A comparison of the American, Swedish, Danish

Transcrição

A comparison of the American, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Italian and German first
edition of Eine Frau in Berlin
I have forgone quoting the relevant passages in other language versions than German and English but
quoted the deviations in rough translation. The same applies to the deviations between the US and
German edition. I recommend comparing the passages with the new translation by Philip Boehm,
which is closer to the German first edition, as to better realise the sometimes dramatic changes that
had been made for the American first edition. When longer or complex passages are involved, I simply
refer to Boehm.
The Danish translation was based on the English translation. The Norwegian translation claims to be
based on the German manuscript but is identical to the English version for the most part. However, it
has been abridged by the Norwegian publisher and therefore deviates in particular ways from all other
translations. Not all deviations in the different editions can be ascribed to different versions of the
manuscript but rather to the natural changes that occur in the process of translation.
A feature that I haven’t listed each time is the name of former neighbours of the author, Herr and Frau
Golz in the American, Danish, Norwegian and German first edition, Herr and Frau Gr. in the Swedish,
Dutch and Italian edition. (Possibly Herr and Frau Gutschow with whom Marta Hillers lodged until
the bombing of the house.) The same applies to the different forms of date (in the American first
edition, for example, the year disappears and reappears at random, while in several other translations a
date was used twice now and then) as well as to some deviations in the tense (present – simple past).
A comparison of the different translations suggests at least five “phases” of the typescript:
1. The German original on which the Swedish, Dutch and Italian translation was based,
2. the English translation of that typescript by James Stern, on which the Norwegian translation
is possibly based,
3. the edited version of that translation for publication in the USA, which was also used for the
Danish translation,
4. the edited version of the German original for publication in German-speaking countries,
5. the edited version of the text of the German first edition for the new edition of 2003.
“ There have been,
Or I am much deceived, cuckolds ere now.
And many a man there is, even at this present,
Now, while I speak this, holds his wife by the arm,
That little thinks she has been sluiced in ‘s absence
And his pond fished by his next neighbor, by
Sir Smile, his neighbor
It is a bawdy planet, that will strike
Where ‘tis predominant, and ‘tis powerful, think it,
From east, west, north, and south. Be it concluded,
No barricado for a belly ”
1
The Winter’s Tale, Act I
German: missing
Swedish: missing
Danish: missing
Norwegian: present
Dutch: missing
Italian: missing
4 P.M., Friday, April 20, 1945
„Auf uns kommt’s nicht an, wir sind Neese.“
2
[Compare with Boehm. In his translation the passage reads: “’Nothing the likes of us can do about
it.’”, which is sort of a makeshift translation of the Berlin dialect expression “Neese”. The correct
translation should read along the lines of: “’We’re dispensable (to the powers that be), we are
nothing.’”]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: missing
Italian: missing
3
I can’t find any peace up here, keep pacing through the two rooms.
4
Ich finde keine Ruhe hier oben, trabe immerfort durch die drei Räume. [three rooms]
Swedish: three
Danish: two
Norwegian: two
Dutch: two
Italian: three
Which reminds me of something odd. While rummaging through the owner’s library of books here, I
5
opened a novel at random.
Beim Kramen in den kümmerlichen Buchbeständen des Hausherrn (ich fand auch die leere Kladde
6
dort, in die ich jetzt schreibe) klappte ich einen Roman auf.
[While rummaging through the host’s puny collection of books (I found the blank notebook there, in
which I am writing now), I opened a novel.]
Swedish: like German, but preceded by “Something funny.” [The original German sentence, omitted
in the book version, most likely read: “Etwas Komisches.”, which can translate both into “something
odd” and “something funny”.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “the small library of my colleague”
Dutch: like Swedish
Italian: like Swedish
Bread is an absolute value. So is coal, provided I can set fire to it.
8
7
Brot ist absolut. Kohle ist absolut. [Coal is an absolute value. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Friday, 7 P.M.
9
Freitag, schätzungsweise 19 Uhr.
10
[approximately 7 p.m.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Absent: the engineer from the second floor with wife and son.
Es fehlt der Ingenieur vom dritten Stock mit Weib und Sohn.
11
12
[third floor]
Swedish: third floor
Danish: second
Norwegian: third
Dutch: second
Italian: third
The overcrowding there must create a great strain – provided the Amis haven’t got there first.
13
Dort muß ein gefährlicher Menschen-Überdruck entstehen. Falls nicht auch dort schon die Amis sind.
14
Man weiß ja nichts mehr. [No one knows anything anymore, after all.]
Swedish: like German
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Italian: like German
2 A.M., Saturday, April 21, 1945
9 A.M. Back in the garret.
15
Neun Uhr früh, in der Dachwohnung. (Alle meine Zeitangaben sind über den Daumen gepeilt; soweit
16
kein Blick auf Uhren möglich, lebe ich zeitlos.) [ in the garret. (All my data on time are an estimate;
when I can’t look at a clock I’m living timelessly.)]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
On my way back from the Park Strasse I kept pace for a time with the streetcar; I couldn’t board it as I
17
don’t have the Class III permit.
Unterwegs bin ich neben der Straßenbahn hergelaufen. Einsteigen durfte ich nicht, da ich keinen
18
Ausweis III habe. [On my way I kept pace with the streetcar.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
1 A.M., Sunday, April 22, 1945
For the first time I grasp the meaning of the phrase “thunder of guns” – which until now I’d always
19
associated with bombastic terms like “the courage of a lion” and “the breast of a hero.”
Zum ersten Mal erfaßte ich das Wort „Kanonendonner“, das bisher so auf der Linie von „Löwenmut“
20
und „Heldenbrust“ für mich lag. [ which until now I’d associated with „the courage ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Italian: like US
9 A.M., Monday, April 23
By nature we women haven’t much appreciation of it, either. We’re sensible, practical, opportunistic.
We prefer men alive.
(And yet I wrote the above in my private shorthand, comprehensible to myself alone. We still bow to
21
the laws and threats of our time, although by now the arms of our government cannot reach very far.)
Von Haus aus haben wir Frauen auch wenig Sinn dafür. Wir sind vernünftig, praktisch,
22
opportunistisch. Wir sind für lebende Männer. [ We prefer men alive. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Only yesterday she left her (rather small) distillery behind the Moritz Platz where she had been
spending the nights with her husband. Now she has returned to her apartment and our cellar in order
23
to hold her fort.
Sie ist erst gestern aus ihrer (ziemlich kleinen) Likörfabrik hinter dem Moritzplatz, wo sie bisher mit
24
ihrem Mann übernachtete, zurückgekehrt, um hier die Stellung zu halten.
[Only yesterday she has returned from their (rather small) distillery behind the Moritzplatz where she
had been spending the nights with her husband to hold the fort here.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Noon, Tuesday, April 24
Dienstag, 24. April 1945, mittags
Strikes me that all these people dream of having one last good meal – a condemned man’s breakfast.
25
Incidentally, my period has started to the minute.
Mir scheint, daß all diesen Leuten der Traum vorschwebt, noch einmal, ein einziges, letztes Mal
26
gründlich sich satt zu essen, eine Henkersmahlzeit zu halten. [ a condemned man’s breakfast.
Rest missing]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Without thinking, I went to the balcony and basked for a while on a wicker chair until a formation of
27
bombers roared over me.
Ganz gedankenlos trabte ich zum Hofbalkon und schmorte auf meinem Korbstuhl eine Weile in der
28
Wärme – bis eine Serie flotter Koffer über mir wegsauste. [ until a series of quick suitcases
whistled overhead. =“Koffer” (suitcases) was a nickname for missiles, so a translator really had to
know his German to get this expression right!]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US, but “hits / shots” instead of “Koffer”
That’s the district of Wedding, old Communist neighborhood.
Der Rote Wedding, alte Kommunistengegend.
30
29
[The Red Wedding, old communist neighbourhood.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “Müllerstraße is in Wedding, the communist district.”
Dutch: “That is an old communist neighbourhood.”
Italian: “Il matrimonio rosso”, a very cute mistranslation. (English “wedding” = “matrimonio”.) How
this came to pass, I do not know. Italian translator Letizia Fuchs-Vidotto remembers without a doubt
to have worked with the German text.31
The kerosene lamp flickers. The tribe has a new member: The bookseller couple have brought down
32
their canary.
Die Petroleumlampe blakt. Die Phosphorringe, die in Augenhöhe um die Balken herum gemalt sind,
damit man im Dunkeln nicht dagegenrennt, geben einen grünen Schein. Wir haben Zuwachs gekriegt.
