Sommerkurs Paläographie
12th Summer School Palaeography. Latin Handwriting
From 31 August to 11 September 2026, the 12th summer course “Palaeography. Latin Handwriting” will take place at Heidelberg University.
The end-of-course pictures from previous courses can be found below. Here you can find information about the 12th summer course:
Contents
The course focuses on Latin script (from its beginnings to the 20th century) and teaches its fundamentals. Questions relating to the history of writing are discussed using traditional and modern approaches. Participants acquire confidence in dating and localising medieval manuscripts and develop reading skills covering two millennia of writing.
The main form of organisation is the exercise: individual plates are read together, results are confirmed in plenary sessions, and methodological approaches and literature are discussed. The exercise is flanked by work on originals and events in which special topics in palaeography and recent research findings are presented. The language of instruction is German.
Application
Please apply with a brief CV, in which you also indicate your combination of studies. We also ask for a short statement explaining your interest in the event (no more than one page in total in your native language). Students at Heidelberg University should apply without a CV, but with a short letter of motivation.
Please send your application to:
mittellatein@uni-heidelberg.de
The deadline is 31 May 2026.
We would be delighted if you could spread the word about our summer course. You can download posters and leaflets below.
All participants will receive an ungraded certificate. It is also possible to obtain two graded course certificates (8 ECTS).
The course is offered free of charge. Travel and accommodation must be organised and financed independently.
Feedback on the 7th summer school:
“Historical overview of writing forms from late antiquity to modern times and concrete 'tools' for working with and on the same; balanced ratio of active participation and frontal teaching; very high commitment and professional expertise of all lecturers; excellent organization; interesting selection of participants from all subjects, semesters and countries and creation of a collaborative atmosphere.”
"The course is relevant not only to students of Medieval Latin, but to the humanities as a whole, in the fields of literature, culture, and linguistics, as well as history, art history, and archaeology. That courses on palaeography are not offered at many universities is to be regretted. All the more, the summer course represents a valuable professional and didactic exception, which should definitely be maintained and promoted."
