The type has Old Style qualities, but short ascenders and very short descenders as well as calligraphic and Fraktur influences.

Belwe Roman was originally cast by the Schelter & Giesecke Type Foundry in text, medium bold, and bold weights.

It was popular enough for all four original weights and styles to be reissued.

[2] A digital version, also simply called Belwe, was released in 1989 by ITC.

Another version, Belwe EF, is made by Elsner+Flake.