33
Das Buchhändlerpaar hat seinen Kanarienvogel mit heruntergebracht.
[The kerosene lamp flickers. The phosphor circles that have been painted around the beams at eye
level, so one does not bump into them in the dark, give off a green glow.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Afternoon, Wednesday, April 25
At about 1 A.M. I left the cellar, climbed up to the first floor and threw myself on the couch at the
34
widow’s.
Ich rekapituliere: Gegen 1 Uhr Nachts stieg ich aus dem Keller in den ersten Stock, haute mich wieder
35
auf der Couch bei der Witwe hin. [I recapitulate: ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Returned with buckets overflowing. At Bolle’s people were still fighting to get at the free butter.
36
Zurück die Viertelstunde Weg mit überschwappenden Eimern. „Wir sind alle hübsch lastbare
37
Eselinnen.“ (Von Nietzsche, glaub ich.) Bei Bolle immer noch Geschubse wegen der Gratisbutter.
[Compare with Boehm as to the full quote.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German [quote in German]
Italian: like German [quote translated]
11 A.M., Thursday, April 26
Crossing my feet under me in their wet socks, I began to think. Was what we had done sensible or
not? I don’t know.
It then occurred to me that during the battle with the water I hadn’t given a thought to my own garret.
Surely it too must have been affected by the direct hit. At the first lull I dashed upstairs to find the mess
38
I’ve already described.
Ich habe die nassen Söckchen unter mich geschlagen, mit den Füßen drin, versteht sich, und
überlege: War das nun vernünftig oder unvernünftig gehandelt? Ich weiß es nicht. Jedenfalls war es
soldatisch. Leutnantin Behn stürmte voran, ein Stoßtrupp von Freiwilligen folgte ihr und sicherte im
feindlichen Feuer unter Lebensgefahr die eigene bedrohte Stellung. (Von Teppich-Habsucht kann
keine Rede sein; die wenigsten der Mitgekommenen hatten direkt mit den schwimmenden
Wohnungen zu tun – sowenig wie z. B. ich.) Blindlings folgten wir dem Befehl, schonten nicht unsere
Haut. Bloß daß kein Lied, kein Heldenbuch so etwas festhält und daß keine Eisernen Kreuze dafür
vorgesehen sind. Eines weiß ich jedenfalls: Daß man im Kampfgedränge, im heftigen Tun und
Handeln, an gar nichts denkt. Daß man dabei nicht einmal Angst verspürt, weil man völlig abgelenkt
und aufgesogen ist.
Waren wir tapfer? Man nennt es wohl so. Ist Fräulein Behn, die Leitstute, eine Heldin? Als Leutnant
wäre ihr das EK gewiß. Also muß ich sogleich umdenken über Heldentum und Kampfesmut. Halb so
schlimm damit. Es reißt einen voran, wenn man einmal den ersten Schritt getan hat.
Typisch auch, daß ich im Wassergetümmel überhaupt nicht an die eigene Dachwohnung dachte und
erst von anderen darauf gestoßen wurde, daß sie vielleicht von dem Volltreffer etwas abbekommen
39
haben könnte. Ich flitzte hinauf – und fand den schon geschilderten Saustall.
[Compare with Boehm]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Matthias Sträßner suggests in his book that the soldierly German woman was probably omitted with
view to the American readers of 1954, making the German characters more sympathetic. There are
some other examples in the US first edition that support this theory. It does not explain, however, why
the author remembers her garret on her own in the US edition while having to be reminded of it in the
German edition.
“These are my things!”
40
I hang onto the can and make off with it into the next room.
„Das sind meine Sachen!“
41
Ich – mit meinen Sachen ab, zur Tür hinaus, in den Nebenraum. [I – off with my things, out of the
door, into the next room.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
My share: seven bottles of Burgundy, three bottles of herbs, one bottle of Steinhäger, four loaves of
42
bread, six packages of pease-meal which the baker generously allows me, and a can without a label.
Meine Beute: fünf Flaschen Burgunder, drei Flaschen mit eingemachtem Suppengrün, eine Pulle
Steinhäger, vier Kommißbrote, sechs Päckchen Erbsmehl, die mir der Bäcker von den seinen
43
großmütig überließ, und eine Konservenbüchse ohne Aufschrift mit Ichweißnichtwas. [five bottles of
Burgundy, three bottles of greens]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German
Dutch: like German
44
Several hours later, back in the cellar.
45
Etliche Stunden später, gegen 18 Uhr, wieder im Keller. [approximately 6 p.m.]
Danish: like US, but only: “in the cellar“
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Suddenly we see a sack already half filled and, without bothering to ask to whom it may belong, we
46
drag it up the stairs, along the street, into the house.
Wir stoßen auf einen Sack, schon halb gefüllt, fragen nicht, wem er gehört, zerren ihn mit uns,
47
treppauf, die Straßen entlang, nach Hause, aufwärts in den ersten Stock. [ home, up to the first
floor.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: only up to “home”. Rest missing.
Dutch: like Norwegian
48
In the house we fall wearily onto the sofa in the living room.
49
Hinauf in den ersten Stock. Wir hocken uns aufs Wohnzimmersofa. [Up to the first floor. We sit down
on the sofa in the living room.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Italian: like German, but including “wearily”
Finally the widow and I started out once again to the corner shop, the only one still functioning, to find
out if there’s any pudding powder left after yesterday’s bombing. The clerk, who is also the owner and
lives in the shop, spends his time running round asking his customers for pennies so as to be able to
50
give them the correct change.
Schließlich spazierten wir zu zweit los, um im Eckladen, dem einzigen, der noch funktioniert, nach
dem Puddingmehl zu schauen, in das gestern die Bombe fiel. Tatsächlich sind noch Kunden da, und
tatsächlich wird verkauft. Dies Puddingmehl hat einen aufgedruckten Pfennigpreis, ich glaube, 38
Pfennig. Der Verkäufer, der hier Inhaber ist und beim Laden wohnt, bestand darauf, jedem Käufer die
ihm zukommenden Pfennige herauszugeben, fragte draußen und drinnen herum, wer Kleingeld bei
51
sich habe und wechseln könne.
Swedish: wie German
Danish: wie US
Norwegian: wie US
Dutch: wie German
Italian: wie German
“With the greatest of pleasure, gnädige Frau,” replies Curtain Schmidt with a little bow.
„Aber bitte sehr, gnädige Frau“, säuselt Gardinenschmidt.
53
[
52
purrs Curtain Schmidt.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: “murmurs Schmidt”
Italian: like Dutch
Tired back, tired feet, one thumbnail broken off, the cut lower lip is burning. “What doesn’t kill me
54
makes me stronger.”
Lahmer Rücken, müde Füße, ein Daumennagel abgebrochen, die zerscherbte Lippe brennt. Es
55
stimmt doch: „Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker.“ [ It is true, after all: ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Friday, April 27, 1945, Day of the Catastrophe – written Saturday morning
56
Freitag, 27. April 1945, Tag der Katastrophe, wilder Wirbel – notiert Samstag vormittag
turmoil]
57
[wild
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
For the first time I told the cellar tribe hat I knew some Russian, that western Russia was one of the
dozen countries I had roamed through as a young girl painting and sketching. I’m afraid my Russian is
most primitive, just everyday language picked up while traveling. Nevertheless I can still count, I know
the days of the week, and I can more or less decipher the alphabet. I’ll now have a chance to learn
58
more. Practice will soon remind me of what I have forgotten.
Heute hab ich zum ersten Mal dem Kellervolk kurz gesagt, daß ich etwas Russisch kann; daß unter
dem von mir in jungen Jahren abgegrasten Länderdutzend sich auch das europäische Rußland
befand.
Mein Russisch ist simpel, ist reine Gebrauchssprache, unterwegs aufgepickt. Immerhin kann ich
zählen, kann ein Datum benennen und die Buchstaben lesen. Es wird mir rasch wiederkehren, nun,
59
da Übung winkt.
[Compare with Boehm; however, his line “a fact I’d been keeping to myself” is missing in the German
edition.]
Swedish: “that European Russia was one of the dozen countries I had roamed through in the course of
several years with camera and easel.” Rest like German
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “that Russia was one of the many countries in which I travelled as a young girl, with
brush and pencil.” Rest like US
Dutch: “that among the dozen countries that I visited in the course of several years, sketching and
painting, was European Russia.” Rest like German, but: “more or less read the alphabet”
Italian: like Dutch
“Who? The Russians?” I could hardly open my eyes.
