Envelope of Goethe’s letter to Antonie Brentano 8 September 1814 · Freies Deutsches Hochstift1
In 1814, Goethe set out for new horizons. He traveled to Frankfurt and the Rhine, turned to Persian poetry, practiced writing Arabic, stayed with friends, made new ones – and fell in love, again. Out of this came the West-Eastern Divan, poems still read around the world today. From these years, his handwriting survives in Latin script – in poems, letters and envelopes like the one shown here.
The Goethe handwriting font grew out of these pages, held today by the Freies Deutsches Hochstift in Frankfurt. Before a single letter was drawn, Goethe’s hand was learned the way one learns to write: with pen and paper, following how he moves the pen, where he lifts it, how one letter flows into the next. Every letter in the font is built on this writing movement. It is an early release that keeps growing – new letters are added as the search continues, and every update is included in your Library Card.
17 Samples of Goethe’s Handwriting.
#1 „Schön und köstlich ist die Gabe…“ (05.03.1820)
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Schön und köstlich ist die Gabe…“ (05.03.1820), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 410; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 298]
#2 Sprich! Unter welchem Himmelszeichen…“ (8.1.1816)
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethes hand, „Sprich! Unter welchem Himmelszeichen…“ (8.1.1816), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. WA I, Bd.6, S. 287]
#3 Goethe to Antonie Brentano (8. September 1814)
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, Goethe an Antonie Brentano (8. September 1814), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/.
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Schön und köstlich ist die Gabe…“ (05.03.1820), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 410; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 298]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Sprich! Unter welchem Himmelszeichen…“ (8.1.1816), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. WA I, Bd.6, S. 287]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, Goethe an Antonie Brentano (8. September 1814), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/.
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Mir will es finster bleiben…“ (16.12.1815), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [VIII. Buch – Vgl. WA I, Bd. 6, S. 173]
Envelope from HS-8904.
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, »Übermacht, Ihr könnt es spüren…« (26.07.1814), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch des Unmuts. – Vgl.Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 327; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 99]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Lieblich ist des Mädchens Blick, der winket…“ (26. July 1814), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch der Betrachtungen. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 317; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 70] (ehemalige Willemer-Leihgabe)
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Ein Spiegel, er ist mir geworden…“ (27.10.1815), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch Suleika. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 367; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 193 und 429] (ehemalige Willemer-Leihgabe; digitalisiert)
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Ungezähmt so wie ich war…“ (27. Mai 1815), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch der Betrachtungen. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 323; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 88 ]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Ein Spiegel, er ist mir geworden…“ (1814-1820), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/.
Envelope of Goethe’s letter to Antonie Brentano 8 September 1814 · Freies Deutsches Hochstift1
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, Goethe an Antonie Brentano (8. September 1814), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/.
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Mich verwirren will das Irren“ (April 1825), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch des Sängers. – WA I, Bd. 6, S. 10]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Ob ich Ird’sches denk! und sinne…“ (April 1825), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Buch des Sängers. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 290; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 10]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Hudhud, als einladender Bote“ („Dich beglückte ja mein Gesang…“) (Dezember 1819), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 409; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 296]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Hudhud, als einladender Bote“ (Dezember 1819), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. („Dich beglückte ja mein Gesang…“) [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 409; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 296]
Original manuscript page in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s hand, „Hudhud auf dem Palmen-Steckchen…“ (Dezember 1819), Hochstift Frankfurt. It is one of the source pages for the Goethe Handwriting Font – https://handwriting.digital/library/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-1749-1832/. [Aus dem Nachlaß. – Vgl. Artemis-Ausgabe, Bd. III, S. 409; WA I, Bd. 6, S. 294] (ehemalige Willemer-Leihgabe, digitalisiert)
7 Characteristics of Goethe’s handwriting
Here are 7 examples3 showcasing Goethe’s handwriting characteristics.
The uppercase A is usually written in a pattern that can be described as: moving from left to right up and down, then back to the middle on the left and crossing left to right.
Most of the times the inked trace of movement is interrupted when going from the lower right back to add the A’s crossbar, but in some cases Einstein does not lift the pen (variation 1 & 3) or even does the movement in a weavy curly way (variation 1), just like with the capital E.
E – loops and loops.
The uppercase “E” is written in a beautiful curling movement – starting in the upper left, through multiple loops, ending with a final loop on the lower right before connecting to the next letter.
singuH Variation 2 “Hauptaufgabe” (engl. main task)
“weavey” H. The uppercase “H” is written in a beautiful weavey pattern. Note the little variations in the upper left.
All variations of the letter H in the font.
All variations of the letter S in the font.
S — curly and elongated. The examples show the sources for S variation 2 & 4. “Singularität(en)” translates to Singularity. Source: AR, page 10 & 20.
S Variation 2 “Singularität” (engl. singularity)
vergrössern (engl.: enlarge)
aussenden (engl.: emitting) ss-Variation 3
The double-s, not ß — a Swiss-German affair?
