Can you really read this, German speakers?

[Alatriste]

http://books.google.com/books?id=rWsIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:von+inauthor:Plotho&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_brr=0&hl=es#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Carl von Plotho, 'Der Krieg des verbündeten Europa gegen Frankreich im Jahre 1815'. My already poor eyesight is screaming and dying trying to decipher the orders of battle! If you happen to possess a copy of Albert A. Nofi's book on Waterloo, you will see how he tried to decipher them... and failed; Winzingerode, for example, became 'Minzigerd'. And I don't blame him, mind you... 

Now, I'm curious. Is this font so difficult for you as it is for us non-Germans?

[Syt]

Yes, I can. I learnt it mostly from Asterix VI, where they are in the lands of the Goths who all speak in Gothic fonts. I have some old books printed in that kind of lettering, though usually some non-German words (e.g. Ottoman rulers' names, some Latin words etc.) are in "normal" Latin font.

[Syt]

First two paragraphs:

An die bereits erschienen drei Theile des Krieges, in den Jahren 1813 und 1814, schließt sich dieser Band, als virter und letzter Theil über den Krieg des verbündeten Europa gegen Frankreich im Jahre 1815 an, und mit ihm ist mein unternommenes Werk vollendet.

Die großen militairischen Begeneheiten der drei historisch unvergeßlichen Jahre (mit Beschränkungen, welche in dem beigegebenen Vorwort des ersten Theils enthalten), habe ich erzählt, und stehe am Ende des glorreichen Zeitabschnittes.

I can read it fluently these days.

[Syt]

P.S.: Early 19th century German was beautiful, and I wish people would still use it.

[Syt]

And browsing through the online text I'd say that Nofi should have gotten help in reading this. If he failed at deciphering this he should not study those texts in the original as, to be honest, it's pretty plain and legible once you know it.

[Alatriste]

Yes, I can. I learnt it mostly from Asterix VI, where they are in the lands of the Goths who all speak in Gothic fonts. I have some old books printed in that kind of lettering, though usually some non-German words (e.g. Ottoman rulers' names, some Latin words etc.) are in "normal" Latin font.

Ah, yes, I remember Asterix VI (in Spain at least the title was 'Asterix and the Goths'). I read it easily, but I was much younger & the text was translated into Spanish... I wonder if they used this font or a generic 'Germanic' font - I'm going to check it.

[Syt]

Yes, I can. I learnt it mostly from Asterix VI, where they are in the lands of the Goths who all speak in Gothic fonts. I have some old books printed in that kind of lettering, though usually some non-German words (e.g. Ottoman rulers' names, some Latin words etc.) are in "normal" Latin font.

Ah, yes, I remember Asterix VI (in Spain at least the title was 'Asterix and the Goths'). I read it easily, but I was much younger & the text was translated into Spanish... I wonder if they used this font or a generic 'Germanic' font - I'm going to check it.

It was "Asterix und die Goten" in German. Now that you mention it, the German version also had subtitles - which is probably how I picked it up early on.

I have among other things a two-volume Brockhaus Encyclopedia from 1910 (2000 pages) and that one alone makes it worth it.

[Duque de Bragança]

Yes, I can. I learnt it mostly from Asterix VI, where they are in the lands of the Goths who all speak in Gothic fonts. I have some old books printed in that kind of lettering, though usually some non-German words (e.g. Ottoman rulers' names, some Latin words etc.) are in "normal" Latin font.

Ah, yes, I remember Asterix VI (in Spain at least the title was 'Asterix and the Goths'). I read it easily, but I was much younger & the text was translated into Spanish... I wonder if they used this font or a generic 'Germanic' font - I'm going to check it.

It was "Asterix und die Goten" in German. Now that you mention it, the German version also had subtitles - which is probably how I picked it up early on.

As in the original French edition.

[Zanza]

I can read Fraktur. It takes a minute or two to get used to it again, but then it's just like any other text.

[Zanza]

Sütterlin is a pain in the ass to read though.

[Syt]

Sütterlin is a pain in the ass to read though.

Oh yeah. A (deceased) friend of the family used to write her cards/notes in that shit. I think she was born in 1902?

[DontSayBanana]

Sütterlin is a pain in the ass to read though.

As Syt said, it makes for some awful handwriting.

[Hansmeister]

Oh yes, I have an original collection of Felix Dahn books "Ein Kampf um Rom" that I read as a child, though I think I was the only kid in school that could read it.  It is much prettier than modern writing.

[syk]

Fraktur is easy to read. Handwritings from that era, usually before Sütterlin was introduced, are a major pain in the butt. Doing a bit of genealogic research and I really hate to decipher it.

[The Brain]

I can read Fraktur. It takes a minute or two to get used to it again, but then it's just like any other text.

Same here. How anyone who actually tried could "fail to decipher" it is beyond me.