The German Genie – Transcription & Translation of Historical German Handwriting
Victoria Thomas, The German Genie
I first tried transcribing a letter my grandmother had written to her father during the Second World War when I was 13, and I’ve been fascinated by Germany and its language, history, and personal stories ever since. I decided to turn this curiosity into a professional skill by helping hobby genealogists, family historians, and authors understand and interpret their old German letters and personal archives.
Academic Background
I have spent many years studying German at university. I hold a BA (First Class) in Modern Languages and Linguistics and an MPhil in General Linguistics and Comparative Philology (Distinction) from Oxford University, as well as a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Manchester, where I specialised in the syntax of Early Modern German.
This academic training has enabled me to develop a profound understanding of older forms of German, allowing me to interpret texts accurately and in their original context. Alongside my studies, I have conducted research into my own family history. This has given me practical experience working with personal letters, diaries, and archival documents relevant to genealogical research. You can see some of my own research on my personal family history page.
Professional Work
I am currently working on a large project transcribing and translating letters and documents for a book focused on a prominent German-Jewish family. This project includes translating diaries, speeches, poetry, and legal documents, and involves close collaboration with other researchers. It has been and continues to be an incredible privilege to shed light on this family’s history through my transcription and translation of their archive.