Deciphering old manuscripts – examples of old fonts
Cursive script, Sütterlin script and German Volksschrift
Deciphering old manuscripts offers a fascinating glimpse into the past. Historical documents such as letters, invoices, diaries and field post letters not only tell personal stories, but also reflect the life, culture and writing habits of past centuries. I make these historical texts understandable and easy to read for you.
Every handwriting style has its own character. Whether it’s Kurrent, Sütterlin or Deutsche Volksschrift (german folk script) – each of these old fonts has special features, individual letter forms and typical characteristics that can make reading difficult for untrained eyes. This is exactly where professional deciphering of old manuscripts comes in.
On this page, I present examples of old manuscripts that I have been able to carefully decipher. You will gain a realistic impression of how differently historical documents are designed and what challenges they present when reading them today. Through expert deciphering, the original content of these documents becomes fully accessible again.
Deciphering old manuscripts: examples of historical fonts
The following examples of old manuscripts, which I can successfully decipher, illustrate the diversity and development of historical fonts.
Cursive script
Kurrent script was commonly used in Germany from the 16th to the early 20th century. Its flowing, connected letters often appear complicated at first glance, but I can reliably decipher and transcribe these scripts. I transcribe old documents, invoices and letters from this period into easily legible text.
Sütterlin script
Sütterlin was developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Ludwig Sütterlin to simplify cursive writing. It is characterised by clear, upright letter forms. Many field post letters and private notes from this period are written in Sütterlin. I can transcribe them for you so that the original content becomes understandable.
German Volksschrift
German Volksschrift is a simplified form of German cursive writing that became increasingly widespread from the 1920s onwards. It combines elements of Kurrent and Sütterlin, is easier to read and was used in official documents and school textbooks. Here too, I can transcribe your documents to make them accessible in modern writing.
Costs for deciphering old manuscripts
The cost of transcribing historical manuscripts depends on the length, font and degree of difficulty of the manuscripts. You can find an overview of prices and services on the prices page.
Would you like to have handwritten documents deciphered? Please send me your documents – I will provide you with a non-binding quote as soon as possible.