An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/krachen
krachen, verb, ‘to crack, crash, break,’ from the equivalent Middle High German krachen, Old High German chrahhôn; compare Dutch kraken, ‘to crack (nuts, &c.), burst, crack, crackle,’ Anglo-Saxon cracian, English to crack; Gothic *krakôn is wanting. Anglo-Saxon cearcian, ‘to crack’ (Gothic *karkôn), is worthy of note; compare respecting the apparent transposition of the r, Brett and Bord, fragen and forschen. Teutonic root krk from grg; compare Sanscrit gṛg, garj, ‘to rustle, crackle.’ —