An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/bergen

by Friedrich Kluge

bergen, verb, ‘to hide, recover (from shipwreck)’, from Middle High German bërgen, ‘to hide, secure,’ Old High German bërgan; compare Gothic bairgan, gabairgan, ‘to keep, preserve,’ Anglo-Saxon beorgan, Middle English bergen, ‘to preserve, protect.’ There are other English words with a different though allied meaning; Anglo-Saxon byrgan, English to bury; Anglo-Saxon byrgels (Old Low German burgisli), English burials, burial. For a similar division of a primary meaning see under befehlen. The root berg, burg, pre-Teutonic bhergh, bhṛgh, with the primary meaning ‘to lay somewhere for safe keeping,’ is found outside the Teutonic group only in Old Slovenian brêgą, ‘I take care (of), wait upon.’