Birth Certificate (taufschein) c. 1940

Curator: What a lovely example of fraktur! This piece, circa 1940, is titled *Birth Certificate (taufschein)*, and the materials employed are drawing in watercolor on paper, seemingly printed initially with ink and then decorated by hand. Editor: My first impression is that this feels incredibly fragile, yet somehow enduring. The colors are muted and the paper looks aged, suggesting both the passage of time and its potential precarity against forces threatening its existence. Curator: Indeed, fraktur is interesting, as these birth and baptismal certificates are traditionally associated with Pennsylvania Dutch culture. But, look closely; the lettering appears Gothic and references locations that are not consistent with Pennsylvania Dutch communities, which complicates a straightforward categorization of the piece. The drawing almost emulates that of printed editions yet includes imperfections characteristic of homemade objects. Editor: Right, so let’s consider the historical context. This was made around 1940; a period marked by global conflict and persecution. If this document isn’t from Pennsylvania, then who made it, and where? I imagine someone preserving their cultural heritage in a time of immense upheaval, and possibly creating new forms of recording, in the process—gesturing to its historical and community roots. Curator: I see what you mean, as it also blurs boundaries between print and handcraft—the base design probably originated from printed material that then someone painted with soft colours using watercolors. Considering the potential limitations placed on people during that historical moment in time may tell us something about accessibility to materials too. Editor: The symbols feel so central. The hearts and blossoming plants at either side appear almost as a defiant embrace of love, fertility, and nature against forces attempting to dehumanize. Curator: Yes, I am intrigued. While unsigned, it suggests the potential impact and social power associated with recording names, place and time for the families in question, during these politically turbulent times. I'm glad we could spend time analyzing the labor embedded into its crafting, the potential access to tools, as well as historical placement! Editor: Likewise! This has offered me much to ponder. Thinking about identity, heritage and persistence are so relevant when looking at a seemingly decorative hand made ‘certificate’ such as this!