German Scripts, from Kurrent, to Sütterlin, Rudolf-Koch-Kurrent (Offenbacher Schrift), and Koch-Hermersdorf-Schrift have their beginnings in the 16th Century, when the precursor to Kurrent was taught by writing masters. It was characterised by the traits of penmanship, which the use of quills or specially-nibbed pens afforded. As it was inconvenient for beginners, Sütterlin followed, especially for use in schools. Koch Kurrent was later presented as an aesthetically-pleasing, but easier to write version of the earlier form of handwriting.
This article gives a general appreciation of the German script; without repeating what has been done elsewhere, gives suggestions on how to decipher the letters, for which reason the practical examples included will not have been neatly written; and ends with a section dedicated to the development of the German style, in which some comparisons are made to other forms of lettering – inevitable, as their geneses are intertwined. Whether this article is to be used for pleasure, academic or genealogical purposes, by including a translation, this resource is thus accessible to those researchers who have the Teutonic language as their mother tongue, and those who know English and have the necessary knowledge of the former.