What is Fraktur?

Fraktur is a calligraphic hand of the Latin alphabet and a typeface that originated in Germany in the 16th century. It is characterized by its distinctive letterforms, which are designed to have clear beginnings and ends, making them stand out from the curves of other typefaces.

The word 'Fraktur' comes from the Latin word 'frāctūra', meaning 'a break', which refers to the way the letters are designed to have clear breaks between the individual strokes that make up each letter.

Fraktur is often contrasted with the Antiqua typeface, which has letters that flow together in a continuous fashion.

Fraktur is often referred to as 'the German typeface' because it remained popular in Germany and much of Eastern Europe for centuries, while other typefaces fell out of favor.

Key Facts

Fraktur originated in Germany in the 16th century.
It is characterized by its distinctive letterforms, which have clear beginnings and ends.
Fraktur includes the Eszett ⟨ß⟩, vowels with umlauts, and the long s ⟨ſ⟩.
Some Fraktur typefaces include a variant form of the letter r known as the r rotunda.
Fraktur was banned in Nazi Germany in 1941, but was unbanned after the war.
Fraktur is still used today in some contexts, such as in traditional German printing.
The first Fraktur typeface was designed by Hieronymus Andreae for Emperor Maximilian I in the early 16th century.
Fraktur quickly overtook the earlier Schwabacher and Textualis typefaces in popularity.

Full Explanation

Characteristics of Fraktur

Fraktur is a typeface that is characterized by its distinctive letterforms, which are designed to have clear beginnings and ends. This makes them stand out from the curves of other typefaces, such as Antiqua.

Fraktur includes the Eszett ⟨ß⟩, vowels with umlauts, and the long s ⟨ſ⟩. Some Fraktur typefaces also include a variant form of the letter r known as the r rotunda.

Fraktur was designed to be used in printing, and it quickly overtook the earlier Schwabacher and Textualis typefaces in popularity.

History of Fraktur

Fraktur originated in Germany in the 16th century, when Emperor Maximilian I commissioned the design of a new typeface for his printing press.

The first Fraktur typeface was designed by Hieronymus Andreae, and it was used in the printing of Maximilian's works, such as his Prayer Book and the illustrated Theuerdank poem.

Fraktur quickly became popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, and it remained a popular typeface for centuries.

Use of Fraktur

Fraktur was used in printing for centuries, and it was a popular typeface in Germany and Eastern Europe.

However, with the rise of Antiqua, Fraktur fell out of favor, and it was eventually banned in Nazi Germany in 1941.

After the war, Fraktur was unbanned, but it failed to regain widespread popularity.

History

Fraktur originated in Germany in the 16th century, when Emperor Maximilian I commissioned the design of a new typeface for his printing press.

The first Fraktur typeface was designed by Hieronymus Andreae, and it was used in the printing of Maximilian's works, such as his Prayer Book and the illustrated Theuerdank poem.

Fraktur quickly became popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, and it remained a popular typeface for centuries.

However, with the rise of Antiqua, Fraktur fell out of favor, and it was eventually banned in Nazi Germany in 1941.

After the war, Fraktur was unbanned, but it failed to regain widespread popularity.

Why it Matters

Fraktur is an important part of German history and culture, and it continues to be used today in some contexts, such as in traditional German printing.

It is also an important example of the evolution of typefaces over time, and it shows how different typefaces have been used in different contexts throughout history.

Fraktur is also an important part of the history of printing, and it shows how printing technology has evolved over time.

Fraktur: The German Typeface