diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7f98e9142..45d52e6ab 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ generate-page: repo/assets
 	sed -i 's/_nsprefix_ = None/_nsprefix_ = "pc"/' $(GDS_PAGE)
 	# hack to ensure child nodes also have pc: prefix...
 	sed -i 's/.*_nsprefix_ = child_.prefix$$//' $(GDS_PAGE)
+	# hack to get #698: auto-inheritance of attributes and TextStyle
+	patch -p1 < ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.build.inherited.patch
 
 #
 # Repos
diff --git a/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py b/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
index 08857445f..78d2c3419 100644
--- a/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
+++ b/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 from six.moves import zip_longest
 import os
 import sys
+import copy
 import re as re_
 import base64
 import datetime as datetime_
@@ -3898,27 +3899,27 @@ def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
         if value is not None and 'id' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('id')
             self.id = value
-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
         if value is not None and 'primaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('primaryLanguage')
             self.primaryLanguage = value
             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.primaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
             self.primaryScript = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
             self.secondaryScript = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.secondaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
             self.readingDirection = value
             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('production')
             self.production = value
@@ -4399,27 +4400,27 @@ def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
         if value is not None and 'id' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('id')
             self.id = value
-        value = find_attr_value_('language', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('language', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
         if value is not None and 'language' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('language')
             self.language = value
             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.language)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
             self.primaryScript = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
             self.secondaryScript = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.secondaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
             self.readingDirection = value
             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('production')
             self.production = value
@@ -4858,12 +4859,12 @@ def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
                 self.symbol = False
             else:
                 raise_parse_error(node, 'Bad boolean attribute')
-        value = find_attr_value_('script', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('script', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
         if value is not None and 'script' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('script')
             self.script = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.script)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('production')
             self.production = value
@@ -13918,6 +13919,22 @@ def build(self, node, gds_collector_=None):
         for child in node:
             nodeName_ = Tag_pattern_.match(child.tag).groups()[-1]
             self.buildChildren(child, node, nodeName_, gds_collector_=gds_collector_)
+        if not self.TextStyle and self.parent_object_.TextStyle:
+            self.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.parent_object_.TextStyle)
+            self.TextStyle.parent_object_ = self
+        if self.TextStyle:
+            for line in self.TextLine:
+                if not line.TextStyle:
+                    line.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
+                    line.TextStyle.parent_object_ = line
+                for word in line.Word:
+                    if not word.TextStyle:
+                        word.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
+                        word.TextStyle.parent_object_ = word
+                    for glyph in word.Glyph:
+                        if not glyph.TextStyle:
+                            glyph.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
+                            glyph.TextStyle.parent_object_ = glyph
         return self
     def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
         value = find_attr_value_('orientation', node)
@@ -13934,12 +13951,12 @@ def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
         if value is not None and 'leading' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('leading')
             self.leading = self.gds_parse_integer(value, node, 'leading')
-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
             self.readingDirection = value
             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('textLineOrder', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('textLineOrder', node) or self.parent_object_.textLineOrder
         if value is not None and 'textLineOrder' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('textLineOrder')
             self.textLineOrder = value
@@ -13963,22 +13980,22 @@ def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
             already_processed.add('align')
             self.align = value
             self.validate_AlignSimpleType(self.align)    # validate type AlignSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
         if value is not None and 'primaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('primaryLanguage')
             self.primaryLanguage = value
             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.primaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryLanguage', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryLanguage
         if value is not None and 'secondaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('secondaryLanguage')
             self.secondaryLanguage = value
             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.secondaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
             self.primaryScript = value
             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
+        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
             self.secondaryScript = value
diff --git a/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.build.inherited.patch b/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.build.inherited.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afdf438d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.build.inherited.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+diff --git a/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py b/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
+index 98111b0c..2ad8e9e4 100644
+--- a/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
++++ b/ocrd_models/ocrd_models/ocrd_page_generateds.py