60
“Yes. They’ve just climbed through the Meyers’ windows.”
„Wer? Die Russen?“ Ich bekam kaum die Augen auf.
61
„Ja. Soeben sind sie bei Meyer (dem Spirituosenladen) durchs Fenster eingestiegen.“ [They’ve just
climbed through the window at Meyer’s (the liquor store).”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Heavy guns rumble through the street which is bathed in early morning light. Through the broken
62
windowpanes the smell of gasoline is wafted into the kitchen.
Geschütze rasseln im frühen Tagesschein durch die Straße. Das Pflaster dröhnt. Durch die
63
zerbrochenen Scheiben weht Benzinduft in die Küche. [The pavement vibrates.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Joining two or three other women I emerge from the cellar and venture out to see what’s going on. A
gang of gay soldiers in the street. In our doorway a young fellow is busy cleaning a motorbike, an
64
almost brand-new German Zündapp.
Auf unserer Straße munterer Soldatenbetrieb. Zusammen mit zwei, drei anderen Frauen wage ich
mich vor, schaue dem Trubel zu. In unserem Torweg putzt ein junger Kerl ein Motorrad, eine fast neue
65
deutsche Zündappmaschine. [Inverted sequence of those two sentences]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
If denied, it is followed by the question as to whether one would like to “marry” a Russian, which in turn
is followed by clumsy banter.
66
While walking along the deserted green lane artillery shells sped over us in high curve.
Wenn nein, folgt die Frage, ob man nicht einen Russen „heiraten“ wolle. Woran sich plumpes
Geschäker anschließt.
Anfangs duzten mich die beiden. Ich wies das zurück, sagte, daß ich meinerseits sie ja auch nicht
duze. Wir gingen den öden grünen Weg entlang. Über uns flogen im Bogen die Geschosse der
67
Artillerie.
[At first, the two addressed me with „du“. (=German familiar form of address) I rejected that, said that I
didn’t address them with “du”, either.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Reeling from prop to prop, he moves his army flashlight slowly from face to face, in all about forty,
holding the beam of light now and again a little longer on one woman’s face, then another’s.
68
The cellar tribe slowly freezes.
Er taumelt von Balken zu Balken, leuchtet mit einer Stablampe die Kellergesichter ab, wohl vierzig an
der Zahl, läßt den Lichtkegel zuckend auf Frauengesichtern verweilen.
69
Der Keller gefriert. [The cellar freezes.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “We’re trembling with fear.”
Dutch: like German
She had managed to escape her pursuers, but now she doesn’t dare return to the cellar, nor does she
dare go up to her fourth-floor apartment since German guns have not yet ceased firing. She is also
70
afraid that “they” might find her there alone.
Sie ist aus dem Keller herausgerannt, konnte den Kerlen entwischen. Nun traut sie sich nicht in den
Keller zurück, traut sich ebensowenig in ihre Wohnung vier Treppen hoch hinauf, da ab und zu von
71
deutscher Seite Artilleriebeschuß. Sie hat auch Angst, daß die Kerle ihr nach oben folgen könnten.
[ that the guys might follow her upstairs]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but: “that they might follow her upstairs”
Dutch: like German
Italian: like Norwegian
Round her stand three Russians, one of whom is trying to pull her by the arm out of the deck chair in
which she is lying, another one pushing her back when she is halfway out of it. Meanwhile the three
72
men carry on a rapid conversation, evidently quarreling.
Drei Russen stehen neben ihr. Mal zerrt der eine am Arm der im Liegestuhl daliegenden Frau, mal
stößt der andere sie, die hoch will, wieder auf den Sitz zurück. Es ist, als sei sie eine Puppe, ein Ding.
73
Derweil unterhalten sich die drei Männer sehr schnell miteinander; offenbar streiten sie sich.
[It is as though she were a puppet, a thing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
One man seizes me by the wrists and drags me along the corridor. Now the other one also pulls, at
the same time gripping my throat with one hand so that I can no longer scream. As a matter of fact I
have no desire to scream, for fear of being throttled. I’m already on the ground, my head lying on the
lowest cellar stair. I can feel the coldness of the tiles against my back. Something falls from my coat
with a tinkling sound. Must be my house keys, my bunch of keys. One man stands guard at the door
upstairs while the other claws at my underwear, tears my garter belt to shreds and violently, ruthlessly
has his way
When it’s all over and, reeling, I try to get up, the other man hurls himself upon me and with his fists
74
and knees forces me back on the floor.
Der eine zerrt mich an den Handgelenken weiter, den Gang hinauf. Nun zerrt auch der andere, wobei
er mir seine Hand so an die Kehle legt, daß ich nicht mehr schreien kann, nicht mehr schreien will, in
der Angst, erwürgt zu werden. Beide reißen sie an mir, schon liege ich am Boden. Aus der
Jackentasche klirrt mir etwas heraus. Es müssen die Hausschlüssel sein, mein Schlüsselbund. Ich
komme mit dem Kopf auf der untersten Stufe der Kellertreppe zu liegen, spüre im Rücken naßkühl die
Fließen. Oben am Türspalt, durch den etwas Licht fällt, hält der eine Mann Wache, während der
andere an meinem Unterzeug reißt, sich gewaltsam den Weg sucht –
Ich taste mit der Linken am Boden herum, bis ich endlich den Schlüsselbund wiederfinde. Fest
umklammere ich ihn mit den Fingern der Linken. Mit der Rechten wehre ich mich, es hilft nichts, den
Strumpfhalter hat er einfach durchgerissen. Als ich taumelnd hochzukommen versuche, wirft sich der
75
zweite über mich, zwingt mich mit Fäusten und Knien an den Boden zurück.
Swedish: like German, but: “My head is lying on the lowest cellar stair, I feel the damp coolness of the
edge under the back of my neck.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German, but: “I grope around the floor with my right hand”, “I use my right arm to fight
back”
I feel feverish. My face is burning. Yesterday my period stopped abruptly.
Ich habe Fieber. Mein Gesicht brennt.
77
76
[My face is burning. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Cautiously I open the front door (unlocked by the widow).
78
79
Vorsichtig öffne ich die Vordertür. Sie ist nun, da die Witwe hinausgegangen ist, bloß eingeklinkt.
[It is simply closed since the widow went out.]
Danish: “which the widow has not locked”
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: “It isn’t locked anymore”
There the little Hindenburg light is still flickering away. Now the gun-belt is hanging on the bedpost, his
cap perched on its barrel. [ ] I’m dizzy, I’m only half there, and this half no longer defends itself, it
80
falls against the hard body which smells of kitchen soap. At last quiet, darkness, sleep.
Das Automatengewehr klirrt nun am Bettpfosten; seine Mütze hat der Mann auf den Pfostenknauf
gestülpt. Still für sich hat inzwischen das Talglicht weitergebrannt. [ ] Mir ist taumelig, ich bin nur
noch halb da, und diese Hälfte wehrt sich nicht mehr, sie fällt gegen den harten, nach Kernseife
81
riechenden Leib. Endlich Ruhe, Dunkelheit, Schlaf. [Inverted sequence]
Swedish: like German, but in addition: “it falls against the hard body which smells of curd soap,
murmurs: Maltschischka… At last quiet. Darkness, sleep.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: sentence concerning Hindenburg/tallow light missing
Dutch: like Swedish
Italian: like Swedish, in addition translated: “piccina” [should be “piccino” = little one; boy]
I creep back under the blankets and sleep a restless sleep, starting up every quarter of an hour. Once
I am wakened by the cry: “He-elp!” but it’s only the rooster again. Now the cow is mooing, too. It must
be about five o’clock. I can’t go to sleep again, so I get up, straighten the bed, push the chairs and
sideboard back in front of the back door, remove the empty bottle which the men have left behind, and
82
inspect our store of Burgundy bottles behind the kitchen cupboard.
Ich kroch wieder unter die Decke und schlief von Viertelstunde zu Viertelstunde unruhigsten Schlaf,
fuhr einmal hoch von dem Schrei „Hilfe!“, da war es bloß der Hahn. Nun muht auch die Kuh. Ich wickle
unseren Wecker aus dem Handtuch (d. h. der Wecker gehört der Witwe, aber ich tue ganz so, als ob
ich mit zum Haushalt gehörte). Er liegt, der Vorsicht halber in ein Frottétuch gewickelt, ganz hinten in
einem Fach des Schrankes. Wir schauen nur darauf, wenn wir allein und sicher sind, möchten ihn
nicht an die Iwans verlieren.
