An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schultheiß

by Friedrich Kluge

Schultheiß, m., ‘chief magistrate,’ from MidHG. schultheiȥe (schultheitze), m., ‘he who assigns duties, judge,’ OHG. scultheiȥô, scultheitzo, m., ‘tribunus, praefectus, centurio.’ It is remarkable that “this term, purely judicial in its etymological origin, should have been transferred to captains of an army” in OHG., and “that this judicial term does not appear in the older laws, except in the Lombardic, although it has been diffused from the Middle Ages till the present day throughout the greatest part of Germany.” Comp. LG. schulte, from schuldhete, Du. schout (from scholdhete), ‘village magistrate,’ Fris. skeldata, skelta; AS. sčyldhœ̂ta; the compound is wanting in Goth. The ModHG. form Schulze (also as a proper name; comp. LG. Schulte) is based on MidHG. schuldheize (as well as -heiȥe), OHG. schuldheizo (as well as -heiȥo), and ultimately on Goth. *haitja (tj produces tz, but ti changes into ȥi, see Grüße, Weizen).