researching in a foreign language

[Margit]

I have a long-time road-block in my research of my husband's paternal side. The specific problem is the old-German style of writing, combined with my lack of knowledge of the German language. I find it particularly frustrating because I can pinpoint exactly where in Prussia both his grandmother and grandfather were born, but cannot figure out how to get beyond that.

Any recommendations? I think life is probably not long enough to learn both the German language AND the old style writing.

[RobertB]

I have a long-time road-block in my research of my husband's paternal side. The specific problem is the old-German style of writing, combined with my lack of knowledge of the German language. I find it particularly frustrating because I can pinpoint exactly where in Prussia both his grandmother and grandfather were born, but cannot figure out how to get beyond that.

Any recommendations? I think life is probably not long enough to learn both the German language AND the old style writing.Margit,

As one who learned a little German in high school but who is "self-taught" in reading the old German script I strongly encourage you to pursue both. The German vocabulary that you need to know to translate church records in particular is really rather small. A couple of good resources are the German-English Genealogical Dictionary available from Genealogical Publishing Company and the "Old German" mailing list available through rootsweb. As for learning the script, do a Google search on Sutterlin, Suetterlin or Sütterlin (the name of one of the most widely used scripts in the 18th and 19th centuries). It will take some time and patience to learn but is well worth it, especially if you know the village/city/parish your ancestor is from and if you can access its records (church or other).

Happy hunting,
Robert

[Urs Geiser]

As for learning the script, do a Google search on Sutterlin, Suetterlin or Sütterlin (the name of one of the most widely used scripts in the 18th and 19th centuries).
Not strictly correct. Sütterlin was designed in the early 20th century. It is a standardized adaptation of the older handwritings, usually known as Kurrent.
See e.g.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BCtterlin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurrent (not very complete)
http://www.waldenfont.com/content.asp?contentpageID=8

On the main topic, I agree with Robert that both the script and the rudimentary vocabulary of church and other records can be self-taught within a reasonable learning time. My wife, who was in the same situation, became quite proficient in both after only a few months.

Be aware that even Lutheran church records may contain some Latin words. Latin is of course used throughout Catholic church records. The German-English Genealogical Dictionary mentioned (by E. Thode) has alphabets and sample words in a variety of German scripts in the back.

[MabryBenson]

There is a book called something like 'If I can read German, You can Too'. I can't lay my hands on my copy just now to get the exact title & author. Check your local genealogy library for it.

But with the help of it I have successfully done a lot of research in old German church books. It is all a matter of recognizing shape of the script of the names - something which is not too hard to do with a little practice. If you are looking for a particular name, write it out in the script to see what the shape of the letters looks like. Granted there are always some names that are impossible. But with those you can mail the copy to Salt lake and ask them to tell you the name.

You need only a little vocabulary, mainly months and numbers, a few words (hinterlassen, nachgelassen (both meaning left behing = father already dead) witwer (something like that= widow, widower), ehelich = legitimate). You can get a lot without being able to read the entire listing, though the more the better.

[Al Poulin]

Any recommendations? I think life is probably not long enough to learn both the German language AND the old style writing.

It may be useful to seek out the language translation aids produced by the Family History Library. They should be available at your local Family History Center. Ask if they have a staff volunteer who can help get you started.

[martha]

I have a long-time road-block in my research of my husband's paternal side. The specific problem is the old-German style of writing, combined with my lack of knowledge of the German language. I find it particularly frustrating because I can pinpoint exactly where in Prussia both his grandmother and grandfather were born, but cannot figure out how to get beyond that.

Any recommendations? I think life is probably not long enough to learn both the German language AND the old style writing.

I had a total mental block against learning German because of the Shoah, but realized that I needed it to do my family history. So I taught myself the ancient script and can now read any book in German with a dictionary. There is no reason for you not to be able to do that. The old German script is a pit and frequently it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the letters, but the more you practice, the better you get. As a genealogist, you love puzzles, so this is just one more to piece together!! You shouldn't hesitate to try!

Online, you can go to http://www.peter-doerling.de/Englisch/Sutterlin.htm
to get lessons in learning Sutterlin. It is a very good site.

Martha [in Israel]

[Michael Rosenkötter]

I have a long-time road-block in my research of my husband's paternal side. The specific problem is the old-German style of writing, combined with my lack of knowledge of the German language. I find it particularly frustrating because I can pinpoint exactly where in Prussia both his grandmother and grandfather were born, but cannot figure out how to get beyond that.

Any recommendations? I think life is probably not long enough to learn both the German language AND the old style writing.

I may help you. I'm a German – no problem of understanding the language - though sometimes it's really hard to decipher the writing. Please feel free to send me your file as jpg. Click here to email me (rosenkoetter@amerikanetz.de)

Michael

[Margit]

I may help you. I'm a German – no problem of understanding the language - though sometimes it's really hard to decipher the writing. Please feel free to send me your file as jpg. Click here to email me (rosenkoetter@amerikanetz.de)

Michael

That is very kind of you Michael, but I have no file to send to you. My problem is that I am unable to identify relevant records because I cannot decipher the language, and I cannot even steer myself in the correct direction on a German language site because I don't know if I have a relevant site! There is apparently a large Lutheran archive in Berlin that has preserved records from the Prussian area, but without knowing the language, I get nowhere.

I am beginning to think that everyone who has responded earlier is right: LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!! I even have a good tool on hand, The Rosetta Stone German language kit. It's just that I had intended to improve my spoken-only-Danish (does that adequately state that I cannot read or write in Danish?) first so that I can communicate with my Danish-language-only relatives in Denmark. Does anyone have any opinions on the wisdom of studying two languages concurrently?

And, Martha [in Israel], thanks for the reference to the Sutterlin site. It looks very comprehensive for learning to decipher the script. I have an entire two-volume set of books with the history of the Prussian town that my husband's grandparents left in 1890, both books written entirely in old script. That should give me lots to practice with.

[Al Poulin]

At: http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses/freecourses.cfm

you can find an independent study course in "Reading German Handwriting," "Vital Records," and other interesting items.

[marnen]

Sorry about replying to an old thread, but if anyone comes across this and is in a similar situation, I thought I'd mention that I can read German and certain varieties of archaic German handwriting. If anyone has German records that they need read, I'll be happy to try.