DuitsNoordschrift

DuitsNoordschrift (Dutch for German Northern Script) is a label found in some Dutch-language discussions of historic Germanic writing. It is not a formal or widely accepted category in international paleography. In most scholarly contexts, Northern German handwriting is discussed under more specific terms such as Kurrent (German cursive) and Sütterlin, or within the broader category of Blackletter for printed forms like Fraktur. The term DuitsNoordschrift is therefore best viewed as a descriptive, nonstandard label rather than a clearly defined script family.

Usage and scope: When encountered, the term may refer to a range of scripts used in northern German-speaking areas from late medieval through early modern periods (roughly 14th–18th centuries), often in manuscripts, chancery records, and legal documents. These scripts typically exhibit a blend of Gothic groupings, formal bookhand features, and local regional variations, without a single diagnostic set of traits.

Relation to other scripts: Noordschrift variants are often grouped in Dutch literature with other Germanic scripts such as Kanzleischrift (court hand), Kurrent, and Fraktur, but the connections are loose and heavily dependent on regional practice rather than a defined standard.

Modern usage: In contemporary scholarship, DuitsNoordschrift is rarely used and is generally encountered only in limited, non-specialist discussions or translations. Most researchers refer to established categories when describing medieval and early modern German paleography.

See also: Kurrent, Fraktur, Sütterlin, Kanzleischrift, Blackletter.

References: Dutch-language paleography sources and discussions of script terminology.