Click here to see FIG. 14A

This chapter is meant only to familiarize you with what these letters look like as they are written separately as well as in combinations as shown in Fig. 14C.

Click here to see Fig. 14C

You should remember that these letters are written as they were when they were taught in German schools. Because no one has the same style of writing, you can expect to find these letters written every way possible. For this reason many words and letters may appear very difficult to read or decipher. A knowledge of the German language is also valuable in helping you read the German script. The more of the terminology you can learn the easier it will be to recognize these terms as they are written in the script.

As you begin to read the script, you will usually start by reading one letter at a time. As you become more and more proficient, you will start reading whole words and groups of words at a time.

Two things which you can do in beginning to learn this script are:

1. Take time to learn how to make each letter. A book which goes into detail and gives excellent instruction on learning the German script is:

Storrer, Norman J. A Genealogical and Demographic Handbook of German Handwriting. Vol. 1. (Ref 943 A8F)

This first volume deals with reading various types of birth and christening records, and at the beginning of this book detailed instructions are given on forming each letter. Once you have learned to form the letters, take 30 minutes each day and using a book written in Roman print, rewrite the words using the German script.

Walker, Ronald D. A Genealogical Handboqk of German Terminology. Vol. 1. 9465 Electra Drive, Sandy, Utah: Walker, 1977.

This book was written to go along with the book by Storrer on German script; it deals with the terminology found in birth and christening records.

Symbols used in Germany genealogy:

* (Asterisk)	Born
(*)	Born (Illegitimate)
+*	Born Dead
	Christened
o	Engaged
oo	Married
X	Married
o|o	Divorced
0-0	Illegitimate Marriage
+	Died
	Buried
+ X	Died of Wounds (Battle)
X	Died in Battle
++	Line Extinct