Does anyone read Sütterlin?

[ObKrieger]

Thank you for all of the time you have put into helping us, Andreas. We all really appreciate it.

If you are ever in Erie, let me know, and I will buy you an appreciation gift. haha

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Sorry; but I'm afraid I have to disappoint you.

Please allow me to explain why I won't attempt to tackle this letter or several others that have been posted before by various members:

Being born decades after they stopped teaching Sütterlin, I never learned it systematically - the way one would learn it in school or in a proper course - but eventually self-taught myself to decypher it. Although I obviously never actively used it myself, I can now read it more or less well, although not really fluently. It's always a slow and rather tedious process for me to make out text in Sütterlin; sometimes, if the handwriting is bad, it is all but impossible.

Added to the decyphering work is the translation work, and that is difficult and slow business, too, if one wants to do it well and accurately. (Which is the only way I will do it; I hate "hack jobs".)

Now I fully understand that collectors who acquire documents want to know what they say and I am always happy to help, but I really have to draw the line somewhere.

A postcard, a brief message, some text on the back of a photograph or captions in an album is one thing, but doing a multiple-page field post letter would literally mean hours of work for me. (And all too often those letters contain only private matters of little to no historical interest.)

So, meaning no offense whatsoever: Please understand that I reserve the right to chose which documents I will attempt to read and translate and that I generally don't do long letters.

Hope you understand.

Well said. Too few around here bear too great burden with too little thanks.

[tempelhof]

often true. here and in many other venues.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

often true. here and in many other venues.

Bravo.

[Wagriff]

Andreas's talent is quite extensive and is always appreciated. He is a Life Member of this Forum not for nothing! I think, of all the members I've seen here, he has actually Helped the most people with their problems of all of them. The sheer amount of time he has spent answering the questions of total strangers to explain their questions to them is, beyond question, vast. If he is fortunate, he is rewarded for his efforts with a brief "Thank you!". An actual and rare to see Selfless individual who expects and looks for no reward despite having expended considerable time and effort. How many of this type do you see around? This Forum is fortunate indeed to have such a member.

[DioMac]

Hi guys, just an update that I have commissioned a professional translator lady to do the translation work for $80, a good price.

I hate to put a monetary value on Andreas's contributions to the forum, but it might give some newbies an idea of the effort he puts in.

I'll post it when I get it