>On Mon, 16 Sep 1996 19:37:52 +0100 (BST) George Ferzoco wrote:
>
>> Today, 14 September, is the feast of ...
>>
>[snip, snip]
>> * Notburga, virgin (c. 1313)
>> - patron of Tirolese domestic servants
>>
>What's the connection, George? The name Notburga suggests (to me,
>at any rate) a pun on the German nouns "Not" ("need") and "Buerger"
>("citizens"). Were these domestic servants then "Notbuerger" ("needy
>citizens")?
>
>Mark Harris
>===========
Mark,
The OHG name Notburga is derived from "no^t" (macron on "o"), the meaning of
which is a bit stronger than "need" (adversity, affliction, danger), and
from "burga" meaning protection, defence, shelter. Thus a Notburga would be
a person who offers protection against danger or other adversities. Saint
Notburga of Rattenberg was (and still is) patron of domestic servants (esp.
female) and peasants in Tyrol, and they in fact had no easy life even before
all the tourists swept in.
Otfried
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