View Full Version : Can anyone translate German please?
I have recently come into possession of three very old postcards, all of which are written in German.
If anyone is able to read this first one, which is the most legible of the three and was written to my great grandmother by a member of her husband's family, then I would be thrilled.
The other two are quite faint and will probably need to be studied by someone at close hand.
http://herefordshirechurches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/postcard.jpg
My German isn't up to much (haven't read any since 1972!!!) and I find the handwriting quite difficult.
It starts of with thanks but I can't manage any more, sorry!
ElizabethHerts
24-07-11, 08:17
Sally, I have had a good look and have saved the image and enlarged it. I can make out some words, but unfortunately not enough to make much sense. The handwriting is horrendous and doesn't enlarge well.
Many thanks for .. 16th and 22nd May.
better ... on Anne ... doctor (?)
Therese is mentioned, and Uncle Adolf ... Sternberg.
evening ... with
The writer mentions his rheumatism (!) with the word "better" but I can't make out the phrase before "better".
Also "Mama Köllicher".
I'm trying to write out the German to make sense, but so far I have far more gaps than words. :(
Anstey Nomad
24-07-11, 11:13
What horrendous writing - I think that's the issue rather than the content!
I agree with what Elizabeth has come up with and there are a few more bits, eg I think the 6 July is in there somewhere, but that writing is awful!
AN
Thank you all for your efforts, and yes the writing is not good is it! It's a shame, because the other two cards have absolutely beautiful almost copper plate writing, but are very faded being extremely old.
Anstey - the content could well contain nuggets of fascinating information to add to my history write up!
Thank you again
Anstey Nomad
24-07-11, 19:04
I meant that the problem is that we can't read it, not that we can't translate it!
AN
:d I see what you mean!
I just feel so lucky to have these treasures, and hope that one day all three cards will be fully translated. One of them is dated 1877 and another 1888....both from my great grandfather to my great great grandfather and my grandfather (who was at school in Switzerland at the time) respectively.
The one to Switzerland has "Union Postale Universelle" at the top, and the one to Germany has "Foreign Post Card", for countries included in the....and the next bit is obliterated by the date stamp.
Joan of Archives
24-07-11, 21:16
I can read & understand the first line, then nothing, it's scribble lol! I can tell you it was sent from Argentina, Buenos Aires though :rolleyes:
Thanks Joanie.........I got that bit myself!!:D
Mary from Italy
24-07-11, 22:29
The writer mentions his rheumatism (!) with the word "better" but I can't make out the phrase before "better".
I think it's "my rheumatism is [???] much better".
Mary from Italy
24-07-11, 22:33
Many thanks for .. 16th and 22nd May.
Could it be "Vielen dank für deine Geburtstagswünsche zum..." (many thanks for your birthday wishes)?
I know it doesn't look exactly like that, but his writing's awfully scrawly. I suppose the fact that it's followed by two dates doesn't make sense, though.
ElizabethHerts
25-07-11, 07:04
Could it be "Vielen dank für deine Geburtstagswünsche zum..." (many thanks for your birthday wishes)?
I know it doesn't look exactly like that, but his writing's awfully scrawly. I suppose the fact that it's followed by two dates doesn't make sense, though.
That was my initial thought too, Mary, but I discounted it because it really doesn't look like it. It says "-wünsche", though. (Wishes, as Mary said)
Mary from Italy
25-07-11, 09:19
Hoffentlich ist Therese [???] gekommen.
(maybe?)
ElizabethHerts
25-07-11, 09:28
You could be right, Mary.
I wouldn't have known that the "H" of "Hoffentlich" was a capital H!
I hope Therese arrived ....
ElizabethHerts
25-07-11, 09:41
The writing up the right-hand side looks like:
".... zum Geburtstag"
on (your) birthday
ElizabethHerts
25-07-11, 09:45
Does the phrase at the bottom after the part on rhuematism say "... auf ...en Morgen kalt."?
It really looks like too many letters for "Morgen".
Maybe you need an old handwriting expert to tell you the letters and then get a translation!
maggie_4_7
25-07-11, 11:32
It needs transcribing and then a translation!
Thank you all for your efforts with this, I appreciate it.
Re the possible birthday wishes for the writer Ernest - he was born 2nd March 1873 so his birthday was quite some time prior to the card which was dated 14th June. Still, he was in Buenos Aires on business and had been for some time so you never know.
Mary - thank you! So now I know that he suffered with rheumatism:d
Mary from Italy
25-07-11, 20:51
I wouldn't have known that the "H" of "Hoffentlich" was a capital H!
Well, I'm not at all sure.
But if it really is a capital H, then the sentence after Sternberg possibly begins "Heute Abend" (this evening). although the A is different from the A in Aires and Adolf.
Just thought that I would post an update!
A copy of the postcard was send to a friend's friend in Germany who said that the language is very very old fashioned, and the script is archaic - only the older german generation would be able to read it.
It was passed on to the older generation, and hey presto!! No problems at all:d
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