FAQS

Questions and Answers

WHAT SERVICES AND RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ME AT GERMANOLOGY UNLOCKED?

Transcription and translation of your German letters, diaries, church records, vital records, photographs, postcards, newspapers, and more
Online German Handwriting Course: interactive, self-paced, life-time access
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”.

Translation time depends on the length of your project and my current work load. Time required for translation will be stated with your quote.

WHAT ARE YOUR RATES?

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.

HOW CAN I SEND DOCUMENTS TO YOU?

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.

WHAT ARE YOUR PAYMENT POLICIES?

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.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME?

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
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

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me here. I look forward to working with you – you are what makes my job so special!

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.

Carol