There's a holiday song called 'O Tennenbaum' that has the same tune as 'O Christmas Tree'....my question is this: Isn't Tennenbaum a Jewish name...what is the connection if at all...clear this up for me please?

Question

There's a holiday song called 'O Tennenbaum' that has the same tune as 'O Christmas Tree'....my question is this: Isn't Tennenbaum a Jewish name...what is the connection if at all...clear this up for me please?

Question #14969. Asked by an alias.
Last updated Apr 29 2023.

Brainy Blonde
Answer has 3 votes

Currently Best Answer

Brainy Blonde

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

They are in fact the same song. Oh Tannenbaum is the traditional one in German.
Oh Christmas Tree is the english version translated. See:

https://www.thoughtco.com/german-versions-of-o-tannenbaum-4066932

Response last updated by satguru on Apr 29 2023.
Dec 14 2001, 4:21 AM

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Answer 1

finlady
Answer has 2 votes

finlady
24 year member
254 replies

Answer has 2 votes.

In German tannenbaum means 'fir tree'. Yes Tannenbaum is a Jewish family name, but there is no connection to Christmas in the family name. The song however is refering to a fir tree. Our Christmas trees are fir trees.

Dec 14 2001, 11:08 AM

Answer 2

T-E-nnenbaum looks like a contamination between Dutch/Flemish and German. Dutch has {denneboom;German} has Tannenbaum. The song was made popular here during First World War.Also other songs such as 'Silent Night, Holy Night' pushed the existing, less sentimental medieval Christmas carols to the background.