Fraktur symbolism included religious and secular images that might men one thing to one person and something entirely different to someone else, the basis really only known in the mind of the artist (which could have been pointed, or mere whimsy, or simply matched his or her artistic skill level).  

On occasion neither printer nor artist had a hand in symbol choices, particularly in the event of the traveling artist where the client dictated what designs they wanted on a personalized document, as shown in the modern parrot birth certificate design above.  The original black and white template was crafted for a little girl already born and into her toddler years.  She loves marigolds and helps her mother plant peas every spring.  The mother asked that both marigolds and peas appear on the certificate.  I then used the template to show you how I turned the same birth certificate into a genealogy history piece.  As such, the certificate carries several common symbols found in fraktur -- the parrot stands for messages, communication, announcement and fashioned after the native parakeet of North Carolina or the parrot shown in European motifs), Hearts (love), Marigolds (success), ripe Pea Pods (Family Unity, Abundance, and the Garden of Life), the Lotus (spirituality), the Crown (success), and the Five-Pointed Star Hex Sign (luck and good fortune).  That's what these symbols meant to me when I drew them.  Someone else might claim these symbols mean something entirely different with a more religious twist substituting the Crown of Success for the Crown of Glory and the Hearts of Love for the Heart of God and so forth.  Like I said -- it is all in the eye of the beholder.  Notice in the example that I used the Fraktur font style.  The infant's name was actually Samuel Cornelius Baker; but, someone could make a future transcription error, thinking the name reads:  Samuel Corneliuf Bater because of the Fraktur font style.  The debate then lies within yourself -- do you try to stay historically accurate to render your pieces closer to the originals, or do you change the font style for future accuracy in transcription?

Fraktur Information

What information can be seen on Pennsylvania German (used here as a subgroup name that includes those German-speaking immigrants that moved into other states) frakturs?  Fraktur art wasn't all about birth or baptismal certificates -- indeed, this paper art form included a broad range of topics from fliers (broadsides), to Bible inserts, to spells and charms, and more.  It is also interesting to note that several surviving birth and baptismal certificates show Classical Astrological information, including the time of birth and what someone thought might be important -- the midheaven sign, the all-important moon sign, or even the ruling planetary hour.  In Classical Astrology (that used before our modern methods) -- your sign of birth was not your sun sign; but your rising sign, which can lead today's researchers astray when trying to understand the significance of some astrological information on fraktur art, particularly in studying the birth and baptismal certificates.  The Moon Sign, too, was considered highly significant.  For example, the sign the moon is in (Moon Sign) has always been important in Pennsylvania German activities from deciding when to plant, weed, and harvest daily crops, to preparing and preserving food, to making candles and practicing household chores -- cutting hair, buying and selling -- all had their specific good and bad times as equated by the moon sign.  It is not surprising, then, to find a fraktur birth certificate designed for a child born on 28 October 1762*, that indicates not the sun or the rising sign on the document -- but, the moon sign.  In this case, the child was born in the moon sign of Pisces in the planetary hour of Saturn (as shown on that birth certificate).  Where might the schrivner have found this information?  Either he cast the chart himself which would have been somewhat complicated, but not impossible -- or, he used the local almanac available at that time (more highly likely).  How do I know this information?  I double-checked the birth time by running a chart with modern astrological programming using a Classical astrological backdrop.  Why did I do it?  Because I was curious why the researcher wrote that the astrological signs were different from then as  compared to now.  This didn't make sense to me.  The signs are not different -- modern or classical -- they are still the same signs.  It was the researcher's explanation, however, for the October 1762 date not lining up with the sun sign information of today.  In this chart, the schrivner was not concerned with the sun or rising sign -- he wanted to make sure the Moon Sign and the Planetary Hour of Birth were recorded. 

*Note:  The Fraktur in question is part of the Collection of the Heritage Center Museum of Lancaster County -- gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith.

Why not add your own fraktur birth record or certificate to your 
collection of family documents!  After all, that's how history is made!  To download a black and white version of a Birth Record style with drop shadows (color type shown above) to color yourself -- click here.  To download a black and white version without drop shadow -- click here.  Please note that the traditional Fraktur font was not used in this black and white version as some of the letters are difficult to read.  These are .pdf files of my copyrighted artwork.  Historically, watercolors or paints mixed with egg/water blend were used to illuminate documents.  You might like to stick with watercolors, or work with markers, acrylics, or colored pencils.  Don't care for my designs or want to make your collection a totally unique expression of yourself?  That's okay, too!  I drew the images I used from studying current Fraktur research books; but, as you can see, the symbolism can be all your own.  After drawing the images I scanned them onto my computer and manipulated them with PhotoShop 9.  You may wish to use one of the other drawing software packages on the market.   

