I have been trying to trace German ancestors but have been stymied by much of the Germanic script of old records. Although I had one book with some writing examples and translations, there weren't enough. This booklet gave many, many examples which is what I needed to be able to begin to decipher the words on the old records. In addition to the alphabet and corresponding examples of old German lettering, it has translations for general information terms such as days of the week, months, church feasts. A major section translates illnesses found on old German records (e.g. Schwindsucht - consumption) with examples of how the words would look written in old script. Another section does the same thing for occupations and titles.
This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it.
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If I Can You Can Decipher Germanic Records Plastic Comb – November 7, 2006
by
Edna M. Bentz
(Author)
-
Print length85 pages
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LanguageEnglish
-
PublisherEdna m Bentz
-
Publication dateNovember 7, 2006
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ISBN-100961542004
-
ISBN-13978-0961542009
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Product details
- Publisher : Edna m Bentz (November 7, 2006)
- Language : English
- Plastic Comb : 85 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0961542004
- ISBN-13 : 978-0961542009
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
-
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- #136,903 in Reference (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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4.6 out of 5
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2017
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Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2010
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This is a homemade book (copyright 1982), spiral bound photocopied on regular photocopy paper, but single-sided so there's no bleedthrough from the other side. But you get beyond this and find that Edna Bentz (who I believe is deceased, the book is carried on by Tamara Bentz) did a heck of a job. If you do a google on figuring out German script, this book constantly turns up as a valuable reference.
An outline of the book's major sections:
Alphabets - This is fascinating, because she gives you Old Gothic standard and then many (like 30 for EACH letter) handwritten variations that she found in different documents.
Common terms - This covers a lot! For example, one part is Relationships. For each term, she shows you the handwritten script, the typed German word, and the English meaning. The first word in this section is "angenommenes Kind" = adopted child. In the German script shown, the capitalized K in Kind (in German, you capitalize nouns) looks like a capital R, which is also illustrated in the alphabets. I never would have guessed that it was a "K".
Common terms also includes genealogical terms (such as two words for ancestor), abbreviations (ex, "b.v." = beide von = both from), church and feast day terms, months and days.
Common Latin terms are included, with English, Danish and German Script equivilents, because many records may be found in Roman Catholic Parish records. (The Schleswig-Holstein area was, at one point, under Danish rule.)
There's a glossary of illnesses found in German church records with the German word, German script, English, Latin and Danish equivilents.
Next is a large list of occupations and titles, first in the German word, then German script, English, Latin and Danish. Sometimes, she'd found more than one word with the same meaning, such as Barbier and Bartscherer for Barber.
The next section is an informal time-line. Starting in 1300, and ending in 1930, it lists major European occurances that would have affected Germany, in the spheres of Religious & Political, Music, Art & Literature and Daily Life. A 4th column, titled Ancestors, lets you fill in your family information. As Edna writes, "Genealogy and Family History is more than just names, dates and places."
Finally, appendeces list German ordinals and their German script, and German time references.
This is really a fine little book, and the multitude of handwritten examples is great. Facebook has a page for this book, so I believe it is still available, perhaps just not in a lot of places.
Happy Reader
An outline of the book's major sections:
Alphabets - This is fascinating, because she gives you Old Gothic standard and then many (like 30 for EACH letter) handwritten variations that she found in different documents.
Common terms - This covers a lot! For example, one part is Relationships. For each term, she shows you the handwritten script, the typed German word, and the English meaning. The first word in this section is "angenommenes Kind" = adopted child. In the German script shown, the capitalized K in Kind (in German, you capitalize nouns) looks like a capital R, which is also illustrated in the alphabets. I never would have guessed that it was a "K".
Common terms also includes genealogical terms (such as two words for ancestor), abbreviations (ex, "b.v." = beide von = both from), church and feast day terms, months and days.
Common Latin terms are included, with English, Danish and German Script equivilents, because many records may be found in Roman Catholic Parish records. (The Schleswig-Holstein area was, at one point, under Danish rule.)
