How to learn the old script

You can also try transcribing the documents yourself. Here’s how:

1 First, learn the old script. You can find the reference sheet here.

2 Compare the letters using the reference sheet.

3 Write down each word, or letter. Work step by step, letter by letter, until you have transcribed the entire document.

If you need help, contact Dr. Lampreht.

Transcription serves as a guide to reading and understanding church records.

Reading Old German Scripts – An Introduction

Kurrent script is a historical form of handwriting used in the German-speaking world that developed from the 16th century onwards. It belongs to the family of German chancery scripts and was primarily used in everyday writing – in offices, schools, and private documents.

Origin: Kurrent evolved from Gothic cursive script and, in contrast to Latin script, is more angular and harder to read.

Spread: From the 17th to the early 20th century, Kurrent was the standard script in German schools, administration, and church records. Many historical documents – including church book entries, wills, and letters – are written in Kurrent.

Sütterlin Script: In 1911, Ludwig Sütterlin developed a simplified version of Kurrent – known as Sütterlin script – which was taught in German schools starting in the 1920s.

Displacement: After World War II, Kurrent (including Sütterlin) was removed from official school curricula. The Latin cursive script replaced it.

Good to Know

Kurrent script differs significantly from modern writing styles and is difficult for many readers today to decipher.

Anyone who wants to read old documents (e.g., for genealogy purposes) must often laboriously learn Kurrent or have it transcribed by a specialist.

Deciphering Church Records: Tips and Examples

Practice makes perfect! There are no shortcuts. A comparison chart between Kurrent script and Latin script with practical examples can be found [here].

Before/After: Comparing Transcriptions of Old Documents

Transcription is a direct copy of the original document. The language is preserved in its original form.

For example, the word “Turn” may appear as “Thurn” in an old German document.

If the document is in Latin, the transcription is also done in Latin.

In contrast, a translation converts the document into modern language, so that it can be easily read and understood today.

For laypeople, a translation is always recommended over a transcription.

Free Tools for Handwriting Recognition (with Limitations)

There are now several tools available online. But caution is advised:

These tools are not yet fully developed, such as:

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Gemini (Google)

Claude (Anthropic)

DeepL

Apple Intelligence