East Prussia (Ostpreußen) Language and Handwriting
| East Prussia (Ostpreussen) German Empire Genealogy Wiki Topics | |
| |
| Getting Started | |
| Major East Prussia (Ostpreussen) Record Types | |
| Reading the Records | |
| Additional East Prussia (Ostpreussen) Record Types | |
| East Prussia (Ostpreussen) Background | |
| Ethnicity | |
| Local Research Resources | |
| Germany Record Types | |
| Germany Background | |
Reading the Records
German
- It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in German to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read German records.
- These video webinars will teach you to read German handwriting:
- Also online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records:
- Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters
- Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent
- Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents. In this lesson, you will explore several types of German genealogical records, including birth, baptismal, marriage, and death records.
- German Script Tutorial
This converter will show you how any phrase or name might look in German script:
- Kurrentschrift Converter (enter German genealogical word, click on "convert", view your word in Kurrentschrift (Gothic handwriting)
Latin Records
Records of the Catholic church will usually be written in Latin:
Polish
Because part of East Prussia is now in Poland, these articles will help:
Russian
Because part of East Prussia is now in Russia, these articles will help: