Creating beautifully illuminated German manuscripts and section
headings in hand written books was a popular Mennonite art form.  
This art form was called Schönschreiben.  At left is page from such
a book created between 1830 and 1835 by Johann Reimer who
came from the Russian Mennonite village of Blumenort.  The
illuminated pages are subject or chapter divisions in a hand copied
book on mathematics.

Here are several examples of his work:
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Here is a book about Schönschreiben:

Ethel Ewert Abrahams, Frakturmalen and Schönschreiben, The Fraktur Art
and Penmanship of the Dutch-German Mennonites While in Europe
1700-1900. North Newton, Kansas: Mennonite Press, 1980

Here is a link to another examples of Schönschreiben:

The Prayer Book of Johann Kliewer from Franzthal , 5 Nov.1873
located at Bethel Collage, North Newton Kansas