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I have a large number of old books in Fraktur (mostly Lutheran theology). I read so much more German in Fraktur that I find it easier to follow than the Latin script. It always amazes me that there are a good number of Germans who cannot read it at all. My wife (who also is well-versed in Fraktur, as well as the old German "saw-tooth" cursive) has had a number of German-speakers ask her to transcribe Fraktur to modern script. I mean, sure, it's different. Some of the capitals are especially strange, and there are a few more ligatures, but it's not that hard.


Hey, we number theorists still use fraktur all the time! Prime ideals in Dedekind domains are usually denoted with fraktur letters.


Similar story here: I have a lot of c.18 and older antiquarian theology texts that feature the long s. Most of mine are in English, though.


I agree it's not that hard - I don't even speak German and I had no trouble reading the Fraktur samples I found on wikipedia.


Ever watched both parts of "Die Nibelungen Saga" silent movie version from 1924 by Fritz Lang? After 4.5 hours reading these old letters you will hate them ..




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