Fex

A fex is someone who is very excited about something. The term is mainly known in southern Germany and Austria. A well-known compound is Bergfex . Other compounds such as Lagerfex have been forgotten.

The etymology of the word "Fex" is unclear; the term appeared in Salzburg in the 18th century. Faex or Fex had the meaning of sediment, Liefe, also in the sense of the lowest class of people. The word is still alive in the terms “Bergfex”, “Modefex”, “Don't fax” and Vexierspiegel .

Prince Archbishop Colloredo called Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "Lump, Lausbub and Fex" when he resigned from him.

See also

• Freak
• Words with the suffix -fex :
  • Pontiff
  • Spinifex (a genus of plants)
  • Tubifex (a genus of annelid worms)
• Fextal (Engadin, Switzerland)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ duden.de
2. ^ Text example from 1899
3. ↑ ^{a b} For details: Nora Watteck (1978): Lappen, Fexen and Sonderlinge in Salzburg . In: Mitt (h) eilungen der Gesellschaft für Salzburger Landeskunde Volume 118, pp. 225–256; Page 232 ( online (pdf))
4. ↑ See also Mozart's letter to his father of May 9, 1791.
5. ↑ According to Mozart - Briefe und Aufzüge Gesamtausgabe (1964), Volume VI (Comments), p. 63, the cretins and the mentally ill housed in the Bruderhaus in Salzburg were called "Fexes".