The Fraktur and Gothic Alphabets

Greetings, once again, friends and scholars.  To re-cap, last time we discussed the use of both government and religious records.  This week, we’ll be discussing the Fraktur and Gothic Alphabets.  Having a grasp of both formats of writing is essential to understanding German Documents.  For many readers, these terms are unfamiliar.  I’ll be sure to explain them here.

Throughout history, people have used different names for the same thing.  Romans called the region to their north “Germania,” which is where English derives the term “Germany.”  In contrast, Germans today call their native land “Deutschland,” which derives from an older term, ‘diutisc’—meaning of the people.  Other languages use a term derived from the ancient tribe or confederation, called the Alemanni.

In that same vein, different groups have employed unique names for a various alphabets and writing styles.  For Italians, the term "Gothic" would be akin to us calling a culture or society uncultured.  The terms Gothic and Fraktur do not have a “universal” definition.  This post makes no effort to promote a “correct definition” on the matter.  For our purposes here, I will use these definitions: (1) Gothic is a cursive, hand-writing style.  (2) Fraktur is a printed font; the term actually refers to “breaks” found in the letters.  The sidebar image illustrates how letters would look in either font.

Background of “Fraktur” and “Gothic”

As explained in the first post, Germany was not unified until the end of the 19^th century.  After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, other kingdoms and nations had their own cycles of unification and division.  The lack of political consolidation meant that there was no standard language until after 1900.  This meant that various alphabets were employed by scribes, priests, and government officials.

Before the year 1440, records were typically written either in Gothic or Latin characters.  The printing press of Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the world by using block-type.  By the 1500s, Fraktur—heavily influenced by Gothic—evolved into its own style.  With time, the unique Fraktur and Gothic alphabets enjoyed prestige in both spiritual and secular realms throughout Central Europe.

In the early 20^th century, the regions of Germany became unified under the Nazi banner.  One lesser-known fact about this group is its impact on language itself.  Chancellor Hitler mandated that the Latin alphabet—those familiar to English and Spanish speakers—be taught in all schools.  The Allied Forces who defeated Germany reinforced this by cracking down on the use of Fraktur. 

Today, the Latin alphabet is the only alphabet in use among German-speaking places.  German uses special characters, including ligatures.  One such example is the Eszett (ß)—or “sharp s”—which originally signified a combination of s and z.  Unfortunately, we don’t have time to go over all of the characters.  Here, we will discuss upper-case letters that are commonly confused.

Fraktur

The letter A looks like a U.  As stated before, Fraktur commonly uses “breaks”—as can be seen in the tops of both.  The distinguishing feature is found in the left stem.  If it curves inward, then it is A.  If it is straight, then it is U.  For similar reasons, the B, P, and V look like the same character.  However, note how the bowls (the “curves,” if you will) and stems interact.  B is unique in that both bowls kiss the stem at the middle.  The letter V does not make the connection. The letter P is further differentiated by its descending stem—just like our letter P.

Likewise, the letters E, G, and S are very similar.  However, a vertical stroke in the middle distinguishes E and G from S.  Also, notice the wide curve on the bottom of the letter S.  The opening (or “fracture”) at the top helps us see that E is different from G.  The characters I and J—in form—are practically the same.  In a later post, I’ll actually discuss this in greater depth.  For now, it suffices to say that they’re actually related characters.  The letter T may cause some confusion, as it bears a resemblance to both.  However, note the wide serif (the “bottom stroke”) at the bottom.  Another trio to look out for is the letters K, N, and R.  The swash (the curve in the upper left corner) and the bowls will give away their differences.

Gothic

In some ways, Gothic can actually be trickier than Fraktur.  Since the letters are written—rather than printed or traced—they vary in form.  Sometimes, the same author will use different styles for the same letter.  Much like English cursive, Gothic handwriting tends to connect letters.  Occasionally, one will see extra curls or even strokes on letters—simply for show.

The letters A, G, and Q—the latter being rare in German—must be distinguished by their use of a descender (the part of a letter that goes “below” the others).  Note that the letter A uses a curved stem, with no descender.  G uses a looped descender and Q uses one that goes straight down.

B, C, and L are distinguished by the arm (the “top stroke” of a letter) and the bottom right corner.  B uses somewhat of a “curved bowl,” where L simply continues onto the next character in a curved line.  C uses an arm with a simple curl, whereas L uses a looping curve on top with no arm.  Like their Fraktur counterparts, I and J cause confusion.  The key difference here is that the descender on J typically curves into the stem.

While looking at K, we may be tempted to confuse it for R.  However, each letter uses a different structure.  The “looped-stem”—if we may so call it—on R curves in from the left direction, while K employs a swash (remember, that's what we call the curve in the upper corner) that comes from the top right.

M, N, V, and W are quite a mess to handle.  N and V each use one loop and a stroke (although the strokes are not the same), differentiating them from M and W.  M uses two separate loops and then a stroke.  On the other hand, W uses a complete loop, somewhat of a stroke, and then another loop,   

Once again, the trick is to see where the opening occurs.  N and M open on the bottom while V opens on top.  W actually opens in both directions, making it unusual in form.  Y and Z are distinguished by the number of strokes.  Y has a middle stroke that shoots up and around.  Whereas, the letter Z resembles a thin number three.

Conclusion

As you can see here, paleography is both an art and science.  Many names and words are incorrectly recorded, simply because of careless mistakes or hurried transcribers.  Styles make letters unique, while there are some ground rules for distinguishing characters.  Having an eye for detail allows researchers to discern a letter’s identity.  One great way to learn Gothic handwriting is to practice writing your name.  This practice increases understanding (and also some patience) when reading another’s work.  We’ve now covered these exceptional typesets.  Next week, we will discuss German names and words.