Registration is required by April 9, 2026
You will receive a Zoom link and workshop materials by April 10, 2026.
REGISTER HERE
Some of the most challenging texts to decipher in the old German Kurrent script are personal documents, such as letters. Readers must not only learn unfamiliar characters but also adapt to individual handwriting styles, archaic vocabulary, varying literacy levels and—when it comes to content—a frequent lack of contextual information.
This workshop is designed for scholars, family historians, students, and anyone curious about Kurrent. You will learn how to decipher individual characters, words, and simple texts, even if you do not speak German. We will also discuss common structures and phrases found in personal documents that can help you better understand their content.
Mark L. Louden is the Director of the Max Kade Institute for German American Studies and the Alfred L. Shoemaker, J. William Frey, and Don Yoder Professor of Germanic Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Antje Petty is the Associate Director of the Max Kade Institute for German American Studies and has extensive experience working with documents in the old German script.
This workshop is sponsored by the Max Kade Institute for German American Studies with co-sponsorship by the Friends of the Max Kade Institute and the Wisconsin Historical Society.