The font is based on samples created at a time when Einstein worked in Switzerland or later. In Germany, it was common to use a variation of the letter “s” called a long s (ſ). During our research no samples of long-s or ß appeared in his writing. To reflect this, if you enter the letter “ß” on a German keyboard, it will be rendered as a double-s.
More details on the double-s
In German handwriting, the regular “s” (as we use it today) was only used at the end of a word. When words ended with a double-s, this would be written as a long s (ſ) followed by a “regular” s, which eventually became a ligature ß and is now a recognized letter of the alphabet (only) in Germany. However, Switzerland decided to use only the “regular” s and abandoned the long s as well as the ß.
It is likely that during Einstein’s time in Switzerland, he adopted the Swiss style of using only the regular “s.”
Q, as in “Quantum” — I find it remarkable how the open right side of the letter Q resembles a capital G, while the downstroke is also quite significant.
G → Q
In this example (‘Gedanke’ (English: Thought)), we can observe the similarities between the capital G and Q. Occasionally, the Q connects to the next letter, similar to the G. The primary difference is the loop at the bottom being more or less pronounced.
It is usually difficult to find examples of the letter Q in handwriting samples because there are not many words that require a capital Q. However, in the case of Einstein, his manuscripts often referenced quantum theory (which is capitalized in German), so it was easy to find enough variations.
Download the Goethe Fonts
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The creation process is a unique method that focuses on the writer’s movement on paper. It is a four-step process:
Finding the right documents
Learning (understanding) handwriting
Creating the font
Benchmarking: font vs handwriting
In-depth
For a more in-depth view of the process, the multi-step creation process of this font is detailed with numerous examples in the accompanying PDF, “How was the font made?”, which you can download along with the font.
PDF, “How was the font made?”
Finding the right document(s)
A handwriting font requires multiple samples of every (lower- and uppercase) letter of the alphabet. I select a variety of manuscripts that represent the author’s hand and are interesting and relevant, providing insight into the author’s body of work and time.
Initially, I examine the movement and then replicate it by hand on paper to understand its features.
Creating the font
All variations of the letter E in the font.
I analyze the pen’s path and place tangents along the letter. A Bezier curve aligning along the tangents recreates the writing movement. The trail then extends to represent the pressure applied through a pen.
After the drawing is complete, it is placed in the font and tested to ensure it fits with the rest of the characters.
Improvising
There are many signs that the font needs to function today. Examples are the Number-sign or Hashtag #, or the @ symbol. Many of which were not used in Einstein’s time. The best way to go around these is to improvise them after drawing all letters.
Benchmarking: font vs handwriting
Creating an authentic handwriting font requires a careful and thorough process of comparing the digital version to the original analog document to ensure precision and capture the author’s unique style. On the left, you will see the original manuscript with the same text set in the font. Click the image to enlarge it for better visibility.
Resources on Albert Einstein’s Life, Work and Handwriting.
Online Einstein Archive
To learn more about Albert Einstein’s life and work, I recommend visiting the Albert Einstein Archive online. The archive (https://albert-einstein.huji.ac.il) is currently undergoing renovation, but the old website (http://www.albert-einstein.org) is still accessible. Additionally, a large collection of Einstein’s manuscripts is temporarily available online at (https://ein-web.adlibhosting.com/aea/search/advanced), where you can find handwritten letters, study notes, travel diaries, and more, offering an intimate view into his mind. Most of Einstein’s writing is in German.
A successful crowdfunding campaign Kickstarted the Albert Einstein Font. Launched in 2015, the release coincided with the centennial of the General Theory of Relativity. To learn more about this exciting project, visit Kickstarter.
Freies Deutsches Hochstift – Frankfurter Goethe-Museum, Hs-30338. The Goethe font is based on this and further manuscripts from the Hochstift’s collection; more sources will be listed here as the font grows. With sincere thanks to the Freies Deutsches Hochstift and the Deutsches Romantik-Museum for their kind support. More about this letter: Jahrbuch des Freien Deutschen Hochstifts 2011 (open access). ↩︎
Freies Deutsches Hochstift – Frankfurter Goethe-Museum, Hs-30338. The Goethe font is based on this and further manuscripts from the Hochstift’s collection; more sources will be listed here as the font grows. With sincere thanks to the Freies Deutsches Hochstift and the Deutsches Romantik-Museum for their kind support. More about this letter: Jahrbuch des Freien Deutschen Hochstifts 2011 (open access). ↩︎
![Envelope addressed in Goethe’s own hand, in flowing Latin script: “An Frau von Brentano geb. Edle von Birckenstock, Gnad., franc[iert]. Francfurt am Mayn” (To Mrs von Brentano, née von Birckenstock, postage paid, Frankfurt am Main).](https://handwriting.digital/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Library-Johann-Wolfgang-von-Goethe-2026-09-17-Hs-30338_003-Fundstucke.webp)