Es war fünf, da konnte ich nicht mehr schlafen. Ich stand auf, klopfte das Bett glatt, schob Kästen und
Stühle wieder vor die unverschließbare Hintertür mit ihrem zerborstenen Schloß, räumte die leere
Flasche weg, die die Männer hinterlassen hatten, und kontrollierte unsere Burgunderflaschen hinten
83
im Küchenschrank, in einem alten Eimer.
Swedish: like German, but: “He-elp!”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
I wash myself as best I can, dress, and open the door onto the staircase to listen.
84
Ich ziehe mich an, wasche mich notdürftig und horche vorsichtig in das morgenstille Treppenhaus.
[Inverted sequence]
85
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
She staggers into my arms and moans: “Don’t be angry with me.” All round us women are sobbing.
86
Sie taumelt mir in die Arme, jammert: „Sei mir nicht bös“! (Seit gestern duzen wir uns.) Ringsum
87
schluchzen etliche Frauen mit. [“Don’t be angry with me!” (Since yesterday we’re calling us “du”.) All
around several women are sobbing along.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
“A child,” she whispers. “Had never shaved, smooth and inexperienced” – and a smile passes over her
88
face which is swollen from crying.
Ein Kind noch, so flüstert sie; bartlos, glatt und unerfahren – und sie lächelt dabei mit dickverheultem
89
Gesicht. [Indirect speech]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
3 P.M. Tuesday, May 1, 1945, looking back on Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Now the apartment is completely exposed to the east wind. Just as well it’s not January. Here, in this
perforated cage, we sit or lie, listening anxiously to what’s happening outside, holding our breath at
every sound. The smashed back door, no longer barricaded, is open to the world. Half an hour ago a
90
wild-looking, obstinate creature came in, and was chased away.
Nun ist die Wohnung ganz dem Ostwind preisgegeben. Gut, daß nicht Januar ist.
Zwischen löchrigen Wänden hetzen wir hin und her, horchen bang nach draußen, beißen bei jedem
Laut die Zähne zusammen. Die kaputte Hintertür, schon längst nicht mehr verstellt, steht offen.
Immerzu rennt Mannsvolk durch die Küche, durch den Gang und die beiden Zimmer. Vor einer halben
91
Stunde war ein Wildfremder, Hartnäckiger da, wollte mich, wurde verjagt.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but only: “cage”
Dutch: like German
Cut in the Norwegian translation: “The mouth above me opens, I see the yellow teeth, one front tooth
is broken off. And then…”
I strolled up and down, looked into courtyards, rested now and again, kept my eyes open, and stood in
92
the entrance to our house.
Schlenderte auf und ab, spähte in die Höfe, äugte umher, kehrte wieder ins Treppenhaus zurück, gab
93
Obacht. [ looked into the courtyards, looked around, went back into the stairwell, kept my eyes
open.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: “I strolled up and down, looked into courtyards, rested now and again, went back home and
kept my eyes open.”
His name is Anatole and he’s from the Ukraine.
94
95
Er heißt Anatol Soundso, ist Ukrainer. [Anatole So-and-so]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
“Wyipitj nada – bottoms up!”
96
97
„Wiypitj [nado], austrinken!“
Swedish: like US, but: “Wypitj”
Danish: like US, but: “Wiypitj”
Norwegian: like Danish
Dutch: like Danish
The German edition of 1959 features a typing error in this passage (“nadno”), which the author named
in her list of corrections.
My decision is made; something will occur to me when the moment comes. Once more I see myself
98
from a distance, as though I were acting on some stage.
Der Entschluß steht bei mir fest. Es wird mir schon etwas einfallen, wenn es so weit ist. Ich griene in
99
mich hinein, komme mir vor wie eine auf der Bühne agierende Person. [I grin to myself, feel as
though I am a person performing on stage.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
The day has been a bit much for him. This very morning, as a member of the Volkssturm, he had been
100
in danger of death from the enemy with whom he is now happily drinking.
Es ist ein bißchen viel für ihn, nachdem er heute früh noch Todeskandidat beim Volkssturm war, bis
die Mannen sich einsichtsvoll auflösten und sich mangels Waffen und Befehlen gegenseitig
101
heimschickten. [It’s all a bit much for him after being a doomed man in the Volkssturm only this
morning until the men had the good sense to disband and, lacking weapons and orders, to send
themselves home.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Saturday, April 28, 1945
102
- Front at the Landwehr Canal
Also Samstag, 28. April 1945, Front am Landwehrkanal.
103
[So – Saturday
]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Like a comet, Anatole draws behind him a tail of young people, boyish soldiers, all of whom have
104
taken refuge in the apartment vacated by the three black pudding sisters.
Anatol zieht wie ein Komet einen Schweif junger Leute hinter sich her, knabenhafte Soldaten, die
allesamt inzwischen in der von den Puddingtanten verlassenen Wohnung Unterschlupf gefunden
105
haben. [ the pudding aunts]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: without “by the pudding sisters”
Dutch: like US
Italian: “pudding spinsters”
I figure that that day was Sunday, April 29. But Sunday is such a civilian word, meaningless at the
moment. At the front there is no Sunday. Everything is a – no. No, I don’t want to write it, there’s
106
already enough muck in this diary.
Ich rechnete mir aus, daß Sonntag war, der 29. April. Aber Sonntag ist so ein Zivilistenwort, zur Zeit
107
sinnlos. Die Front hat keinen Sonntag. [At the front there is no Sunday. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Looking back on Sunday, April 29, 1945
“By the way, aren’t you afraid?”
“Of them, you mean?”
108
“Yes, of course. I mean Anatole. Such a well-fed, sexy fellow. And if he’s at it all the time .”
„Sag mal, hast du eigentlich keine Angst?“
„Du meinst, vor den Russen?“
109
„Ja, schon. Ich meine, wegen Anatol. So ein vollgefressener, bulliger Kerl.“
[“Of the Russians, you mean?”
“Yes, well. I mean, because of Anatol. Such a well-fed bull of a man.”]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
If one says Yes, hoping to be left in peace, then the questioning continues: “Where is he? Was he
taken at Stalingrad?” If, on the other hand, one has a husband whom one can produce (as the widow
110
does with Herr Pauli, although he is nothing but her lodger), then they first of all step back a pace.
Sagt man Ja und glaubt dadurch seine Ruhe zu bekommen, so geht die Fragerei weiter: „Wo ist er?
Ist er bei Stalingrad geblieben?“ (Viele unserer Mannen haben bei Stalingrad gekämpft, tragen dafür
eine besondere Medaille am Band). Ist ein lebendiger Mann present, den man ihnen vorführen kann
(wie es die Witwe mit Herrn Pauli tut, obwohl er bloß ihr Untermieter ist und nichts weiter), so weichen
111
sie erst mal einen Schritt zurück. [(Many of our men fought at Stalingrad, they wear a special
medal.)]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
In spite of this we feel as tied to one another as any lawfully wedded couple – except that for precisely
112
nine weeks I’ve not heard a word from his; his last letter came from the West Wall.
Trotzdem fühlen wir uns genau so aneinander gebunden wie ein beringtes Paar. Nur, daß ich seit
113
über neun Wochen nichts mehr von ihm gehört habe; die letzte Post kam vom Westwall. [ like a
couple with rings. Except I haven’t heard a word from him for over nine weeks ]
Swedish: like US, but “with a wedding ring”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
114
And everyone is burning books. They at least help us to keep warm while they go up in smoke.
Und jeder verbrennt Bücher. Wenigstens geben die uns noch Wärme und Suppe, während sie sich in
115
Rauch auflösen. [ provide us with warmth and soup ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
116
Most of the time we sit here shivering in the draughty, ice-cold room.
117
Stunden lang hocken wir in dem finsteren, eiskalten Zimmer.
cold room.]
[We’re sitting for hours in the dark, ice-
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “ice-cold, draughty room“
Dutch: like US
He was followed by two men carrying stacks of records. There ensued a continuous bleating and
blaring and handle-turning, childish pleasure. And after having discarded most of the records –
118
Lohengrin and the Ninth Symphony, Brahms and Smetana – what do they play?
Zwei der Seinen folgten ihm mit den Platten. Und was lassen sie laufen, immer wieder, wohl ein
dutzendmal, nachdem sie die meisten Platten kurz angespielt und verworfen haben, den Lohengrin
119
und die Neunte, Brahms sowohl wie Smetana? [Sentence missing]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “two men with a lot of records. Loud cheering!”
