All caps without the capital ẞ
The rules for capitalization have evolved throughout the 20th century. In the German orthography of 1901, the Eszett was replaced in uppercase by the combination of „S“ and „Z,“ resulting, for instance, in „Preußen“ being written as „PREUSZEN“ in all caps. However, over the course of the 20th century, the substitution with „SS“ became increasingly prevalent. This shift is reflected in the spelling rules of the West German Duden. Shortly before the spelling reform of 1996, the use of „SZ“ in uppercase was only allowed in exceptional cases, where substituting it with „SS“ could lead to confusion. For instance, „Masse“ was capitalized as „MASSE,“ but „Maße“ as „MASZE.“
The East German editions of the Duden from 1969 and 1984 mandated differentiation between „SZ“ and „SS“ only in cases of potential misunderstandings. Otherwise, the use of „SS“ was recommended, as seen in examples like „STRASSE“ and „ERDGESCHOSS.“
Historical Family and Street Names – HS, SS, SZ, and ẞ
In the context of historical family and street names, the treatment of specific letters like „HS,“ „SS,“ „SZ,“ and the capital letter „ẞ“ has evolved over time. The substitution of the Eszett with other capital letters, especially in proper names, can lead to potential misunderstandings. The name „WEISS,“ for instance, could be interpreted as both „Weiß“ and „Weiss,“ while the name „LISZT“ could be read as both „Lißt“ and „Liszt.“ A historical example of this is Stefan Großmann, who, in 1911, used the spelling „GROHSMANN“ on his letterhead. Given these diverse approaches, mixed case typesetting has emerged as an additional option where the Eszett is not replaced by other letters.
In mixed case typesetting, the name „Weiß,“ for example, is transformed into „WEIß“ in uppercase. This practice has been employed since the 1980s in the non-machine-readable section of German passports and ID cards, especially when the name is represented in uppercase. Care is taken to ensure a correct reproduction of the „original spelling.“ In the machine-readable section, however, the „ß“ is still replaced by „SS.“ In current German ID cards (as of 2022), the capital ẞ is already utilized in the machine-readable section.
The letters ß and ẞ in an international context
According to the Austrian Passport Authority, a sharp „s“ (ß) is registered as „ß,“ and there are no indications for the use of the capital ẞ. In the case of using ß in the first or last name, an official note in the passport can be provided in German, English, and French, stating that the sharp „s“ (ß) is equivalent to the double „s“ (ss).
The two different spellings of the same name can lead to confusion, especially abroad. Austrian identification documents may include an explanation of German special characters in languages such as German, English, and French, highlighting the equivalence of „ß“ and „ss.“ Additionally, Deutsche Post AG recommends retaining the Eszett when filling out forms in uppercase, a recommendation that was made by the Duden even before the introduction of the capital ẞ.
The use of the letter „ß“ in the German language indeed poses certain challenges, particularly in an international context. The rule that „ß“ is replaced by „ss“ when it is not available in the font aims to ensure readability and facilitate information exchange. This is crucial in regular written communication and when using computers, such as in emails, word processing programs, or booking tools.
However, this practice gives rise to issues, especially with place and family names, as it may lead to incorrect spellings. This becomes particularly apparent when using identification documents internationally. Individuals with „ß“ in their names, as well as those with umlauts, often encounter difficulties in correctly representing their names or experience misspellings.
Another challenge arises when software or fonts used internationally do not support the „ß.“ In such cases, the „ß“ is often automatically replaced by „ss,“ potentially leading to distortions. This issue is relevant not only in digital communication but also in printed materials intended for the international market.
The difficulties associated with the „ß“ highlight the reliance on standardized spelling in international communication within a globalized world. However, this reliance can result in the loss of cultural nuances and complicate the accurate representation of names. Striking a balance between preserving linguistic peculiarities and the necessity for an internationally comprehensible writing system presents an interesting challenge.
Links
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Großes_ß