+@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
+ from six.moves import zip_longest
+ import os
+ import sys
++import copy
+ import re as re_
+ import base64
+ import datetime as datetime_
+@@ -3944,27 +3945,27 @@ class TextLineType(GeneratedsSuper):
+         if value is not None and 'id' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('id')
+             self.id = value
+-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
+         if value is not None and 'primaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('primaryLanguage')
+             self.primaryLanguage = value
+             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.primaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
+             self.primaryScript = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
+             self.secondaryScript = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.secondaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
+         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
+             self.readingDirection = value
+             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
+         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('production')
+             self.production = value
+@@ -4453,27 +4454,27 @@ class WordType(GeneratedsSuper):
+         if value is not None and 'id' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('id')
+             self.id = value
+-        value = find_attr_value_('language', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('language', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
+         if value is not None and 'language' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('language')
+             self.language = value
+             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.language)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
+             self.primaryScript = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
+             self.secondaryScript = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.secondaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
+         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
+             self.readingDirection = value
+             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
+         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('production')
+             self.production = value
+@@ -4920,12 +4921,12 @@ class GlyphType(GeneratedsSuper):
+                 self.symbol = False
+             else:
+                 raise_parse_error(node, 'Bad boolean attribute')
+-        value = find_attr_value_('script', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('script', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'script' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('script')
+             self.script = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.script)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('production', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('production', node) or self.parent_object_.production
+         if value is not None and 'production' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('production')
+             self.production = value
+@@ -14332,6 +14333,22 @@ class TextRegionType(RegionType):
+         for child in node:
+             nodeName_ = Tag_pattern_.match(child.tag).groups()[-1]
+             self.buildChildren(child, node, nodeName_, gds_collector_=gds_collector_)
++        if not self.TextStyle and self.parent_object_.TextStyle:
++            self.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.parent_object_.TextStyle)
++            self.TextStyle.parent_object_ = self
++        if self.TextStyle:
++            for line in self.TextLine:
++                if not line.TextStyle:
++                    line.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
++                    line.TextStyle.parent_object_ = line
++                for word in line.Word:
++                    if not word.TextStyle:
++                        word.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
++                        word.TextStyle.parent_object_ = word
++                    for glyph in word.Glyph:
++                        if not glyph.TextStyle:
++                            glyph.TextStyle = copy.copy(self.TextStyle)
++                            glyph.TextStyle.parent_object_ = glyph
+         return self
+     def buildAttributes(self, node, attrs, already_processed):
+         value = find_attr_value_('orientation', node)
+@@ -14348,12 +14365,12 @@ class TextRegionType(RegionType):
+         if value is not None and 'leading' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('leading')
+             self.leading = self.gds_parse_integer(value, node, 'leading')
+-        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('readingDirection', node) or self.parent_object_.readingDirection
+         if value is not None and 'readingDirection' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('readingDirection')
+             self.readingDirection = value
+             self.validate_ReadingDirectionSimpleType(self.readingDirection)    # validate type ReadingDirectionSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('textLineOrder', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('textLineOrder', node) or self.parent_object_.textLineOrder
+         if value is not None and 'textLineOrder' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('textLineOrder')
+             self.textLineOrder = value
+@@ -14377,22 +14394,22 @@ class TextRegionType(RegionType):
+             already_processed.add('align')
+             self.align = value
+             self.validate_AlignSimpleType(self.align)    # validate type AlignSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('primaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryLanguage
+         if value is not None and 'primaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('primaryLanguage')
+             self.primaryLanguage = value
+             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.primaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryLanguage', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryLanguage', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryLanguage
+         if value is not None and 'secondaryLanguage' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('secondaryLanguage')
+             self.secondaryLanguage = value
+             self.validate_LanguageSimpleType(self.secondaryLanguage)    # validate type LanguageSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('primaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.primaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'primaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('primaryScript')
+             self.primaryScript = value
+             self.validate_ScriptSimpleType(self.primaryScript)    # validate type ScriptSimpleType
+-        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node)
++        value = find_attr_value_('secondaryScript', node) or self.parent_object_.secondaryScript
+         if value is not None and 'secondaryScript' not in already_processed:
+             already_processed.add('secondaryScript')
+             self.secondaryScript = value