UNDERSTANDING OLD GERMAN WRITING: A TRAINING MANUAL

by Susan H.M. Anneveldt INTRODUCTION For anyone who has tried to read handwriting of the present, one can understand how important it is to try to make sense of what is read. For anyone who is engaged in the reading of any of the documents of yesteryear, it is at least as important to be able to understand the information contained therein. This training manual is designed to give an overview of the old writing associated with Germany and German-influenced areas as we attempt to read and extract information on German emigrants/immigrants, so that they can be identified and included in the genealogical database being compiled. The idea is not just to be able to make out the different kinds of handwriting (and gothic print) but to gain a solid feel for how people wrote. To this end, a training will be given on how to write in the old script, not just read it. It is not intended that one should feel one is being returned to kindergarten to learn to write. Rather, it is hoped that a new skill will be learned, and in becoming a modern-day scribe, one can decipher the efforts of scribes of the past more easily. We shall also take time to give some tips in the reading of records, particularly in the types of words and terms that may crop up, such as abbreviations and calendar variations. These will be an additional aid in reading the text of documents. TOOLS It is recommended that one obtain a calligraphy-style pen and bottle of ink in order to learn to write. Do not buy a pen with a nib that is flat at the top, but just the ordinary pointed variety with which one is familiar from fountain pens. It is, however, possible that a pen will come with a set of detachable nibs. The reason a regular fountain pen is not suggested is because of the previously mentioned theory of learning to write as people used to. When one is dipping a nib into ink and writing mere words at a time, one learns the kinds of strokes used to conserve ink or give letters their best form. This truly does help to understand letter formation when reading, later on. THE ALPHABET This is a list of the various regular letters of the alphabet, as well as the letters/combination letters associated with the German alphabet. WRITING PRACTICE It is perhaps best to start learning the writing skills via the simple method of taking some lined paper and with an inked nib, practise making thin, light upstrokes and firm dark downstrokes. Do as many examples of this as necessary to feel comfortable with the style (about a page) and then continue by making up-and-down light and dark strokes, forming a wave-like pattern. Swirls and loops are also an additional form of practice. Now it is time to start learning how to write the alphabet itself. (Click here for book Schreibelesefiebel)) Once the letters have been mastered, one can move on to individual words. Copy the words over and over in the standard written form. When one is confronted by words written by ordinary people in their own handwriting, which is indeed the kind of writing with which one will mostly be dealing, an additional tool is useful. Using good quality tracing-paper, trace over each word. Feel the flow of each letter and even though the letters formed by the writer may deviate from the standard form, thanks to individual penmanship, once again, a growing improvement in understanding the handwriting will come. Following is a downloadable and printable document, the script exercises to be done via the tracing-paper method. Page of script exercises Answer keys to script exercises

HANDWRITING PITFALLS It is well to remember that the individuals whose handwriting is being or will be read were really writing for their time, and had no anticipation of the historic length of time that would elapse with people still reading what they had written. Therefore, they did not necessarily bother to make their writings as legible as possible, or on the other hand: what might have been perfectly legible in their day, is not so in ours. Also, these were individuals who had their own way of recording information, sometimes in an abbreviated form or other style. (Examples) Before embarking on the pages of transcription passages, your attention is drawn to some of the tools of the trade of transcription: 1. Always go through the whole document, noting which words or phrases are clear. Then compare what is known with what one thinks is known. Often it is down to analyzing letter by letter on a document in order to compare clear forms with those less clear. It is a very good idea to make an alphabet oneself, especially by tracing over every recognized letter of the alphabet in the document, to which one can refer. Also become familiar with standard words and phrases that belong to particular types of documents. For example, if in one document the writing is hard to read, then the familiarity of set words and phrases will be an aid. 2. Be aware that scribes often used more than one handwriting form, for instance in writing names of people and places. They would often be in the Roman alphabet style, with the rest of the document being in the standard German handwriting. 3. Make a note of abbreviations. A good book or article on the subject can help enormously when it concerns standard sorts of abbreviations. Sometimes going through a dictionary (if it looks like the first few letters are the beginning of a word) may be necessary. It can be time-consuming, but slow but steady wins the race is a useful motto when transcribing/translating documents, as a hurried way can lead to errors. (Examples of common abbreviations) 4. If a word or phrase is a source of frustration in that it seems impossible to make out, then it is better to leave it alone and come back to it later, as a fresh look can suddenly result in it becoming clear. 5. Be aware that scribes, with their unique handwriting, could be sparing in letter formation or exactly the opposite. In other words: do not be misled as to what a letter seems to be because of particular flourishes or abrupt endings. In German handwriting, for example, it is often easy to confuse a capital L or S. When one line of writing follows another, be careful to distinguish between loops, flourishes and other stray dots and strokes of handwriting frm the preceding or following line. (Examples) 6. With a lack of formal or standard spelling, grammar or punctuation, it can be misleading for example to find commas and full-stops (periods) missing or out of place. The semantics can get a little complicated as a result. Likewise, a word starting with a capital is not necessarily a proper noun, and one without very well may be a proper noun! It is easy to miss a name of a person or place if one is rigidly focused on capitals to indicate their existence. (Examples) 7. Calendar systems and variations: In the 16th Century, the Gregorian calendar was instituted in various parts of Europe (some only adopted it in later centuries). Although for much of the emigration documentation this will not be an issue, it is possible that

in some way references will be made to calendar styles, and which could be confusing. Below are variations of names of months in the old German calendar, which may possibly be found in documents: ENGLISH January February March April May June July August September October November December GERMAN Januar, Jnner, Hartung, Jenner Februar, Hornung Mrz, Frhlingsmonat April, Ostermonat, Osteren Mai, Wonnemonat, Bltemonat Juni, Brachmonat Juli, Heuert, Heumonat, Heuet August, Erntemonat, Hitzmonat September, Fruchtmonat, Herbstmonat, Herpsten, 7ber, 7bris Oktober, Weinmonat, 8ber, 8bris November, Wintermonat, 9ber, 9bris Dezember, Christmonat, 10ber, 10bris, Xber, Xbris

One non-German calendar system that is likely to feature is the French Revolutionary Calendar, which was instituted near the end of the 18th Century, and which was adopted in parts of Europe, including Germany, where there was French control of government. This calendar completely revised the names and days for each year and started the year differently. It was a very clumsy attempt to do away with all traces of the old regime of France. It ultimately proved unpopular, so even the French themselves discontinued it in the early years of the 19th Century. The French dates do crop up in emigration documents from time to time, especially with reference to the birth date of an applicant from those years. Sometimes, the dates are transformed into the regular Gregorian calendar, but often it is necessary to do the conversion oneself. Following is the French Republican Calendar with guidelines on how to calculate from it: Take the transcription test