[Douglas G. Wilson]

Thanks to Ben Fortson for the translation: it still looks like the
lexicographers are expected to provide the drinks, doesn't it?

I looked up "Heini" in a bigger book (big fat Duden of some sort).
Apparently the suffix "-heini" is just an arbitrary man's name used
something like prefixed "Joe" is in English (e.g., "Joe College", "Joe
Sixpack", "Joe Citizen"). So for example "Pomadenheini" is translated
"dandy" or so, and in English it might be "Joe Pomade" or "Joe
Hair-grease". So "Furzheini" would be like "Joe Fart", presumably applied
to an arbitrary man who is characterized by or associated with farts. I
still don't know whether "Furzheini" is a standard word or whether it's
just concocted to explain the sense of "Pumpernickel". One Web site gave an
alternative modern analogy: "Furzklaus". So these sites (I guess) are
asserting or speculating that "Pumpernickel" is just "Nick Fart" or so,
without any reference to the supernatural.

-- Doug Wilson