Simple Steps To Translating Fraktur Newspaper Articles For Genealogy Research

Trying to unlock the stories of your German-speaking ancestors but stuck with a newspaper article printed in Fraktur? Don’t worry; translating these intricate old fonts doesn’t require fluency in German. After a bit of trial and error, I developed a method that works like a charm!

Let’s dive into the steps for translating Fraktur newspaper articles into English, plus a special tip on using AI to make the process even easier.

What is Fraktur, and Why is it Tricky?

Fraktur is a German blackletter typeface that was widely used in German-speaking regions until the 1940s. If you’re researching German-American communities in U.S. newspapers from the 1800s to early 1900s, chances are, you’ll encounter Fraktur. Its distinctive letters can be tough to recognize if you’re not familiar with the script, and Google Translate can’t automatically read the font from images. So, where to begin?

German newspaper written in the Fraktur font

Der Westbote, Thursday, 11 July 1878, Page 4 – Columbus, Ohio (From GenealogyBank.com)

Step 1: Get Your Newspaper Clipping Written in Fraktur

Start by gathering your newspaper clippings. Many digitized newspapers are accessible through genealogy websites like GenealogyBank, Chronicling America, and Newspapers.com. For example, I used GenealogyBank to track down several articles about a young woman named Annie Geisler in Columbus, Ohio, from an 1878 issue of Der Westbote. The image quality was good, but I knew I’d need a structured approach to translate it accurately.

Step 2: Create a Cheat Sheet for Recognizing Fraktur Letters

Before jumping into translation, it helps to recognize each Fraktur letter. I found several online guides for reading Fraktur, but they often list letters alphabetically, which doesn’t help when you’re trying to match by shape.

I created my own Fraktur “cheat sheet” by organizing letters based on their forms, which helped me learn to spot even the smallest differences. You can try this too – group similar letters (like ‘S’ and ‘G’ or ‘e’ and ‘c’) so you’ll learn to tell them apart quickly. It’s a helpful shortcut!

Fraktur German Newsprint Cheat Sheet for Capital Letters #german #fraktur #genealogy

Fraktur German Newsprint Cheat Sheet for Lower Case Letters #german #fraktur #genealogy

Step 3: Transliterate the Fraktur Text into German

With your cheat sheet ready, it’s time to transliterate – or type out – the letters from the Fraktur text into their German equivalents. Type each letter you recognize until you have the entire German text typed out. It’s painstaking work but well worth it for a clearer translation.

Here’s an example from the article about Annie Geisler:

Fräulein Annie Geisler, ein junges Mädchen von ungefähr 19 Fahren, ist am Ropf und an der Brust verleßt; sie hat auberdem innerliche Verleßungen davongetragen. Die Unglüdliche mohnt in der Rähe von Etna, wohin man sie gestern brachte. Sie hat seit ber Zeit miederholt Blut gespieen und ber Arzt erflärt, daß sie nicht mit dem Leben davonfommen fan.

Step 4: Use Google Translate for an Initial Translation

Once you’ve typed out the German text, go to Google Translate. Paste the text into the left box, and let Google Translate identify the language as German. While it may not be flawless, it’s a quick way to get a general understanding of what the text says.

Using Google Translate to change a German Fraktur newsprint article into English. #genealogy #German

For example, Google initially translated my text as Annie being "stuck in the head and having internal exorcisms” (oops!). With a few adjustments and help from a German-speaking friend, I corrected my mistakes and got a more accurate translation.

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NEW! Step 5: Use AI Tools to Translate German Fraktur Faster

Here’s where AI can speed things up. AI-powered tools are now capable of reading Fraktur directly from images, making it easier to translate older newspaper text without manually typing each letter.

How to Use AI for Translating Fraktur Text:

Choose an AI OCR Tool: Some AI-powered Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools can detect and convert Fraktur text directly from images. Try Transkribus, an advanced transcription platform often used by historians. They offer a model specifically trained on Fraktur that converts it to digital text.
Upload Your Image: Save your newspaper clipping as a clear image. Upload it to Transkribus or another Fraktur-trained OCR tool.
Generate Text and Translate: Once the OCR tool extracts the German text, you can copy it and paste it into Google Translate to convert it into English.

Using AI isn’t just a time-saver; it’s a game-changer for translating historical records that have long been challenging to access.

Give This Method a Try!

I know that translating Fraktur newspaper articles can seem intimidating. But with these steps and a bit of patience, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can start reading your German ancestors’ stories.

If AI tools aren’t perfect or you get funny translations, don’t be discouraged. Learning to recognize Fraktur letters can still be a valuable skill. Keep refining your transliterations and use AI as a backup until you feel more confident.

And hey, if you discover any interesting stories about your family or community, let me know!