Translate an old German letter to English
A letter your family has kept for a century – but no one can read it, and a translation app is no help because the handwriting itself is unreadable. Readoldletters reads the old German script with AI and gives you the English text. Upload a photo below.
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Why an old German letter needs two steps, not one
If your ancestors wrote in German, you face two problems at once. First, the script: old German letters were written in Kurrent or Sütterlin, a handwriting so different from today's that even native German speakers can't read it. Second, the language: once the words are finally legible, they still need translating into a language you can actually read.
A normal translation app fails at step one – you can't translate what you can't read. Readoldletters does both in a single pass: it deciphers the handwriting and translates the result, so you go straight from a photo to readable English.
A real letter, translated
A German document from 1909. The AI reads the Kurrent script, translates it into English (or your own language), and recognizes the people, the date and what the document is about.
How to get the English text
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Upload a photo, scan or PDF of the letter – a single page or many.
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The AI reads and translates – you see the original German transcription and the translation (in English or your language) side by side, with uncertain words highlighted.
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Edit, save or export – correct anything with a click, then keep it in your library or download a clean PDF.
Have the letter in front of you?
Translate your first two pages free – no account needed.
Try two pages freeFrequently asked questions
How do I translate an old German letter to English?
Upload a photo or scan of the letter. The AI reads the old German handwriting (Kurrent or Sütterlin), writes out the transcription, and translates the text into English – or any of 16 languages you choose. You can edit anything and export it as a PDF.
Can it read the old script, not just modern German?
Yes – that is the whole point. The AI is built for the old German cursive (Kurrent, Sütterlin and mixed forms) that ordinary translation apps cannot read. It also handles Latin cursive and other languages.
I don't speak German. Will I understand the result?
Yes. You get the translation in English – or your own language – plus a short analysis – the people named, the date, the place and what the document is about. You never need to know German. Try it free in the live demo.
Can I translate several pages at once?
Yes. Upload multiple photos or a multi-page PDF and combine them into a single document. Each page is read and translated in turn.
Read what your ancestors wrote – in your language
Upload your old German letter and get the translation in seconds.