The Hobbit in German

[Jayne]

I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia in German and finding it very helpful.  Reading a familiar story allows me to read at a higher level of German than I otherwise would.  I am nearing the end of the Chronicles and thinking about what to read next.  Some discussion on the forum made me think of The Hobbit. 

Should I be looking for a particular German translation or would anything I found be around the same?  With the Chronicles I was given a set and did not need to select it myself.

[TerrorDæmonum]

Should I be looking for a particular German translation or would anything I found be around the same?

1962 or earlier?

But seriously, I would think Der Kleine Hobbit either has a definitive translation or a highly appropriate one, as the work is under the control of people who care about the integrity of the story. I highly doubt you'll have to worry about the language (the speakers of that language, on the other hand...).

The main thing I had in selecting a Hobbit was getting the size, form, and extras that I wanted, so, if there are many choices equally available to you, I'd recommend getting the one that has the "other stuff" that matches your tastes, space, and other books according to what you care about.

[Heinrich]

Since you are so smart, borrow your brother's Latin copy and translate into German yourself.

[Jayne]

Heinrich, why do you have to turn everything into an opportunity for a nasty comment?  How is this appropriate Catholic behaviour?

[Heinrich]

Heinrich, why do you have to turn everything into an opportunity for a nasty comment?  How is this appropriate Catholic behaviour?

I am sure your P man has a thread reminding us that hyberbole is wrong.

[TerrorDæmonum]

Rhetorical use of hyperbole has its place.

If Der Herr der Ringis too juvenile for you, Der Kleine Hobbit surely is even more so. However, reading juvenile books such as The Hobbit, The Little Prince, etc, in a language one is learning is a good way for people to practice, especially if they are familiar with the story in one's L1.

I'm not specifically familiar with the German version of this story, but I am familiar with the story and how the editions have been published. The translation or translations if more than one are probably all quite fine.

[Vox Clara]

Should I be looking for a particular German translation or would anything I found be around the same?

1962 or earlier?

You can just make it under the wire. The Hobbit wasn't published in German until 1957.

From Aleteia:

Read J.R.R. Tolkien's response to a Nazi-allied publisher who asked for proof of his "Aryan descent"

Zelda Caldwell - published on 02/19/22[/img]

The author refused to publish 'The Hobbit' in Germany until 1957.

In 1938, shortly after the author J.R.R. Tolkien published his first novel, The Hobbit, he was approached by a publisher in Berlin about coming out with a German edition of the successful book.

Germany had just invaded and annexed Austria, and the world was beginning to get an idea of the scope of Hitler's ambitions. Allied leaders didn't yet know that wheels were already in motion to annihilate the Jewish population, but laws persecuting Jewish people had been on the books in Germany since Hitler took office in 1933. In the first six years of his dictatorship, more than 400 anti-semitic laws were enacted. German authorities sought an "Aryanization" of Jewish businesses, in which Jewish people were prevented from earning a living, and their property was turned over to non-Jewish Germans.

When the publisher, Rütten & Loening, wrote to Tolkien asking for proof of his "Aryan descent," he responded with a sharp-worded letter, bristling with sarcasm, but clear in its denunciation of Nazi racist policies. Here's the letter he wrote:

25 July 1938
20 Northmoor Road, Oxford
Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.

I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and

remain yours faithfully,

J. R. R. Tolkien

The letter was one of two drafts (the other did not mention the publisher's request). While it isn't clear which letter was sent, the deal did not go through. The Hobbit was not translated into German until 1957.

As Open Culture reported, three years later, Tolkien shared his contempt for the Nazis in a letter to his son Michael: "I have in this war a burning private grudge against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler. Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light."

[Heinrich]

Now publishers have a kosher gatekeeper.

[TerrorDæmonum]

Now publishers have a kosher gatekeeper.

The same company that publishes Tolkien in the USA also has published a translation of Mein Kampf. (HarperCollins Publishers LLC owns HMH.) If they are intending to promote a particular ideology that would be "kosher", they are very bad at it.

