hello99: “Actually there were “Ashkenazi” communities in France, Italy and Austria as far back in history as the ones in Germany. Anyways, there were established communities in Eastern Europe 500 years ago. Why should someone drop 5 centuries of minhagim because his ancestors may have briefly sojourned in Germany previously? And if you want to follow only “original” minhagim, go farther back to Bavel and EY???”
The ikkar yishuv of Ashkenazic Jewry, the spiritual center, was in Germany. That is where Rabbeinu Gershom Meor hagolah and those who followed after him were. We refer to ourselves as Ashkenazim for a reason. In the kinnos of tisha be’Av we recall what happened in Vermayza, Shpira and Magentza (????? ??”?). Why? What shaychus do they have to us, most Ashkenazic Jews who are not considered ‘Yekkes’? Answer : As the poskim bring, we are ???? ?????, we are descended from Ashkenaz. While there were some Ashkenazic Jews that lived elsewhere, the main yishuv in the old days was in Ashkenaz.
“Anyways, there were established communities in Eastern Europe 500 years ago.”
Eastern Europe five hundred years ago was still shvach compared to what developed there later. By the way, can you name one rishon from Poland?
“Why should someone drop 5 centuries of minhagim because his ancestors may have briefly sojourned in Germany previously?”
If that person is an Ashkenazic Jew he is connected to minhogei Ashkenaz. Ashkenazic Yidden in Eastern Europe were connected to Ashkenaz. When they moved they took minhogei Ashkenaz with them. However, over time, some minhogim got lost, forgotten, and changed. In Ashkenaz they kept the old minhogim better.
” And if you want to follow only “original” minhagim, go farther back to Bavel and EY???”
Actually it is believed by scholars that minhogei Ashkenaz come from Eretz Yisroel.