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
He sleeps and sleeps, gently blowing out his breath. He sleeps like a child, for three hours, alone in
the room with three enemies. Even though he’s asleep we feel safer with him than alone. He is our
wall. Now he has begun to snore. Outside, the war continues. The center of the city is on fire and we
120
hear the roar of explosions.
Er schläft und schläft, sacht den Atem blasend.
Anatol schlief wie ein Kind drei Stunden lang, allein mit uns drei Feinden. Auch wenn er schläft, fühlen
wir uns sicherer als allein, er ist unsere Mauer. Der Revolver steckt ihm im Hüftgurt, nun sägt er
121
Bretter durch. Draußen derweil Krieg, das Zentrum raucht, Schüsse peitschen.
[The revolver stuck in his holster, he’s snoring now. Outside there is war, the centre of the city is in
smoke, shots are ringing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
What to them are crude animal sounds, inhuman noises, to me is a human language – the highly
122
articulate and melodious language of a talented people.
Was ihnen grobe Tierlaute, unmenschliche Schreie sind, ist mir doch Menschensprache – die
123
reichgegliederte, melodische Sprache eines Puschkin und Tolstoi. [ of a Pushkin and Tolstoy.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
By the light of a candle we reach our corner and grab whatever comes to hand – towels, a side of
124
bacon, a pair of shoes.
Mit einem Kerzenstumpf leuchten wir in unseren Winkel, greifen dies und das, Handtücher, eine
125
Speckseite an der Strippe. [ a side of bacon on a string. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like German, but only: “a side of bacon”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
In hesitating, extremely cautious terms they point out that their country stands only on the threshold of
a great development and that it must be viewed, judged and compared in terms of the future. And I
find myself wondering what these men, out of their red cage for the first time in their lives, are going to
say about Germany when they get back home again.
One of them, pointing at the furniture surrounding us, insists on seeing culture in its polish, carved
126
wood, and curlicues.
Mit zögernden, plötzlich sehr vorsichtigen Argumenten betonen sie, daß ihr Land erst am Beginn einer
großen Entwicklung stehe, daß es von seiner Zukunft her gesehen, beurteilt, verglichen werden
müsse
127
Einer weist auf die Möbel ringsum (Schietkram) und findet darin überlegene Kultur. [(crappy stuff)]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “(crappy stuff)”
Dutch: like German
The last to leave was the white-blond lieutenant who, hobbling out on his stick, measured me with an
128
evil eye. A sinister type.
Zuletzt humpelte der Weißblonde an seinem Wanderstock hinaus und maß mich zum stummen
129
Abschied mit einem bösen Blick. [ evil eye. Rest missing]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Looking back on Monday, April 30
All of a sudden two or three of the new ones, eager as foxes, crowd around the widow and me, try to
130
manhandle us. Fortunately one of our regulars turns up and helps me to get rid of the strangers.
Plötzlich sind zwei oder drei da, drücken sich um mich und die Witwe herum, suchen uns anzufassen,
sind gierig wie die Füchse. Meistens kommt aber einer von den uns bereits Bekannten und hilft uns,
131
die Fremden abzuwimmeln. [But usually one of our acquaintances turns up ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Matthias Sträßner writes extensively on this passage. He argues, the use of the word “meistens”
(“usually”) makes no sense in the context of the situation: It is about an active, ongoing attempt of
rape. Die US edition deals much more correctly with the fact by using “fortunately”. Undoubtedly he
Sträßner is right. That he uses this and other examples to speculate the author’s original shorthand
notes might have been typed by several stenotypists, whereby unclear notes were transcribed
differently in each typoscript, is a possibility, but it doesn’t seem too logical to me.
Given the fact that Marta Hillers was very reluctant to show her notes even to Kurt Marek, a long-time
friend, it is more than unlikely that a stenotypist was employed at all, much less more than one. Marta
Hillers was proficient in typewriting; she would correspond mainly via her typewriter for the rest of
her life. Under those circumstances it is far more logical to assume she typed her notes herself, as she
very clearly reported at the end of her book’s first edition.
So what other explanation can be found for the deviation in the passage cited above? A very simple
one: A specific case of attempted rape, during which one of their acquaintances “fortunately”
intervened was turned into a universal case. As the author described, during those first days all kinds
of soldiers went in and out of the widow’s apartment. Those two or three new soldiers were neither the
first nor the last to try raping the two women. In one of the later versions of her typescript the author
therefore went back to other experiences when “usually” one of her acquaintances help to get rid of
her attackers. This is one of the best examples of a possible editing of the book manuscript with a view
to the German first edition.
The conference over, we groped our way downstairs again.
133
Wir tappten wieder abwärts.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
132
[We went downstairs again.]
Assisted by the feeble light from the upper window, reinforced by Vanya’s flashlight, we had gathered
together some potatoes, onions, and several undamaged jars of jam when suddenly a slit-eyed Ivan
approached us, uttering some foul remarks interspersed with German words. “That’s enough of that,”
134
said Vanya. And slit-eye trundled off.
Beim matten Licht aus den Oberlichtfenstern, unterstützt von Wanjas Stablampe, sammelten wir
Kartoffeln und Zwiebeln and nahmen von einem Bord heilgebliebene Gläser mit Eingemachtem
herunter.
Ein Kerl näherte sich, Schlitzaugen, machte schweinische Redensarten, mit deutschen Wörtern
untermischt. Wanja darauf, an dem Kerl vorbei, in die Luft hinein: „Schon gut, genügt.“ Und der
135
Schlitzäugige trollte sich. [Whereupon Vanya said, not addressing the guy, as though talking to the
air ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: second passage missing
Dutch: like US
No more nettles. Instead: meat, bacon, butter, dried peas, onions, canned fruit.
136
Keine Brennesseln mehr, dafür Fleisch, Speck, Butter, Erbsen, Zwiebeln, Gemüsekonserven.
[canned vegetables]
137
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
I’ve heard they are busy making arrangements for the celebration of the first of May.
138
Es heißt, sie besprechen eine Feier für den 1. Mai. Wir bangen uns vor diesem Feiertag. Alle Russen,
139
so heißt es, bekommen dann Schnaps zugeteilt. [We are afraid of this holiday. All Russians, it is
said, will get a ration of alcohol then.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Although the little Caucasian considers this impossible he nevertheless accompanies me to the
140
kitchen out of which the widow suddenly rushes, clearly scared. “Look out!” she whispers. “Petka!”
Der kleine Kaukasier meint, nein, geht aber sofort mit mir in die Küche, aus der soeben mit allen
141
Zeichen des Schreckens die Witwe geflüchtet kommt, schreiend: „Vorsicht, der Petka!“ [ yelling
]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Italian: no statement as to whispering or yelling
142
Petka with his plush hair and lumberjack’s paws.
Petka mit dem Bürstenhaar und den Holzfällerpratzen, die so bebten, als er sein peinliches
143
Romeogestammel auf mich losließ. [ that shook so much when he launched into his Romeo
babble.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
On seeing me Petka, the rejected Siberian, makes for me. His little eyes glitter.
144
Petka, der verdrängte Sibiriak, kommt auf mich zu, da er mich sieht. Seine Borsten sind gesträubt (die
145
Mütze ist werweißwo). Seine kleinen Augen glitzern. [ makes for me. His bristles are standing on
end (the cap is who knows where).]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
I’m almost falling off my chair with exhaustion.
146
Ich sacke beinahe vom Stuhl vor Schlaf. Mir sind alle Vokabeln aus dem Kopf gefallen.
vocabulary has fallen out of my head.]
147
[All
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Tuesday afternoon, May 1
I felt wretched and sore and crept around like a lame duck. The widow, realizing immediately the
reason why, got down her medicine chest from the loft where she had been hiding it. Without a word
she handed me a jar containing vaseline, but her eyes were brimming. I too felt weak and was aware
of something rising in my throat. [ ]
It cannot, it must not be different, for I wish to remain dead and unfeeling so long as I have to be a
prey. As a result I’m glad I feel so sore and sick. And yet there I stood blubbering, with the jar of
vaseline in my hand, in front of the equally blubbering widow. When we joined Herr Pauli, however, we
148
pulled ourselves together and talked of other things.
Mir war elend und wund, ich schlich wie eine lahme Ente. Die Witwe kramte ihren Arzneischrank vom
Hängeboden herunter, wo sie ihn versteckt hat, und gab mir eine Blechdose mit einem Rest Vaseline.
[ ]
149
Es kann, es darf nicht anders sein, ich will tot und gefühllos bleiben, solange ich Beute bin.
