I specialise in helping English-speaking clients understand old German letters and documents, particularly those written in old German handwriting such as Kurrentschrift and its derivatives (e.g. Sütterlin). Whether you want a full transcription and translation, or simply an overview of what a document contains, I offer a flexible service designed around the realities of the documents in front of you.
Transcription of Old German Handwriting
I provide accurate, careful transcription of former styles of German handwriting, including Kurrentschrift and Sütterlin, used in personal letters, diaries, and documents from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries.
Each document is transcribed by hand with attention to spelling, abbreviations, and historical conventions. Where handwriting is unclear or damaged, I am transparent in indicating any uncertainty. This ensures you receive a faithful transcription of what is actually written on the page.
This service is ideal if you want a precise record of the original German text, need a transcription for family history or archival purposes, or would rather personally use LLMs/AI to translate the text following transcription to keep costs down.
Translation into English
Alongside transcription, I offer translation of historical German documents into English. My translations aim to be clear, natural, and faithful to the original meaning, while taking into account historical language use and context.
If your documents contain a mixture of handwritten and typed German text, I am happy to work with both. Typed documents (for example, later correspondence or official papers) can be translated directly without full transcription.
This service is suitable if you do not read German but want to understand family letters or documents, need historically informed translations rather than literal, word-for-word output and/or are preparing material for personal research, family sharing, or writing projects.
Document Overviews and “Triage” Summaries
Not every client wishes to have a full transcription and translation. For those with large collections of letters or documents, or those who just want to know what their documents are about, I also offer document summaries or overviews (which I sometimes refer to as a “document triage”).
In this service, I review each document and provide a short written summary explaining what the document is (letter, diary entry, legal document, etc.), who is involved, the subject matter and if possible an approximate date, along with any key themes or historically significant details.
This option is particularly useful if you have many documents and want to decide which are worth translating in full, or if you are primarily interested in understanding what you have, rather than every word. It is also an affordable first step before committing to a larger project.
Why Legibility Matters
One of the biggest challenges with old German handwriting is that no two documents take the same amount of time to read. Factors such as handwriting style, ink/pencil quality, spelling conventions, abbreviations, and damage all affect legibility. For example, a neatly written personal letter may be relatively quick to transcribe, but a faded or hurriedly written document might require a lot longer to decipher.
This is why I charge by the hour, rather than per page or per word. It ensures that you only pay for the time actually required.
Handling Unclear or Illegible Text
Occasionally, documents contain words that are difficult to decipher, often due to illegible handwriting, damage, or faded ink/smudged pencil. In such cases, I strive to provide the most accurate transcription possible, but am up front about any challenges.
With your permission, I may use AI tools to suggest plausible interpretations (particularly with regards to place or family names) and/or consult experienced colleagues or online historical research communities. Any uncertain readings are clearly indicated with the transcription, and I will always discuss these with you before finalising the document.