Kienzle is a
family name
In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community.
Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...
originating in the
Swabian-speaking areas of Southwestern Germany. The traditional Swabian pronunciation of the name is , and in Standard German it is pronounced with a long rather than a
diphthong
A diphthong ( ; , ), also known as a gliding vowel, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of the speech o ...
: . It is quite common in Swabia and other
Alemannic Alemannic (''Alamannic'') or Alamanni may refer to:
* Alemannic German, a dialect family in the Upper German branch of the German languages and its speakers
* Alemanni, a confederation of Suebian Germanic tribes in the Roman period
* Alamanni (surna ...
-speaking areas.
Other forms of the name include ''Künzli'' in Switzerland (pronounced or ).
Etymology
The name is ultimately derived from
Middle High German
Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. High ...
''Kuonrât'' (the keen advisor) from which the German first name "Konrad" is also derived. The abbreviated form of Konrad is Kunz, which yielded the Swabian
diminutive
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...
''Küenzle'' which was subsequently changed to ''Kienzle'' through the de-rounding of front vowels around the 13th-14th century.
Persons
*
Ulrich Kienzle
Ulrich Kienzle (; 9 May 1936 – 16 April 2020) was a German journalist and author. He was known for specializing in the politics and culture of the Middle East. He worked for several broadcasters, including German public television network ...
(1936–2020), German journalist
*
Captain Herbert Thomson Kienzle MID OBE MBE. Australian Army during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, enlistment number PX177, the "P" indicating residency of Papua New Guinea and the "X" indicating membership of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force. Born 19 May 1905 at Levuka in Fiji, became a leader in
ANGAU
The Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) was a civil administration of Territory of Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea formed on 21 March 1942 during World War II. The civil administration of both Papua and the Mand ...
and
New Guinea Force
New Guinea Force was a military command unit for Australian, United States and native troops from the Territories of Papua and New Guinea serving in the New Guinea campaign during World War II. Formed in April 1942, when the Australian First Arm ...
against the Japanese in
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu
Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea).
It is a simplified version of ...
during WW2, designing and organising construction efforts along the
Kokoda Track
The Kokoda Track or Trail is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland – in a straight line – through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The track was the location of the 1942 World War II battle between Japanes ...
while in command of Papuans, then engineered supply efforts along the track to Australian and American troops fighting along the track and in subsequent battles on the
north coast of Papua. Also (the brother of Herbert Thomson Kienzle) NX23282 Major Wallace Alfred Tom Kienzle (the "N" indicating enlistment in New South Wales),
2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion, ANGAU and New Guinea Force, Australian Army. Veteran of New Guinea and
Bougainville during WW2.
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Surnames