Marriage Records -- were either created individually or found within bookplate inserts found in many family Bibles of the era. 
Click here for a Marriage Record that you can color and add information to yourself.  Click here for the same design without the drop shadow effect.  Historically, many marriage certificates like this one do not exist as marriage was not a sacrament among Lutheran and German Reformed denominations, who felt that church records should suffice.  Today, many individuals who are building their present-day genealogy place great importance on the marriage records both for legal and family
historical reasons.

Fraktur Document Types & Terms

An incredible number of document types fall under what is collectively called "fraktur".  Here is a brief list of various documents and other applicable terms, along with their German names to clear any confusion as you do your own research on the subject.  Most of the documents listed fall under the broadside category.  The broadside is a filer, often printed on one side only (but, not always) and first appeared in printed form somewhere around the year 1575. 

Andenken -- Memorial for the deceased.
Ausfullers -- Individuals who filled out forms (filler-outers).
Belohnung --A reward of merit, usually a small illustration made
by a teacher for a student.
Bilderbogen -- picture sheet.
Blatt -- leaf or sheet of paper.
Brief -- letter or epistle.
Buecherzeichen -- Bookplate.
Einblattdruck -- single sheet print (broadside or flier)
Ein Briefs -- Letters from God. (Ein Brief so von Gott selbst geschriben). 
Familienregister -- Family Record.
Feuersbrief -- Fire Charm.
Flugschrift -- Pamphlet.
Frakturschreiber -- Fraktur writer.
Frakturschriften -- Fraktur writing.
Geburtschein -- Birth Certificate.
Geistlicher Irrgarten -- Spiritual Labyrinth. (Religious text written
in a pattern of circles, squares, etc., much like a labyrinth.)
Handzettel -- handbill or hand paper.
Haus Segen or Haussegen -- House Blessing.
Himmelsbrief (singular) -- Letter of Protection.
Hinkender Bote -- Limping Messenger - a broadside correction.
Hochdeutsch -- the language of the Pennsylvania Germans
Lesezeichen-- Bookmark.
Starb -- Died.
Taufschein -- Baptism certificate.
Taufwunsch (Taufpatenbrief), Taufzettel) -- European Letter given to child's parents by the sponsors at the child's baptism.  These documents did not catch on well in America.
Trauschein -- Marriage certificate.
und so weiter -- "and so on" -- often added if a particular biblical passage or well-known poem did not fit entirely on the fraktur.
Vorschrift -- Writing sample by a schoolmaster or Fraktur artist.

Above is an illustration of two commonly used fonts styles used by German-American printers -- the Leipzig and the Schwabacher.  These fonts and many other fraktur styles can be downloaded for free from various internet sites for your own use.  Just search for Fraktur Alphabets or Fraktur Fonts, then choose the site you feel is the most responsible.  Remember that often the letters "k", "s", "w", "v", and "y" are difficult to read and have caused more than one genealogical transcription error.  More Americanized-English versions of the fraktur alphabet can also be found where the style is less confusing and may be more to your artistic taste as shown in the .pdf Birth Record available for your download convenience.

Research on the net provides a delightful array of material regarding Pennsylvania German Fraktur.  Try these great links for more information!

http://antiquesandthearts.com/archive/frak.htm   -- provides the best article on the net to date, authored by Corinne and Russel Earnest.  Entitled Fraktur -- Folk Art and Family, you'll find an easy to read, entertaining, and informational piece on the roots, purpose, and popular motifs. 

http://www.frakturweb.org/ -- is a website dedicated to Fraktur constructed by Joel Clemmer.  This site contains an introduction, historical research material, Fraktur types, and special topics.  Thesite takes a scholarly look at Fraktur and mentions debates and contentions of various historians.  The site features searchable indexes of over one thousand fraktur artists and about seven hundred citations to the literature of fraktur.

http://www.schwenkfelder.com/Museum_Fraktur.htm  -- Official site of the Schwenkfelder Museum, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the religious group called Schwenkfelders and the history of southeastern Pennsylvania and the Perkiomen Region. This article focuses on notable Schwenkfelder artists and shows a distinctively stunning illustration by D. Kriebel (1787-1848).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells -- explanation of an Illuminated Manuscript -- showing the most well known European type -- the Book of Kells -- a collection of manuscripts created in Ireland from the late 6th to the early 9th century. 

Sources for this Page

Earnest, Russel & Corrine, "Flying Leaves and One-Sheets -- Pennsylvania German Broadsides, Fraktur, and Their Printers", New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Books, 2005.

Focht, Harry A., "Geburts und Taufscheine:  Illuminated Pennsylvania German Birth and Baptismal Certificates", The Perry Review, Volume 20-23, New Bloomfield, PA: Perry Historians, 1995-1998.

Hartung, Ruthanne, "Fraktur -- Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Learning the Craft", Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2008.

Kauffman, Henry J., "Pennsylvania Dutch American Folk Art", New York, N.Y.: Dover Publications, Inc., 1964 edition.

Above referenced websites.