(Un)known Names
Have you ever traveled in Switzerland from Losanen via Iferten to Stäffis am See? No? Or, have you ever been to Hungary for vacation
and been then to Stuhlweissenburg? No? - Maybe yes! Other languages give our cities names according to their language, so we do
as well in the German language for cities their official name is not a German one. If you think, as I do, it is exciting to rediscover
well known and less known names and to use them (at least the well known ones) you will find a selection below.
Switzerland
Cantons of Switzerland
Remaining Europe
Africa
Americas
Switzerland
| Places |
|---|
| Name | Canton | German Name | Note |
|---|
| Aigle | VD | Älen | |
| Airolo | TI | Eriels | |
| Ajoie | JU | Elsgau | |
| Avenches | VD | Wiflisburg | |
| Biasca | TI | Ablentsch | |
| Bellinzona | TI | Bellenz | |
| Les Breuleux | JU | Brandisholz | |
| Bulle | FR | Boll | |
| Châteaux d'Oex | VD | Ösch | |
| Châtel-St-Denis | FR | Kastels St. Dionys | |
| Cressier | NE | Grissach | |
| Delémont | JU | Delsberg | |
| Estavayer-le-Lac | FR | Stäffis am See | |
| Fribourg | FR | Freiburg (im Üechtland) | bilingual: f/d |
| Genève | GE | Genf | |
| Grandson | VD | Grandsee | also: Gransee |
| Gruyères | FR | Greyerz | Name of the cheese maid in Greyerz: Greyerzer |
| Le Landeron | NE | Landern | also: Langern |
| Lausanne | VD | Losanen | |
| Locarno | TI | Luggarus | |
| Lugano | TI | Lauis | |
| Martigny | VS | Martinach | |
| Mendrisio | TI | Mendris | |
| Montreux | VD | Muchtern | |
| Morges | VD | Morsee | |
| Moudon | VD | Milden | |
| Moutier | BE | Münster | |
| Müstair | GR | Münster | |
| Neuchâtel | NE | Neuenburg | |
| La Neuveville | BE | Neuenstadt | |
| Nyon | VD | Neuss | |
| Payerne | VD | Peterlingen | |
| Porrentruy | JU | Pruntrut | |
| Poschiavo | GR | Puschlav | Name for village and valley |
| Romainmôtier | VD | Romansmünster | |
| Romont | FR | Remund | |
| Saignelégier | JU | St. Leodegar | |
| Saint-Maurice | VS | St. Moritz | Don't mix up with St. Moritz GR |
| San Bernardino | GR | St. Bernhardin | |
| Scuol | GR | Schuls | |
| Sierre | VS | Siders | |
| Sion | VS | Sitten | |
| St-Immier | BE | St. Immer | |
| St-Ursanne | JU | St. Ursitz | |
| Tavannes | BE | Dachsfelden | |
| Tramelan | BE | Tramlingen | |
| Thielle | NE | Zihl | |
| Vevey | VD | Vivis | |
| Villeneuve | VD | Neustadt | |
| Yverdon | VD | Iferten | also: Yferten |
| Valleys, Mountains, Rivers |
|---|
| Name | Canton | German Name | What is it? / Note |
|---|
| Col des Mosses | VD | Älenmöser | Pass |
| Chasseral | BE | Gestler | Mountain |
| Lago di Lugano | TI | Luganersee | Lake |
| Lago Maggiore | TI | Langensee | Lake |
| Leventina | TI | Livinental | Valley |
| Ticino | TI | Tessin | River (Note: der Tessin (River), but: das Tessin (Canton)) |
Remaining Europe
| Places |
|---|
| Name | Country | German Name | Note |
|---|
| Besançon | France | Bisantz | |
| Bolzano | Italy (South Tirol) | Bozen | The German name is the original name! |
| Bormio | Italy | Worms | |
| Bratislava | Slovakia | Pressburg | |
| Dijon | France | Dision | also: Tision |
| Kaliningrad | Russia | Königsberg | |
| Ljubliana | Slovenia | Laibach | |
| Merano | Italy (South Tirol) | Meran | The German name is the original name! |
| Mulhouse | France (Alsace) | Mülhausen | The German name is the original name! |
| Nancy | France | Nanzig | |
| Pécs | Hungary | Fünfkirchen | |
| Székesfehérvár | Hungary | Stuhlweissenburg | |
| Tallinn | Estonia | Reval | |
| Vilnius | Lithuania | Wilna | |
Africa
| Places / Countries |
|---|
| Name | Country | German Name | Note |
|---|
| Ouagadougou | Burkina Faso | Wagadugu | Capital of Burkina Faso |
| Windhoek | Namibia | Windhuk | Capital of Namibia (former Southwest Africa) |
| – | Kenya | Kenia | |
| – | Zimbabwe | Simbabwe | |
Americas
| Places / Countries |
|---|
| Name | Country | German Name | Note |
|---|
| British Columbia | Canada | Britisch Kolumbien | |
| New Brunswick | Canada | Neu Braunschweig | |
| Nova Scotia | Canada | Neu Schottland | |
| Pensylvania | USA | Pensylvanien | |
