“Echt” describes something authentic, or slangily, not bogus. The word “echt” comes from both the German “echte” and Yiddish “ekht,” referring to something authentic. It is inspired by Echte, the name of a village in northern Germany, located about 150 miles west of Berlin. In the Middle Ages, Echte served as a trade node, and skilled craftsmen, including linen weavers, cobblers, and carpenters, were a prominent part of the village’s population as early as the 17th century.