Fleetkieker is a Low German word. The first part of the word, fleet comes from fleeten, or fließen in High German, which means to flow. Kieken is another way of saying “to look”. Fleete are ditches which were originally built for drainage purposes. Fleetenkieker were the men in long boots who ensured that ships and barges always had enough water under their keel. Since the Fleetkieker were also responsible for disposing of the rubbish which accumulated in the ditches, the name was also later given to anyone scavenging the ditches and their banks for reusable rubbish.