Swedish: like US, but in addition: “That is female stuff.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
It started with the arrival of a German, an oldish man unknown to me, who knocked at the front door
150
and asked for me – i.e., for the girl who speaks Russian.
Es fing damit an, daß ein Deutscher, ein mir unbekannter älterer Mann, an unsere Vordertür klopfte
151
und nach mir rief, das heißt, „nach der Dame, die Russisch kann.“ [ for the lady who speaks
Russian.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “for the young lady”
Dutch: like German
The girl, says she, had been billeted on them, had caused them nothing but trouble and annoyance,
she and her husband had been more than fed up with her, would not be surprised at anything – and if
they only knew where the girl was, she – the old woman – wouldn’t hesitate to tell them; she had no
reason to keep it a secret.
I have no doubt that the woman would have handed over the girl, had she been in a position to do so.
152
During all this, her husband stood motionless and without opening his mouth.
Man habe ihnen die Person einfach in die Wohnung gesetzt, sie habe ihnen nichts als Ärger und
Unordnung gebracht, man habe sie dicksatt gehabt, wundere sich über gar nichts – und wenn sie
wüßte, wo das Mädel sei, so würde sie’s schon sagen, sie habe keinen Grund, das zu verschweigen.
Und so weiter. Bestimmt würde die Frau das Mädel preisgeben, wenn sie könnte. Immerfort wiederholt
sie ihr angstbebendes Geschwafel, während der Mann stumpf und dumpf dasteht, das Gesicht zur
153
Mauer gekehrt. [And so on.
while the man stood there impassive and inert, his face to the wall.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Wednesday, May 2, covering the rest of yesterday
In the water queue word went around that a woman doctor had established in the air-raid shelter a
hospital for contagious diseases with huge signs in German and Russian announcing that the place
was devoted exclusively to cases of TYPHOID. The patients, however, consisted only of very young
154
girls from the neighborhood.
An der Pumpe wurde eine Flüsterparole weitergegeben: Im Luftschutzbunker hat eine Ärztin einen
Raum als Seuchenlazarett eingerichtet, mit großen Schildern in Deutsch und Russisch, daß
Typhuskranke in dem Raum untergebracht seien. Es sind aber lauter blutjunge Mädels aus den
155
Häusern ringsum, denen die Ärztin mit ihrem Typhustrick die Jungfernschaft rettet. [ whose
virginity the doctor is preserving with her typhus trick.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Now they were shouting through it, demanding that we open our door at once or they’d shoot. [ ] At
last they abandoned their position behind the wall and after a few kicks at the front door they finally
withdrew.
Although I had managed to succeed in coping with this situation, the widow nevertheless was
156
beginning to fear that it might occur again before our protectors turned up.
Nun riefen sie durch den Riß hindurch, wir sollten ihnen sofort die Tür öffnen, sonst würden sie auf
uns schießen. (Daß unsere Hintertür ohnehin offen steht, wußten sie wohl nicht.) [ ]
Schließlich entfernten sie sich von ihrem Schießstand, polterten noch eine Weile mit den Stiefeln
gegen unsere Vordertür und verzogen sich am Ende. Wir atmeten auf. Immerhin ein beruhigendes
Gefühl, daß ich notfalls eine Treppe höher laufen und jemand von Anatols Mannen zu Hilfe rufen
kann. Wir sind Anatols privater Hirschpark. Das wissen jetzt die meisten.
Der Witwe wurde es dennoch so langsam unheimlich zumute, besonders als auch gegen Abend
157
keiner von unseren Stammgästen auftauchte.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Sträßner speculates the omission might be in regard to a prudish American public. However, that
theory doesn’t hold water since other flippant sentences regarding sex are present in the US edition but
not in the German edition.
On the table in front of them stood a mass of cans, mostly without labels, probably German troop
supplies “liberated” by the Russians.
On entering, Frau Wendt had drawn me aside and suggested in a whisper that I refrain from disclosing
my knowledge of Russian. [ ] Whereupon another one interfered. “Listen,” he said gently, “I ask you
158
– don’t do that, Serjoscha.”
Vor ihnen auf dem Tisch sah man eine ganze Menge Konserven, die meisten ohne Aufschriften, wohl
deutsche Truppenverpflegung, Russenbeute. Die Witwe bekam gleich von einem der Russen eine
Büchse in die Hand gedrückt.
Auf Wunsch der Frauen sprach ich kein Wort Russisch, markierte Lieschen Doof. [ ] Worauf ein
159
anderer Russe eingriff und in sanftem Ton sagte: „Bruder, ich bitte dich, laß das sein.“
[The widow was immediately handed a tin by one of the Russians.
and said in a gentle tone:
“Brother, I ask you, refrain from that.“]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Frau Wendt whispered to us both that this boy’s name is Stepan [ ].
160
Die Frau Wendt flüstert uns beiden zu, dieser Russe heiße Stepan [ ].
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “his name is”
161
[
this Russian’s name]
There’s no doubt: it really is “cozy” here, but God knows why these men should have chosen this
place to make themselves at home, become such good providers for these women – for physically
both of them are quite repulsive. The housekeeper is also a mousy creature, stunted and
162
bespectacled. I can well understand they are not incitements to rape.
Es ist wirklich gemütlich hier. Dabei sind die beiden Frauen eher abstoßend; Frau Wendt mit dem
Ekzem; und die Ex-Haushälterin ist ein Mausgeschöpf, bebrillt und verkümmert. Da kann einem das
Schänden vergehen. Der Himmel mag wissen, warum diese Männer gerade hier Fuß gefaßt haben
163
und so fleißig anschleppen.
Swedish: like German, but without “Frau Wendt with her eczema”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
164
No one knows where Anatole is.
Wo Anatol steckt, wissen sie nicht, sie sagen, er sei dienstlich unterwegs, er habe vieles zu
165
beschicken. [They don’t know where Anatole is, they say he is out on business, he has a lot to do.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: “They don’t know where Anatole is, he is out on business.”
Both men puff away thoughtfully, the major holding the ashtray for the German. Suddenly the former
jumps up, asks us if we would please let him know if he’s disturbing us – in which case he would leave
166
the room at once. No, no, we assure him, he isn’t disturbing us at all. Why should he be?
Der Major halt Pauli hin und wieder aufs höflichste den Aschenbecher hin. Plötzlich springt er auf,
bittet, ihm doch sagen zu wollen, ob er vielleicht störe – dann werde er gleich diesen Raum verlassen,
aber sofort! Und er tut so, als sei er bereits auf dem Sprung dazu. Nein, nein, wir wehren ab, er stört
167
uns nicht. [ at once! And he pretends to get ready to leave. No, no, we dismiss it, he isn’t
disturbing us. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like German, but in addition: “he isn’t disturbing us, why should he?”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
For in the meantime he has told us he has been wounded in the knee and is being treated in the same
168
hospital as the gloomy lieutenant.
Denn er hat inzwischen berichtet, daß er am Knie verwundet sei und mit dem anderen, dem
düsterblonden Leutnant, zusammen im Krankenhaus verbunden werde. (Im Krankenhaus sitzen sie
also auch drin. Möchte wissen, wie man sie dort verstaut hat und wohin man die Unsrigen gepackt
169
hat, die doch vorige Woche noch jedes Bett und jeden Raum füllten.)
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
„Fascism?” I repeat.
170
„Faschismus?“ wiederholte ich stotternd.
171
[
I repeated, stammering.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
He wants to test me politically, to find out about my past, my political credo – in order to make use of
172
me in some Russian organization, as an interpreter or in Heaven knows what other capacity.
Er will mich politisch prüfen, will feststellen, wie mein Glaubensbekenntnis, meine Vergangenheit ist –
um mich dann für irgendwelche russischen Belange einzuspannen, als Dolmetscherin oder
Armeehelferin, was weiß ich – und ich sehe mich schon verschleppt und versklavt irgendwo auf den
173
Straßen des Krieges
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Then, to my relief, I hear the major say to the lieutenant, in what sounds like a satisfied voice: “Yes,
174
she knows a lot” – and he raises his glass and drinks to me.
Nun höre ich, wie der Major zu dem düsterblonden Leutnant sagt, und es klingt zufrieden: „Ja, sie hat
175
einen gutes politisches Wissen.” Und er hebt sein Glas und trinkt mir zu. [“Yes, she has a good
knowledge of politics.”]
Danish: like US
Dutch: “Yes, she knows a lot about that.”
