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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: dklawson on Tuesday 17 July 12 10:47 BST (UK)

Title: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: dklawson on Tuesday 17 July 12 10:47 BST (UK)

Can someone please help with deciphering a short message from the back of the photo below? It is from my grandfather's collection, during his service in the U.S. Army during WW2. I believe this was taken in Germany, but I'm not 100% positive. He apparently had a romantic affair with one of the local residents. There are quite a few pictures in his collection of the woman second from right.

Thanks in advance,

-Dave

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Richard Knott on Tuesday 17 July 12 21:32 BST (UK)

The last word looks like 'alles' although the 'a' looks quite open. If other a's are the same, the second word might be 'waren'. There is evidence of an umlaut on the third word which could be 'fur'. Overall therefore it might say: (We) were for ? all'

R

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Annie65115 on Wednesday 18 July 12 13:48 BST (UK)

I used to have a penfriend in East Germany whose handwriting was very similar to this and I really struggled to read it.

I think the second line is a name - Christl Bre??

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: dklawson on Wednesday 18 July 12 15:31 BST (UK)

Thanks for the replies!

I should also mention that my grandfather's name was "Tom". I wonder if the second word from right on the first line is his name?

Also, I'm not sure where the woman in the picture was located. But I believe my grandfather was in Nuremberg at one point. Not sure if that helps.

Annie65115, I think you might be right about the given name on line 2. At first I though it was a middle initial "H", but "Christl" makes more sense. Maybe the surname name is "Brendl"?

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: baggygenes on Wednesday 18 July 12 15:44 BST (UK)

have you tried putting what you think might be the letters in to google translate - assuming of course the message isn't written in English

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Augustine on Wednesday 18 July 12 18:53 BST (UK)

They are the names of the 5 persons on the photo:
I Wuren (?) Jois Tom .lle. (Ellen or Alle. ?)

Chris? Brendt

I Lauren (?) Jois Tom .lle. (Ellen or Alle. ?)

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Nick29 on Thursday 19 July 12 12:11 BST (UK)

Quote from: rjknott on Tuesday 17 July 12 21:32 BST (UK)

The last word looks like 'alles' although the 'a' looks quite open. If other a's are the same, the second word might be 'waren'. There is evidence of an umlaut on the third word which could be 'fur'. Overall therefore it might say: (We) were for ? all'

R

'für alles' means 'for everything'

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Carrie Ann on Thursday 19 July 12 12:20 BST (UK)

something like,

with every good wish

I wish you the best of everything

probably not a literal translation if its a greeting?

Carrie

Title: Re: Help deciphering handwriting on picture from WW2
Post by: Nick29 on Thursday 19 July 12 12:36 BST (UK)

The problem is that there is no "I" in German - the German for 'I' is 'ich'. 

I think the first letter may be part of the second word (if you get what I mean) and the glue has obscured a couple of letters in that first word.

I'm also not totally convinced that the penultimate word is 'für'

Unfortunately my German isn't good enough to think of alternatives  :-\