There's a glossary of illnesses found in German church records with the German word, German script, English, Latin and Danish equivilents.
Next is a large list of occupations and titles, first in the German word, then German script, English, Latin and Danish. Sometimes, she'd found more than one word with the same meaning, such as Barbier and Bartscherer for Barber.
The next section is an informal time-line. Starting in 1300, and ending in 1930, it lists major European occurances that would have affected Germany, in the spheres of Religious & Political, Music, Art & Literature and Daily Life. A 4th column, titled Ancestors, lets you fill in your family information. As Edna writes, "Genealogy and Family History is more than just names, dates and places."
Finally, appendeces list German ordinals and their German script, and German time references.
This is really a fine little book, and the multitude of handwritten examples is great. Facebook has a page for this book, so I believe it is still available, perhaps just not in a lot of places.
Happy Reader
18 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2018
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This is a wonderful resource if you are stymied by trying to translate old German genealogical documents, like birth certificates, marriage registrations, census information, etc ... the author offers samples of handwritting, spelling variations and various old German typesetting styles. She also has lists of obselete occupations, family relationships and so much more. This is an invaluable resource. It shouldn’t be your only book if you are on the hunt for your ancestors, but is one of the best adjuncts to help you decipher the records you find.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2009
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This book has a 0ver 50 pages of Script Examples with translations, which I found very helpful. On the downside, there are about 25 pages of World History timeline that does NOT help me read the old German Script. I suppose I could look at it this way, ---- I received a 50 page booklet of help deciphering old Germanic Script and a 25 page bonus of history timeline, BUT I would rather have had 25 more pages of help to decipher Germanic Script. The timeline is mentioned in one review, but I had no idea it would take up almost a third of the book. That is why I gave a four star instead of five star rating.
Pages are color coded by topic, [ genealogy terms, illnesses, occupations, Latin terminology etc ]. ] which is nice, and the Germanic - Latin terminology section is helpful with Catholic Church records in Script. Spiral binding easily keeps the book open to the page being used.
Pages are color coded by topic, [ genealogy terms, illnesses, occupations, Latin terminology etc ]. ] which is nice, and the Germanic - Latin terminology section is helpful with Catholic Church records in Script. Spiral binding easily keeps the book open to the page being used.
16 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2001
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I remember the dread with which I first faced German genealogical records written or printed in Gothic script. It seemed like a completely alien alphabet. However, with a little practice and the useful examples in this book, you can decipher such records yourself.
This book covers the Gothic alphabet and shows variations of handwritten script for each letter. It then provides handwritten script examples of common genealogical words and their German and English translation. Handwritten symbols and common abbreviations found in Germanic records are also covered.
Sections are devoted to showing side-by-side comparisons of Latin, English, Danish, and handwritten German script for common genealogical terms, occupations & titles, and diseases. There is also a useful timeline. This handy book is spiral-bound.
This book covers the Gothic alphabet and shows variations of handwritten script for each letter. It then provides handwritten script examples of common genealogical words and their German and English translation. Handwritten symbols and common abbreviations found in Germanic records are also covered.
Sections are devoted to showing side-by-side comparisons of Latin, English, Danish, and handwritten German script for common genealogical terms, occupations & titles, and diseases. There is also a useful timeline. This handy book is spiral-bound.
34 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2012
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This has been my best genealogical resource. I carried it with me through Germany in 2002 and have used it since to read multiple forms of script and handwriting I've found in German church books. In addition to containing many examples of the way each letter may be written in records, there are also many examples of words commonly found in the old church records (occupations, illnesses, dates, etc)written out in various forms of script and explained in English. I have been able to uncover so much about my family with the aid of this book. Thank you Ms. Bentz for a true labor of love.
7 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The best book on the topic
Reviewed in Canada on April 5, 2020Verified Purchase
The many different examples of handwriting make this book invaluable for anyone deciphering old German documents. The many lists of words used in genealogical records are shown in handwriting. Very useful.
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