My name is Lars Menk; my pseudonym, Abraham Chan, is the name of one of my Jewish ancestors. Born in Bremen, Germany in 1961, I studied social and economic communications (diploma degree). I have done genealogical research since 1981. In 2005, after nine years of research, A Dictionary of German-Jewish Surnames was published by a renowned publishing house in the USA. (Obermayer German-Jewish History Award, 2007; Outstanding Contribution to Jewish Genealogy Award, International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, 2007; Honorary Mention: Reference Work, Association of Jewish Libraries, 2006)