Anyway, being stereotypical on a thread about a children's book is probably not a good idea. Do you want to assist in the finding of a good German translation of The Hobbit, or do you want to make off comment commentary about the people who are discussing the topic or make even more off topic commentary about book publishers and particular ideologies?

[Hat And Beard]

I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia in German and finding it very helpful.  Reading a familiar story allows me to read at a higher level of German than I otherwise would.  I am nearing the end of the Chronicles and thinking about what to read next.  Some discussion on the forum made me think of The Hobbit. 

Should I be looking for a particular German translation or would anything I found be around the same?  With the Chronicles I was given a set and did not need to select it myself.

I love this idea, Jayne. I too am learning German, so I'll keep The Chronicles of Narnia/Tolkien in mind once I make it further along and need things to read. Have you already gotten a Missal or Bible? They're both obvious choices so I'm betting you have. I've ordered a Missal that's Latin-German, and am looking at what's a good German Bible to purchase. Allioli Bible seems to be the recommendation, but I haven't found it in print, just online or antiques. I realize now that I've taken for granted how high regard English speakers have for the Bible historically and assumed German would be more of the same: it does not seem that's quite the case in Germany.

[Jayne]

Vox Clara, thanks for sharing that story about Tolkien.  Although he died in 1973, before the traditional Catholic movement as we know it was established, he shared our sensibilities.  You have probably heard this story from his grandson:

I vividly remember going to church with him in Bournemouth. He was a devout Roman Catholic and it was soon after the Church had changed the liturgy from Latin to English. My Grandfather obviously didn't agree with this and made all the responses very loudly in Latin while the rest of the congregation answered in English. I found the whole experience quite excruciating, but My Grandfather was oblivious. He simply had to do what he believed to be right...

I got the above from a lovely Angelus Press article on Tolkien's Catholic faith: https://angeluspress.org/blogs/tradition/professor-tolkien-goes-to-mass-what-the-author-and-scholar-saw-that-others-dismissed

Supposedly Tolkien learned German as a child, but unfortunately did not do his own translations of his works. That would have been ideal. There is a story that he read Swedish well enough to object to various errors in the first Swedish translation of LotR.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translation_of_The_Lord_of_the_Rings_into_Swedish  At least, there doesn't seem to have been anything like that with the German translation.

[Jayne]

I love this idea, Jayne. I too am learning German, so I'll keep The Chronicles of Narnia/Tolkien in mind once I make it further along and need things to read. Have you already gotten a Missal or Bible? They're both obvious choices so I'm betting you have. I've ordered a Missal that's Latin-German, and am looking at what's a good German Bible to purchase. Allioli Bible seems to be the recommendation, but I haven't found it in print, just online or antiques. I realize now that I've taken for granted how high regard English speakers have for the Bible historically and assumed German would be more of the same: it does not seem that's quite the case in Germany.

I've gotten Bibles in other languages that I've studied, but not a German one yet. I don't think my language level is good enough yet. From your description, maybe I should just get a Latin-German  Missal, once I get past children's books.

[TerrorDæmonum]

From your description, maybe I should just get a Latin-German  Missal, once I get past children's books.

Try Kafka or Goethe.

I had a German Bible once. It was old though, and I got it for the Blackletter printing and its age. It was a Luther Bible. I sold it off long ago, but it was neat.

The vocabulary of Missals and theological works can be a little atypical for learning a language, so unless there is more of such works to read, it might be better to get native German texts.

[Jayne]

Try Kafka or Goethe.

I had a German Bible once. It was old though, and I got it for the Blackletter printing and its age. It was a Luther Bible. I sold it off long ago, but it was neat.

The vocabulary of Missals and theological works can be a little atypical for learning a language, so unless there is more of such works to read, it might be better to get native German texts.

Kafka and Goethe do not appeal to me at all.  I also rarely read English literature.  I prefer light reading in any language. 

From what I can tell, Krimis (detective fiction) are the most popular fiction genre among Germans.  While it is not my favorite, I would probably like it better than famous literature.  It all sounds depressing.   

[TerrorDæmonum]

It all sounds depressing.   

You just need a German sense of humour.

(If you find one, let us know.)