The lieutenant expresses in one sentence what it’s about: „The major here wishes me to ask you if you
like him.” [ ]
As for the Asiatic, I can’t see him in the dark. [ ]
Then the lieutenant again, in a monotonous tone: “Do you like the major? Could you love him?”
Damn that word! I can’t bear it any more. These last days have completely ruined it for me. I’m so
176
taken back, so sobered up I don’t know what to say or do.
Der düsterblonde Leutnant sagt in zwei Sätzen, um was es geht: „Hier ist der Major. Er läßt Sie
fragen, Bürgerin, ob er Ihnen angenehm sei.“ [ ]
Den Asiaten kann ich im Dunkeln am Fenster nicht erkennen. Stumm hockt er noch da. Sekt hat er
nicht abbekommen. [ ]
Dann wieder der Leutnant, tonlos, gleichmütig: „Ist der Major Ihnen angenehm? Könnten Sie ihn
lieben?“
Lieben? Verdammtes Wort, ich kann es nicht mehr hören, bin so erschrocken und ernüchtert, daß ich
177
nicht weiß, was sagen, was tun.
[The lieutenant expresses in two sentences what it’s about
in the dark. He sits there silently. He
didn’t get any champagne.
Love? That damned word ]
Swedish: like German, but: “in one sentence”, in addition: “Damn that word. I can’t bear to hear it any
more. Love is dirt. Dirty, filthy love, I’m thinking.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Italian: like German, addition like Swedish
The lieutenant hobbles after me across the room on his stick, while the major continues to sit by Herr
178
Pauli’s bed, as though what had just been said were no concern of his.
Der Leutnant humpelt an seinem Stock hinter mir her durch das Zimmer, während der Major immer
noch scheinbar unbeteiligt an Paulis Bett sitzt und an den bang und ratlos schweigenden beiden
179
Deutschen vorbeischaut. [ looking past the two Germans who are silent, scared and perplexed.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
“Could you put us up here, all three of us?”
180
„Könnten wir vielleicht hier untergebracht werden? Wir alle drei?“ Und er weist auf den Major und sich
181
und den halb schlafend dastehenden Asiaten. [And he points to the major and to himself and to the
Asian who’s standing there half asleep.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
And moving over to the window (no more than a mass of glass splinters and bits of cardboard), he
182
pretends to look out into the night.
Und er begibt sich zum Fenster hin, das aus Scherben und Pappe besteht und durch das man jetzt
183
nichts, aber auch gar nichts mehr von der Front hört, und tut, als blicke er hinaus. [ and where
you can no longer hear any sound at all coming from the front]
Danish: like US, but without brackets
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Start making conversation? Play the gent?
184
Wieder Konversation machen, den Knigge spielen, siehe Kapitel „Vergewaltigungen von feindlichen
185
Demoisellen?“ [ go by the etiquette manual, see chapter „Rape of enemy demoiselles?“ = Knigge
is a synomym for etiquette, referring to a famous etiquette manual by Adolph Freiherr Knigge]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Then the thought: And supposing it’s true that Anatole has disappeared? Supposing this carefully built
tabu, this wall has been knocked from around me again? Would it not be sensible to create another,
more lasting tabu, a new wall about me? God damn it, if only I could find out!
Now the major has taken off his coat again, undone his belt, in slow motion, all the while glancing
186
sideways at me.
Dann wieder die Überlegung: „Und wenn es wahr wäre, daß Anatol entschwunden ist? Wenn mir
dieses so mühsam errichtete Tabu, diese Mauer wieder genommen wäre? Wäre es nicht gut, ein
neues, vielleicht länger währendes Tabu aufzurichten, eine neue Mauer um mich zu bauen?”
Nun hat der Major sein Koppel abgenommen, seine Jacke abgelegt, immer im Zeitlupentempo und mit
187
Seitenblicken auf mich. [ build a new wall around me? Rest of the paragraph missing.
Now the
major has removed his belt, taken off his jacket ]
Swedish: like US, but sequence like German
Danish: like US, but with quotation marks
Norwegian: like Swedish
Dutch: like Swedish, but with quotation marks
Hardly realizing how I got there, I find myself lying with my face on his knees, sobbing without tears. I
can feel him stroking my hair. Suddenly there’s a noise at the door. On the threshold, candle in hand,
188
stands the widow. “Is there anything wrong with you?” she asks anxiously.
Schon liege ich mit meinem Gesicht auf seinen Knien und schluchze und heule und heule mir einmal
den ganzen Jammer von der Seele. Ich spüre, wie er mein Haar streichelt. Dann Geräusch an der Tür,
wir blicken beide hoch. Im Türspalt steht, ihre Kerze in der Hand, die Witwe und fragt angstvoll, was
189
mir denn sei. [ crying all my grief off my chest.
asking anxiously what the matter is.]
Danish: like US, but without: “without tears”
Norwegian: “Next thing I know, I’m lying with my face on his knees, crying distressedly, without
tears. He is stroking my hair.” Rest missing
Dutch: like German
This was the first time in all these nights that I had my fill of sleep. Lying fearless by the major’s side, I
slept well into the day. No one came to disturb us. Has the new tabu already taken effect? Being
under medical treatment, the major doesn’t have to go on duty; he can do what he likes with his time.
190
Lying in bed in the morning we talked about all kinds of things, sensibly and like friends.
Das war mein Dienstag, erster Mai.
Weiter, der Mittwoch. Zum ersten Mal in diesen Männernächsten schlief ich mich aus bis in den Tag
hinein und fand auch dann den Major noch an meiner Seite. Offenbar hat er keinen Dienst, kann
191
sich’s einteilen. Wir schwätzten mancherlei, ganz freundschaftlich und vernünftig.
Danish: like US
Dutch: “slept well into the day. Apparently he’s off duty”
Apparently the lieutenant had already left.
192
Der Leutnant blieb unsichtbar, hatte sich wohl schon empfohlen. Nebenan hörte ich die Witwe
193
rumoren. [The lieutenant remained invisible, had probably already left. From the room next door I
heard the widow.]
Danish: missing
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
The major is moving round the room, dragging his leg a little and, in a beautiful voice, singing all kinds
194
of songs, among them the magic “Oh, stay and linger, my beloved.”
Mit schöner Stimme singt der Major im Zimmer umherhumpelnd und sein Bein bewegend, allerlei
195
Lieder, so das zauberhafte „Bleib, verweile doch, du Schöne mein.“ [„Stay, linger, my beautiful
one.“]
Swedish: song translated from the German edition
Danish: song translated from the US edition
Norwegian: song translated from US
Dutch: song translated from German
Italian: song translated from German
I’ve been continuously interrupted while writing this, but now no one pays much attention to my
196
scribbling.
Mittwoch, die Stunden schleichen hin. Immer wieder werde ich beim Schreiben unterbrochen. Doch
197
nun stört sich schon keiner mehr an meinem Gekritzel. [Wednesday, the hours are creeping along.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
There’s quiet for the first time since I started coming here for water. The sky over the horizon is still
198
yellow from the many fires of last night.
Ringsum Stille, zum ersten Mal, seit ich nach Wasser anstehe. Die Kartjuschas schweigen. Noch
199
schwelt der Himmel gelb. Die Nacht zum Mittwoch war voll Brand. [The katyushas are silent.
The
night to Wednesday was full over fire.]
Swedish: like German, but: “Stalin organs” [German nickname for katyushas]
Danish: like US, but: “last night in Berlin was full of fire”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German, but: “The sky on the horizon is still yellow from the fires last night.”
I came home with two full buckets to find two Russians, unknown to me, rushing from one room to
another in search of a sewing machine. I produce our Singer. Since the night Petka played ball with it,
the machine has not been in the best of shape. What do they want with it anyway? It turns out that
they have a package for Russia which they want to have sewn into some linen sheets – something
200
which of course cannot be done by any machine, only by hand.
Ich kam heim mit zwei Eimern voll Wasser. Drinnen in der Wohnung neuer Wirbel. Zwei Soldaten,
Fremde, rennen durch unsere Zimmer, suchen nach einer Nähmaschine. Ich führe unsere „Singer“ in
der Küche vor. Seit Petka, der bürstenköpfige Romeo, damit Fangball gespielt hat, sieht sie ziemlich
verbogen aus. Wozu brauchen die beiden denn eine Nähmaschine?
Es stellt sich heraus, daß sie eine Sendung nach Rußland in leinerne Hüllen eingenäht haben wollen.
201
Was natürlich mit Hand zu bewerkstelligen wäre.
