Understanding Meyers Orts – Translating Guide for the Directory of the Towns and Places of the German Empire; Compiled by Fay S. Deardon; 2013; 8.5x5; Spiral Bound; 20 pp; ISBN: 9781933194899; Item # FR0198

The book is a guide to reading Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexicon, which was published in 1912, andis a gazetteer of the Old German Empire., covering about 200,000 places. The gazetteer is extremely useful, but it’s very difficult to read, as it’s written in old Gothic German. The Meyers Orts set of three volumes is available elsewhere on this website, and also at Ancestry.com for those with subscriptions covering the entire world.

This small booklet is made up of the following:

• An introduction to the importance of Meyers Orts.
• Examples of the Gothic typeface used in Meyers Orts and how it differs from other Gothic alphabets.
• How to Read Meyers Orts Entries – with examples, and sample translations
• Common Abbreviations Used in the Meyers Orts Gazetteer – these make up the bulk of the booklet.

Book Review

"Understanding Meyers Orts “