[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] -TOPSNIK- Howard Krushel

[Otto]

Evening Howard,
The following should provide a synopsis of your surname "Topnik".
(I will contact you by personal e-letter to discuss East Prussian  
relatives and towns)

It will not provide ethnic or genetic identity. A paper trail or DNA  
marker-base is necessary.

To all readers: The following is a speculative scenario created by  
me  to illustrate the information inherent in a word. If any of it is  
applicable to the surname in Howard Krushel's original query is left  
for Howard to prove out, or reject, with legal documentation.

The area involved is the Baltic Coast and East Prussia/Ost Preussen.
The area was subjected to political abuse for over eight hundred  
years, conscription by a German Order, by Sweden, by Saxony, by  
Prussia, by Napoleon French, by Russians. . . creating a 'sweating  
palms' life for the average man. (I may have missed a few)

It was not uncommon for a conscript to initiate 'untergetauchen',  
i.e. ducking under the water like a duck. (generals of yesteryear  
would avoid marching near a wooded area near dusk and night because  
of that very reason. The conscript (against his will) well knew the  
Kanonier/Artilleriemann/Cannoneer, would soon become Kanonenfutter/ 
Cannon fodder unless he became creative and be able to live long  
enough to reproduce.  One of Napoleon's top generals knew what the  
outcome of a coming battle would be if his soldiers changed their  
underwear the night before the battle.  The men did not want to die  
wearing dirty shorts.  They sensed if it would be a losing battle.

The following may well be a 'creative' surname.  As example: "Hans  
Topnik" which is, "John, the artilleryman.
The "Topsnik" spelling indicates it being spoken in a flatland German  
dialect.

The specific dictionary references may not be in the Polish language  
yet are Slavic.
(I will verify the term "Topnik" in the next e-letter to my Warsaw  
cousin)

http://www.pmf.hr/
http://www.phy.hr/~matko/DICTIONARY/ENGHR/EH.txt
http://www.babylon.com/definition/ARTILLERYMAN/Croatian
artillery = topnitvo
Artilleryman = topnik

Adding the Baltic Coast Platt Deutsches  's' (perhaps Pommern) to a  
Slavic noun (top) and a Slavic 'nik'  we have 'tops-nik'  meaning 'a  
cannoneer' one skilled with artillery.(one skilled in gunnery.)

http://rjecnik.lugbih.org/az_index_engleski.php
ARTIFICIAL - VJETACKI
ARTILLERY - ARTILJERIJA
ARTILLERY - ARTILJERIJSKI
ARTILLERY - TOPNITVO
ARTILLERYMAN - ARTILJERAC
ARTILLERYMAN - TOPNIK
ARTISAN - MEHANICAR
ARTISAN - OBRTNIK


Richard O. Schienke
. . .  Otto

                      " The Zen moment..." wk. of March 5, 2006
                      ________________________________
                         "Remove what isn't... What is remains."