Decipher the Past! A Practical Beginner’s Course in Old German Script 3302-PKPN-OG

The course is practical and introductory in nature. Its aim is to provide students with the basic skills of reading and writing in Old German script – both handwritten (exemplified by Offenbacher Schrift) and printed (Fraktur, Schwabacher). Participants will learn about the historical development of these writing styles and acquire the ability to independently read and reproduce short texts. Building on these skills, they will also attempt to decipher texts from the eighteenth century and earlier.
The course requires at least a basic knowledge of German, as it focuses primarily on the practical aspects of reading and transcription. It will be particularly useful for students who, in the course of their studies, encounter the broad cultural heritage of the German-speaking world, including inscriptions, old prints, documents, and archival materials.

Planned scope of topics:
1) A brief introduction to the history of Old German script – both printed and handwritten.
2) Introduction to Schwabacher script and reading exercises.
3) Introduction to Fraktur script and reading exercises.
4) Introduction to handwritten scripts (Offenbacher Schrift, Sütterlin, Kurrentschrift).
5) Writing exercises: individual letters of the alphabet, single words, short and longer sentences, extended text passages.
6) Reading exercises in handwritten script.

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Remote learning

Prerequisites (description)

The course requires at least a basic knowledge of German, as it focuses primarily on the practical aspects of reading and transcription.

Course coordinators

Piotr Kociumbas

Learning outcomes

Knowledge:
1) The participant is familiar with the basic forms of Neo-Gothic script (both printed and handwritten) and understands their historical background and development.
2) They know the differences between the main types of Neo-Gothic script, such as Fraktur, Schwabacher, and Offenbacher Schrift.
3) They understand the significance of Neo-Gothic script for research on the cultural heritage of the German-speaking world.

Skills:
1) They are able to independently read and transcribe short texts written in Neo-Gothic script (both printed and handwritten).
2) They can identify different types of script and apply appropriate strategies for their transliteration into humanist script.
3) They are able to use their acquired knowledge and skills to analyse simple historical sources such as old prints, inscriptions, documents, or archival materials.
4) They can attempt to read texts from the eighteenth century and earlier, drawing on their paleographic competencies.

Social competences:
1) The participant understands the importance of precision and accuracy when working with historical texts and written sources.
2) They appreciate the value of written heritage and its importance for research on German-speaking culture.
3) They are ready to independently deepen their knowledge and improve their skills in reading and interpreting early texts.

Assessment criteria

The course requirements include active participation in classes and the completion of a workshop assignment involving the identification of script types and the transcription between Old German script (both printed and handwritten) and Antiqua.

Bibliography

Bobowski, Kazimierz: Ewolucja pisma neogotyckiego na Śląsku od początku XVI do połowy XX wieku, Wrocław–Warszawa 1992.
Górski, Karol: Neografia gotycka. Podręcznik pisma neogotyckiego XVI–XX w., Warszawa 1978.
Süß, Harald: Deutsche Schreibschrift lesen und schreiben lernen. Übungs- und Lehrbuch, Augsburg 2004.
Süß, Harald: Dawne pismo niemieckie. Podręcznik do nauki pisma neogotyckiego, tłum. Joanna Drejer, Słubice 2019.
Verdenhalven, Fritz: Die deutsche Schrift, Neustadt an der Aisch 1989.

Notes

Term 2025L:

None

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3302-PKPN-OG in USOSweb