Miss Mousie Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I have a 1914 postcard and a 1934 letter from a relative in Germany to a relative in the U.S. The handwriting is lovely, but I can't even make out enough words to try a Babelfish translation! :) Would anyone here be able to translate for me if I email a pdf? I'll be signing off the computer soon but will check in the morning. Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I can give it a try. I have learned script Fraktur, which is what they wrote in back then and is probably what is making it so hard to decipher. But then when people wrote it got messy, so it can still be tough, but I've managed to parse at least bits of our old family correspondence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sahm99 Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 It probably is written in "Sütterlin". I could give it a shot - my great-grand-father used to write me regularly, and many moons ago I was even taught to write it in school...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Dh offered to help. He's a native German with an interest in language. Send me a pm if you'd like him to take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 My mom is a native German who grew up with that handwriting style (born in Germany in the 1930's). My Oma (grandma) wrote in that style too and I was able to read her letters over the years, so I could probably decipher it - but my mom definitely could. You've already received several offers, but if you want my mom to take a look at it, let me know. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 My mom is a native German who grew up with that handwriting style (born in Germany in the 1930's). My Oma (grandma) wrote in that style too and I was able to read her letters over the years, so I could probably decipher it - but my mom definitely could. You've already received several offers, but if you want my mom to take a look at it, let me know. :) If your mom grew up with it, she has a better chance than I. I taught myself the alphabet from the back of my German math book (they used Fraktur script for vectors) and used to practice writing in it for fun 'cause I love stuff like that, but someone who's had lots of practice deciphering how it devolves into real life penmanship will do much better! I can read Fraktur typeface with no problems at all, but the script is much trickier! I think Fraktur was gotten rid of for common use right after WWII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Mousie Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thank you all so much! The WTM boardies are always so generous. :) Tiramisu, I will PM you. Of the many kind offers, I think native speaker plus less-extreme imposition (but thanks a million for offering your mom, Dandelion!) is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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