1) the old German version was to maximize profits extended to each 2 books per band - too expensive
2.) the new German version was re-released by Del Rey in time for the start of the US series. Unfortunately, many English names and places have been Germanized, how did it even with Tolkien. As in Germany, these changes are common with the ax and not done with a scalpel and act as partly unintentionally funny. Again, match 2 German books an English band - the way more expensive than the first edition!
3.) Why not read the English version? Cheaper is never - 4 volumes of waste paper price in a neat slipcase (for there is just the first half of the first volume in the German language - total saving over 100!). The English in the Westeros forecast is quite easily accessible, where there might be hard at the beginning to associate the characters safely. But that applies only to the "read-in" at the beginning of the first volume.
So much light and no shadow? In the English chamfering thin paper was used font and line spacing are smaller or close selected as the German counterpart. Only then can the content in a paperback cope. The typeface is for readers German novels thus getting used to.
From my side unqualified recommendation.