Fraktur and German Script

Fraktur is a typeface used in older German books and printed documents. Psalms 23:1 looks like this in fraktur:

My red and white logo at the top of the menu frame is a fraktur monogram, a capital S for Sherwin.

In Germany, the old German cursive script developed in the 16th century is also sometimes called Fraktur. The word comes from Latin and means "broken script" (Bruchschrift), so called because of its ornamental curlicues that break the continuous line of a word.

When the word "fraktur" is used in English, it generally refers to the typeface. An exception is "American fraktur" as used in the Pennsylvania German culture, where the documents themselves--not just the writing in them--are called fraktur. And whereas the noun is a collective singular when it refers to typeface or handwriting, the Pennsylvania German culture also uses it as a countable noun in the plural: "Many fraktur are decorated." (To my knowledge, this usage has not yet made its way into dictionaries.)

In Germany, the "broken script" is more commonly known as deutsche Schrift (German script). It varies from person to person but might look like this:

Some people refer to the script as Sütterlin, although it was in use centuries before graphic artist Ludwig Sütterlin (1865-1917) was born. The beautiful version that Sütterlin developed was taught in German schools from 1935 to 1941. But his name should not be categorically attached to all versions of the German script.

Vendors of German script and Fraktur fonts: Walden Font and Fraktur.

Learn more about German script: Deutsche Schrift.

When You Need a Transcription or Translation

To expedite my work and minimize the chance of error, I usually transcribe a script document before translating it. The transcription will help orient you to the handwritten text and may even help you learn to extract key information from other documents yourself.

I preserve the original spelling wherever possible, but I spell out symbols and shorthand not reproducible on the computer. Punctuation and capitalization may be standardized for clarity.

Here are some tips that can save you money by helping to streamline my task:

Get the clearest copy possible.

Enlarging a poor copy with a photocopier rarely helps. Using a stronger lens when copying from a microfilm may help, but do not enlarge beyond the natural size. Try different lightness settings to ensure that even the finest lines are visible, and do not cut off any text at the edges.

Send entire pages.

The larger sample of handwriting may be critical for "breaking the code." Column headings are important, and records sometimes contain ditto marks or other references to an earlier entry on the page. Sometimes the year and month appear only at the top of the page. Be sure to mark clearly the portions you need translated.

Send records on the same family or locality together, if possible.

A name or occupation that is illegible in one record may be clearer in another. Doing larger batches also saves orientation time and allows me to work more efficiently.

Tell me what you already know.

If you know where the event was recorded and what family it pertains to, be sure to tell me. In the case of unfamiliar, poorly legible personal or geographical names, having this information saves deliberation and verification time.