Russian Paleography Seminar April 2020

The German/Slavic team at the Family History Library is excited to announce the Russian paleography webinar series which will take place April 13-17, at 1 p.m Mountain time each day. To join the webinar, please visit the FamilySearch Classes and Webinars calendar and at the appropriate time, please select the desired class which will open Adobe Connect. Please join the class 10-15 minutes before the webinar starts to ensure the sound is working properly.

In preparation for this seminar, please consider watching the following courses on the FamilySearch Learning Center: “Reading Russian Documents: The Alphabet” and “Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar.” You may also wish to read the “How to” instructions and work on the activity for these courses. The “How to” guides can be found here.

In last year's Russian paleography seminar, we discussed the alphabet, handwriting, and how to read birth, marriage, and death records. This time, we will focus less on record types and structures and focus more on paleography skills. We will spend some time reviewing challenging letters of the alphabet and putting into practice tips and tricks to help you decipher the handwriting. We will also discuss topics like names, dates, numbers, key words and abbreviations. Finally, we will learn how to read a revision list record, and practice your reading skills with real documents.

Check this wiki page for handouts, homework assignments and other important information.

Russian Paleography Seminar, April 2020 Handout
Download the Russian Paleography Seminar handout here. Refer to this handout throughout the week!

Daily Schedule
Below you will find the schedule for each day. Homework assignments or practice documents may be linked here.

13 April 2020: Deciphering the Handwriting Practice

 * The Russian Alphabet - Instruction, [[Media:Reading Russian Documents The Alphabet - Activity E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents The Alphabet - Answer Key E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - [[Media:Reading Russian Documents Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar Instruction E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf| Instruction]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - Activity E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf| Activity]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - Key E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]

14 April 2020: Deciphering Russian, Polish, and German Names Written in Russian
See the "Names" section on the Russian Paleography Seminar Handout.

Homework: Practice identifying the highlighted names. Choose between Russian, Polish, or German names written in Russian.

Russian: This document comes from a baptismal register of the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska. The names of the children are marked in yellow. Names of fathers are marked in blue while names of mothers are marked in red. Keep in mind the names of the father and mother are in genitive case, and will need to put back into nominative case. Check your answers by scrolling down to the "Answers" section on this wiki page. The image comes from here.

Additional Practice (more advanced):

For additional practice reading Russian names, practice reading the names found in these documents. Feel free to browse the images before and after. Answers are not available, but feel free to ask questions on the Russian Empire Genealogy page on FamilySearch Community. Learn more about how to join the FamilySearch Community here.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYZK-BKV?i=509&cat=136989

Polish: In this birth record, the child's name is marked in yellow, while the father's name is marked in blue and the mother's in red. The names are also written in Polish, but pretend as if they are only written in Russian. Use the resources under the "Polish Names Written in Russian" on the Russian Genealogical Word List page on the FamilySearch Wiki. Scroll down to the "Answers" section of this Wiki page to check your work. The image is found here.

15 April 2020: Dates and Numbers
Additional Practice (more advanced):

For additional practice reading Polish names written in Russian, practice reading the names found in these documents. Feel free to browse the images before and after. Answers are not available, but feel free to ask questions on the Russian Empire Genealogy page on FamilySearch Community. Learn more about how to join the FamilySearch Community here.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939X-CFSZ-JS?i=164&wc=9RB1-BZ3%3A21713001%2C23102901%2C23102902&cc=1407440

German: The following is a revision list record from the Volga German colony of Stahl am Tarlyk. Male names are marked in blue and female names are marked in red. Use the resources under the German Names Written in Russian section of the Russian Genealogical Word List Wiki page. The image can be found here.

15 April 2020: Dates and Numbers
Additional Practice (more advanced):

For additional practice reading Polish names written in Russian, practice reading the names found in these documents. Feel free to browse the images before and after. Answers are not available, but feel free to ask questions on the Russian Empire Genealogy page on FamilySearch Community. Learn more about how to join the FamilySearch Community here.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSSX-WHBN-9?i=795&cat=1460990

15 April 2020: Dates and Numbers:
See the "Dates and Numbers" section on the Russian Paleography Seminar Handout.

Homework: This is a Polish marriage registration document written in Russian. Identify the highlighted months, dates, and ages. Days of the month are highlighted in blue, names of months are highlighted in yellow, and the year is in green. The time is in purple and ages are highlighted in red. Once you have identified the dates, answer the following question: why are there two dates included in this document? After you have finished, check your work by scrolling down to "Answers" below. You can find the image here.

16 April 2020: Key Words, Common Vocabulary and Abbreviation
See the Key Words section on the Russian Paleography Seminar Handout.

16 April 2020: Key Words, Common Vocabulary and Abbreviations
See the Key Words section on the Russian Paleography Seminar Handout.

Homework: Use your handout to help you identify the highlighted words in these documents. Check the answers by scrolling down to the "Answers" section. Some words are repeated several times!

17 April 2020: Revision Lists
See the Revision List "How to" Guide or the Germans from Russia: Revision Lists "How to Guide.

17 April 2020: Revision List
See the Revision List "How to" Guide or the Germans from Russia: Revision Lists,"How to" Guide.

Deciphering Russian, Polish, and German Names Written in Russian
Russian: The answers read from left to right. Marks such as ъ and endings to female patronymics have been altered for clarity.

Iоанн, Иван Андреев Лодочников, Серафима Давидова

Елизавета

Георгий, Иван Александров Крюков, Марiя Петрова

Симеон, Иван Петров Верескин, Марiя Григорьева

Polish:

Father: Игнатiи Iохeньчик (Ignacy Jocheńczyk)

Mother: Ядвиги Каполя (Jadwiga Kapala)

Child: Петр (Piotr)

German: The answers read from top to bottom on the left page (males) and then top to bottom on the right page (females).

Гейнрих Якоб Фрис (Heinrich Jakob Fries)

Иоган Георг (Johann Georg)

Гейнрих Якоб (Heinrich Jakob)

Иог. Гейнрих (Joh. (likely abbreviation for Johann) Heinrich)

Георг Петер (Georg Peter)

Анна Маргарита (Anna Margarita)

Христина Маргарита (Christina Margarita)

Мария Катарина Вальтер (Maria Katharina Walter)

Мария Катaрина (Maria Katharina)

Dates and Numbers
двадцать второй января/четвертаго февраля (twenty-second January/fourth February)

тысяча девятсоть седьмаго (one thousand nine hundred and seven (1907))

одинадцать (eleven)

пятидесяти трех (fifty-three)

сорока двух (forty-two)

двадцати четырех (twenty-four)

двадцати двух (twenty-two)

седьмаго/двадцатаго (seventh/twentieth)

четырнадцатаго/двадцать седьмаго (fourteenth/twenty-seventh)

января (January)

двадцать перваго января/третяго февраля (twenty first of January/third of February)

Answer to question: Because of double dating! Both the Julian and Gregorian dates were recorded.

Key Words
First document: answers go from left to right

In

In

Village

Years old (years from birth)

years

Years old (years from birth)

Farmers

Village

Was born

Year

From his lawful wife

Born as/nee

Second document: answers start with the column on left and work from top to bottom, then to the second column, top to bottom.

First Column:

Religion

Village

Peasant

And his lawful wife

Priest

Peasant

And his lawful wife

Both

Priest

Second Column:

Daughter

Miaden

Village

Daughter Maiden