words applied in German topography to mark the settlements of the Wends or Sclavonians, from the verb wandeln, to wander. The Sclavonians call themselves Slowjane, which means intelligible men, or Srb, which means kinsmen; while, by all the Sclavonic tribes, the Germans are called niemiec, the dumb men, because their language is unintelligible to their Sclavonic neighbours. The Wends in the sixth century occupied the north-eastern parts of Germany, but are now chiefly confined to Lusatia; e.g. Wendischbach (the Wends’ brook); Wendischhausen and Windsheim (the dwellings of the Wends); Wendischgratz (the Wends’ fortress); Wendischkappel (the Wends’ chapel or church); Windecken and Wendischhayn (the Wends’ corner and enclosure).
WERBA (Sclav.),
pasture; e.g. Werben, on the Elbe.
WERCH (Sclav.),
a summit; e.g. Werchau (the town on the height), in Prussia; Werch-see (the lake on the height); Werchne-Udinsk (the height on the R. Uda); Verkne-Dnieprevosk (the high town on the R. Dnieper); Werchne-Uralish, on the R. Ural; Verkne-Kolynski, on the R. Kolyma; Verkne-Sousensk, on the R. Sosna; Werchblatt (high marsh).
WERF, WARF (Teut.),
a dam or wharf; literally, what is thrown up—werfen; e.g. Werfen (the town on the embankment), in Upper Austria; Antwerp, anc. Andoverpum (at the wharf); Hohenwerpum (high wharf); Neuwarp (new wharf).
WERK, WEORC (Teut.),
a work, applied in topography to places where manufactures are carried on; e.g. Bergwerk (a hill work or mine); Konigswerk (the king’s manufactory); Hofwerk and Werkhausen (places connected with mines); Hüttenwerk (the huts of the workmen in the Hartz Mountains); Seifenwerk (the place for washing the metals at the mines); Frederickswerk (a cannon foundry in Denmark established by King Frederick); Wirksworth, in Derbyshire (the enclosure near the mines).
WESTEN (Ger.),