Understanding the three common German dialects – Hochdeutsch (High German), Plattdeutsch (Low German), and Mitteldeutsch (Middle/Central German) – is essential for navigating variations in grammar, vocabulary, and spelling in historical documents. Deciphering old German scripts, such as Kurrent, Sutterlin, and Fraktur, requires time and effort, and seeking the assistance of a German genealogist can be the most effective way to navigate the complexities of old German scripts and dialects.
German grammar is so different from English that sometimes it can get confusing and garbled, especially for the untrained eye. The situation worsens when you peruse historical records, which may hold the key details of your German ancestry.
You don’t necessarily need to learn the entire German language. Still, you must familiarize yourself with crucial nuances, vocabularies, and phrases to trace that parish record and interpret the information accurately.
This guide highlights everything you need to know to navigate the German dialects and decipher the old scripts to get the gist of every record you come across in your genealogy research.
Understanding German Dialects
The three most common German dialects you’re likely to encounter in historical records are the Hochdeutsch (High German), Plattdeutsch (Low German), and the Mitteldeutsch (Middle/Central German). Germany’s regional and historical diversity shapes this rich and varied linguistic landscape.
The High German dialect, also called Upper German, entails the upper Saxon, Swabia, and Bavarian dialects and is predominant in Southern Germany and some parts of Switzerland and Austria. It remains one of the most popular and helped form the standard German used today.
The Central or Middle German dialect also historically influenced the standard German and entailed other dialects such as the Franconian, Hessian, and Thuringian. It got its name from its popularity in the central German region and the bridging role between the Upper German and the Low German dialects.
The Low German dialect includes the East Frisian and the Westphalian dialects predominant in Northern Germany. It is a less popular dialect in Germany and common in rural areas and among the elderly generations.
Understanding the dialect of the region where your ancestor originated is crucial to navigating the variations that affect grammar, vocabulary, and spelling in historical documents. For example, a marriage certificate is “Heiratsurkunde” in the upper dialect but “Hochzeitsurkunn” in the Low German dialect.
Some prominent resources that can help you with German dialect research include Duden Online, DWDS, and AdA. Besides providing definitions for regional phrases and nuances, these sites offer audio recordings to help with pronunciation and usage in different contexts. AdA also provides some visual representation of the different regions in Germany and their respective dialects to help in locating your records or ancestry.
Deciphering Old German Scripts
In addition to the dialects, German researchers must deal with the different scripts common in historical records. The most common ones are Kurrent, Sutterlin, and Fraktur, which were used in different time periods and present unique challenges for the untrained eye.
The Fraktur script is one of the oldest, dating back to the 1500s and used until the 1950s. It’s a Gothic typeface characterized by conjoined letters that may prove hard to separate and differentiate. Kurrent is another cursive script used in the same period. Later, in the early 20th century, it was simplified into Sutterlin and adopted in German schools until the mid-20th century.
The major hurdle for German researchers dealing with these historical scripts is deciphering letters that look similar and garbled up. For example, Kurrent’s “s” resembles “f” making it likely to mistake terms like “wasser” (water) as waffer and leave you stunned.
Similarly, the Sutterlin script has the letter “e” appearing like the letter “n,” making it hard to translate words with these consonants. For example, the word “ein” (one) seems like “eie” while the word “Mein” (My) will resemble “Meie.” These are just a few examples to show how dealing with these old German scripts can be challenging.
It would take a novice researcher time to learn these old scripts through courses and tutorials akin to what you’d find in the German Script Tutorial by Brigham Young University (BYU). In addition to tutorials on these three old German scripts, the institution offers interactive exercises, alphabet charts, and character guides.
FamilySearch also has the Handwriting Guide on German Gothic for the Kurrent and Fraktur scripts and some tips for deciphering and interpreting old records. FamilySearch also integrates with a vast database of genealogical records, including those from Germany, making the process more straightforward for researchers pursuing German ancestry.
Nonetheless, you need more than online resources and a few exercises to maneuver the Old German dialects, scripts, and brick walls. Your surest bet to saving you time, money, and energy while enhancing accuracy and efficiency is to seek the assistance of a German genealogist.
Benefits of Seeking Professional Assistance
Despite your best efforts, old German records may be challenging to decipher and take up much of your time and resources. In this case, the most recommendable decision would be to bring in a genealogist specializing in German records for the following benefits;
- Expertise in German Scripts: German researchers have vast experience reading and interpreting old German scripts, ensuring accurate transcription even for complex styles.
- Dialect Understanding: German genealogists understand the regional variations, their respective dialects, and their impact on grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.
- Access to Resources: Genealogists subscribe to or are affiliated with libraries and genealogical archives, which grant them specialized access to databases unavailable to the public.
- Proficiency in Historical and Legal Context: Professional genealogists better understand historical contexts, can place events and records in the right context, and explain why records appear in a given pattern.
- Expert Translators: Genealogists provide not only the literal translation but also the cultural and historical framework of the time so that the records make sense in family history.
- Efficiency: Hiring German researchers saves you time and money as they know what and where to look.
- Collaboration: Genealogists collaborate with networks of historians, researchers, and archivists to gather valuable information and find connections that amateurs may miss.
- Authenticity: Genealogists can verify every piece of information they find by cross-referencing multiple resources and providing every necessary document for a credible and robust German family history.
Seek Professional Help
Even if you have a basic understanding of German dialects and old scripts, it is wise to work with a professional for credible and comprehensive German genealogy research. Tracing your ancestry goes beyond the dialect or the script, hence the need to work with an expert to guide you along the way.