An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/bergen

by Friedrich Kluge

bergen, vb., ‘to hide, recover (from shipwreck)’, from MidHG. bërgen, ‘to hide, secure,’ OHG. bërgan; comp. Goth. bairgan, gabairgan, ‘to keep, preserve,’ AS. beorgan, MidE. bergen, ‘to preserve, protect.’ There are other E. words with a different though allied meaning; AS. byrgan, E. to bury; AS. byrgels (OLG. burgisli), E. burials, burial. For a similar division of a primary meaning see under befehlen. The root berg, burg, pre-Teut. bhergh, bhṛgh, with the primary meaning ‘to lay somewhere for safe keeping,’ is found outside the Teut. group only in OSlov. brêgą, ‘I take care (of), wait upon.’