An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schirmen
Schirmen, vb., ‘to protect, defend,’ from MidHG. schirmen, schërmen, ‘to protect, defend, fight,’ OHG. scirmen, ‘to serve as a bulwark, protect,’ allied to OHG. scirm, scërm, m., ‘bulwark, shield, protection,’ MidHG. schirm, schërm, m., ‘shield, penthouse, shelter, defence’; to these Schirm and beschirmen are allied. From Teut. are derived the Rom. cognates of Ital. schermo, ‘screen,’ schermire, ‘to fight.’ The early history of these words, which are wanting in the rest of the Teut. dials., is obscure; Gr. σκίρον, ‘parasol,’ is perhaps primit. allied.