FAQS
Questions and Answers
- Transcription and translation of your German letters, diaries, church records, vital records, photographs, postcards, newspapers, and more
- Reading the Old German Handwriting Online Course: Learn to read the words of your ancestors! (Transcription)
- German for Genealogists Online Course: Learn to translate the words of your ancestors! (German language)
- The Magic of German Church Records Book: Learn to extract your ancestor’s information from church records without speaking German.
- Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting Book: Learn a genealogy translator’s tricks of the trade for working with the old German handwriting.
- Premium Membership: Get help with your tricky handwritten words on your German records once a week in Katherine Schober’s live “office hours”.
- Research: As I do not do research, please check out my partner Legacy Tree Genealogists. Germanology community members receive $50 off select projects at the link here.
Translation time depends on the length of your project and my current work load. Time required for translation will be stated with your quote. Contact us here.
Rates are on a per hour basis. Please e-mail your document to me for an exact quote (see below for e-mailing instructions). I transcribe and translate approximately 275 handwritten words per hour. Rates are flexible and vary according to turnaround time and amount of specialization involved. Documents with fewer than 250 words are subject to a minimum fee.
Documents can be sent using Wetransfer.com to the e-mail address: to katherine_schober@germanologyunlocked.com. They can also be sent directly to the e-mail address, although WeTransfer is helpful for multiple or large documents.
A small deposit fee is required to hold your spot on my project list. The remaining payment is due upon completion of the project. Payment is accepted via PayPal (small PayPal fee), Venmo, or Zelle bank transfer (no fees).
- Venmo: Click Here
- PayPal : Click Here (client is asked to pay the ca. 3% fee PayPal charges)
- If you would prefer to pay by Zelle, please contact me for details.
- A clear copy of the text to be translated (please ensure that I am able to zoom in on the file – this means it must be scanned in high resolution – at least 375 DPI)
- The entire page that your record is on. By sending the entire page (and not just a cropped image of your ancestor’s record), this helps me to get a better idea of that particular person’s handwriting and provides more context for the document itself)
- If an entire page of records, an indication of the record you would like translated (either by marking it on the actual document or describing it in your e-mail, e.g. “the second to last record on the left page”).
- The purpose of the text and whether it is for publication
- When you need the translated text returned, if urgent (may be subject to a rush fee)
- Names of previously-researched people and/or towns related to your document (I will always double-check everything, but having any context beforehand can be very helpful with handwritten documents)
For more information, see 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Genealogy Translation. I look forward to working with you!
What Clients Are Saying:
Katherine transcribed several handwritten German documents dating from the Second World War for me, and it was truly a pleasure to work with her. Thanks to her skill in deciphering the texts, I’ve learned a great deal about my family history, and she was particularly thorough in researching the places and names included in the text. Katherine is professional and resourceful with a great eye for detail – exactly as a good translator should be – and I would not hesitate in recommending her.
Thank you for getting the translation to me. As I expected, they are perfect. You can always tell that the translation is done by a professional.
Thank you so much for doing my translation, I am thrilled to pieces and this afternoon I am going to send it off to all the family here in England and in Germany. How you translated that writing I just don’t know, but I suppose if you study languages it perhaps becomes a little easier! Many thanks again, I am so delighted. And isn’t it interesting!
Katherine’s devotion to her craft shows throughout her website and in her work. She transcribed and translated some mid-1700’s handwritten documents about my ancestors, and deciphered a real puzzle of a word along the way. I feel a kind of fluidity and ease in reading her translations, and her footnotes are unusually informative with insights and explanations while still being concise. Katherine is also very professional in the ‘project management’ aspects of reaching agreement on the wo…
After my parents passed away, I discovered a letter written to my grandfather in 1930 from a nephew who lived in Germany. (My grandfather had immigrated in the 1890s). Because the letter was handwritten and in German, it was impossible for me to make out many of the letters/words; therefore, I looked for a way to get it translated. When I searched for someone reputable, I came across the website for SK Translations and after debating for a long time about the expenditure, as well as, dealing …
Thank you for these amazing translations! I never dreamed so much additional information was hidden in those records, such as Wendtlandt being an organist, the ringing of the bells (I was a music major and enjoyed those bits of information), and the emergency baptism. These are examples of facts and events that make a family story real – and I know that my husband’s family will be surprised and glad to learn of them. I now realize how much I’m missing when I look at these old records. Ancestry o…
I highly recommend Katherine to anyone looking for accurate, expeditious, and highly professional translations. Katherine went the extra mile to ensure an accurate translation of my German university records. She even contacted my educational institution in Germany to ensure the proper interpretation of obscure abbreviations throughout the document. Stellar work.
So happy to finally receive a translation!! You don’t know how hard and long I tried to find someone capable. The places named in the letter will be so helpful in my genealogy search.
Great job. You have unlocked a mystery. The relationship between Ignatz and Mathaus was unclear until now. Thanks.
It was a pleasure working with you Katherine. I appreciated your rapid response to my requests. The German and English versions of all the documents were perfectly formatted down to the tiny letters on the bottom of the pre-printed baptismal certificate which identified the printer. Thank you.