Peter Haas wrote: ..... Additionally, if anyone knows a bit of
history as to when/how this fancy handwriting got started, what it
is called, and why it seems to have "died out", this might be of
general interest to the list.

I suggest you read this article about Kurrent:

http://www.waldenfont.com/content.asp?contentpageID=3D8

This sentence is of particular interest as it links to the
decree banning Kurrent: "In 1941 ..., Hitler ordered a complete
reversal of existing policy and issued a curious decree, declaring
Fraktur and Kurrent to be of Jewish origin....

The decree is signed by Bormann and states that "Antiqua-Type
is henceforth designated as Standard Type" [as of 1 March 1941].

Celia Male - London, U.K.