Swedish: like German, but: “A job that can’t be done by machine, of course, only by hand.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
So stichelt die Buchhändlerin und murmelt, was sie weiß. Die Fama. Bei dem Wort hab ich mir stets
eine verhüllte, murmelnde Frauengestalt vorgestellt. Das Gerücht. Wir nähren uns davon. In Urzeiten
haben die Menschen alle Meldungen und Begebenheiten von dieser Fama bezogen. Man kann sich
das Weltbild früher Kulturen gar nicht nebelhaft und schwankend genug vorstellen. Spukhaft, ein
Alpdruck, ein Gewoge von gemurmelten Greueln und Ängsten, von Böswilligkeiten und Götterneid.
Manchmal in diesen Tagen hab ich das Gefühl, daß überhaupt nichts mehr stimmt – daß Adolf
vielleicht längst per U-Boot bei Franco gelandet ist und auf einem Schlosse in Spanien sitzt und für
Truman Pläne entwirft, wie der die Russen heimschicken könnte. Zutiefst jedoch immer das Gefühl
202
unserer Niederlage, unseres Preisgegebenseins.
[Compare with Boehm: passage “So the bookseller stitches away” to “at the mercy of the victors.”]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
Undoubtedly this was a deliberate omission in 1954, given the idea of Hitler working for the USA!
203
He can manage a few German words in the Pfalz dialect.
Er bringt einige deutsche Worte hervor, in Pfälzer Mundart, zum Beispiel: „Es hot gebrennt.“
example: „Es hot gebrennt.“]
204
[
Note that Boehm or possibly the typesetter made a mistake here. Correctly, it should read: ‘Es hot
gebrennt’ – it burned – for Es hat gebrannt.
for
205
The Polish boy is very good-looking, lively and quick.
206
Der polnische Paketknabe ist bildhübsch, schwarzhaarig und blauäugig, lebhaft und flink.
black hair and blue eyes]
[
with
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
When at the pump this morning I discovered on a door a poster saying that from now on Russians are
forbidden to enter apartments inhabited by Germans or to have any dealings with German civilians.
I start out with mixed feelings. Nevertheless, I’m glad to be able to spare myself an hour’s standing in
207
line; having a Russian to do the pumping will give me priority.
Beim ersten Wasserholen hatte ich unten neben der Haustür einen Anschlag in Deutsch und Russisch
entdeckt, der besagte, daß die Russen von sofort an keine deutschen Wohnungen mehr betreten
dürften und sich nicht mit deutschen Zivilisten abzugeben hätten.
Wir gehen los, mich freut’s, auf diese Art mindestens eine Ansteh-Stunde zu sparen: denn wenn ein
208
Russe für mich pumpt, habe ich den Vortritt.
[When fetching water this morning I discovered a poster in German and Russian by the front door
saying
We set out. I’m glad ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
But he soon calms down, catches me up and explains, pointing at the back of his head, that ever since
he was wounded in the head at Stalingrad he has had fits of rage, often not knowing himself what he
209
is doing.
Er beruhigt sich mit einem Ruck wieder, holt mich ein und erklärt mir, wobei er auf seinen Hinterkopf
deutet, daß er seit einem bei Stalingrad erhaltenen Kopfschuß immer so heftig und wild sei und oft
210
selber nicht wisse, was er in seinem Zorn tue – früher sei er nicht so gewesen. [ he didn’t use to
be like that before.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Thursday, May 3, catching up on the rest of Wednesday
He had brought along a magnificent leather trunk, its size in keeping with his own bulk; hardly anyone
211
else would have had the strength to lug it up the stairs.
Er brachte einen schönen gelben Lederkoffer angewuchtet, so das richtige Petka-Format, ein anderer
212
hätte ihn kaum hochgekriegt. [ to lift it.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “He was hauling a magnificent trunk, so heavy it was a miracle he managed to lug it up
the stairs.”
Dutch: like German
My fingers itch to feel if he’s dry behind the ears – but perhaps this expression is unknown in
213
Russia.
Mir zuckt es in den Fingern, ihm hinter die Ohrlöffel zu fahren und nachzufühlen, ob er dort schon
214
trocken ist. [ dry behind the ears. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: sentence missing
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
According to her, they admit only a certain number of officers who consider it a gross offense if the
215
unauthorized or worse, ordinary common soldiers, make sallies upon their territory.
[ ] danach sind bei ihnen bloß Offiziere zugelassen, die es Nichtberechtigten oder gar
216
Hundsgemeinen schwer verübeln, wenn sie Einbrüche in ihr Bettrevier machen. [only officers]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
It was on a cruise through the Mediterranean [ ].
217
Es war auf einem Schiff im Mittelmeer, irgendwo nahe der afrikanischen Küste [
near the African coast]
218
].
[
somewhere
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
She knew a few words of English, called me Miss, and offered me a cigarette.
219
Sie konnte ein paar Brocken Englisch, nannte mich Miss, bot mir eine Zigarette aus ihrer Schachtel
220
und lächelte dazu. [ and smiled.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
And then he wants to know about my schooling. Here he listens with great respect to what I tell him
about my final exams, the art school, my study of foreign languages, my travels across Europe with
paintbox and sketchbook. He envies me these travels and expresses the hope that after this war his
country too will open its frontiers and allow its citizens to see the world. Then, with no transition, he
expresses his surprise that all German girls are so slender. Finally, he pictures to himself what it would
be like if he were to take me back to his parents in Russia, where he would feed me up on chickens
221
and cream – adding that in the years before the war they lived very well at home.
Er will dann wissen, welche Schulbildung ich genossen habe, vernimmt achtungsvoll, was ich ihm vom
Gymnasium und den gelernten Fremdsprachen und meinen Reisen kreuz und quer durch Europa
berichte. Er sagt anerkennend: „Du hast eine gute Qualifikation.“ Wundert sich dann unvermittelt, daß
die deutschen Mädchen alle so schlank und fettlos seien – ob wir so wenig zu essen bekommen
hätten? Er malt sich dann auch, wie es wäre, wenn er mich mitnähme nach Rußland, wenn ich seine
Frau wäre, seine Eltern kennenlernte Er verspricht, mich dort mit Hühnchen und Sahne
222
dickzufüttern, denn vor dem Krieg habe man bei ihm daheim recht gut gelebt
Swedish: like German, but: “that the German girls – myself included – are all so slender, without fat”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but with: “and would marry me”
Dutch: like German
Although Herr Pauli is frequently talking about the widow’s “female cunning,” in this case I don’t
223
believe her.
Wohl zitiert Herr Pauli des öfteren die „weibliche Verschlagenheit“ der Witwe. In diesem Falle aber
224
glaube ich ihr nicht und lache sie aus. [ and laugh at her.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
During the night of Thursday, May 3, to Friday, May 4
There remains, in theory, the young girl who looks like a young man, is twenty-four years old and a
Lesbian. She runs around in a gray man’s suit, with shirt and tie and a man’s hat pulled down over her
face. In this garb and with her hair cut short she is taken by the Russians, with whom such borderline
cases are unknown, for a man. She even fetches water and stands at the pump smoking a cigarette –
225
the only “young man” in the queue.
Bliebe theoretisch noch das junge Mädchen, das wie ein junger Mann aussieht, 24 Jahre alt und
lesbisch. Wie wir hörten, entging sie bisher den Iwans. Sie läuft unentwegt im grauen Jackettanzug
herum, mit Gurt und Schlips, einen Herrenhut tief ins Gesicht gedrückt. Das Haar hat sie ohnehin im
Nacken kurzgeschnitten. So rutscht sie bei den Russen, die von solchen Grenzfällen nichts wissen,
226
als Mann durch, holt sogar Wasser und steht zigarettenrauchend an der Pumpe.
[From what we’ve heard she’s managed to escape the Ivans up to now. She runs around in a gray
man’s suit, with belt and tie
smoking a cigarette. Rest of the sentence missing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German, but: “Russians” [both times]
Italian: like Dutch
A short while afterward she came staggering into our apartment where some time elapsed before she
was able to speak. After drinking a cup of Burgundy, she finally recovered enough to whimper: “And to
227
think that this is what one has been waiting seven years for!”
Kurz danach kam sie bei uns hereingestolpert, brauchte Minuten, ehe sie sprechen konnte, wir labten
sie mit einer Tasse voll Burgunder. Schließlich erholte sie sich wieder und griente: „Und darauf hat
228
man nun sieben Jahre lang gewartet.“ [ to grin]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “sighed”
From the one next door, for instance, I have lifted an armful of briquettes, a hammer, and two jars of
229
preserved cherries.
So hab ich mir aus der Wohnung nebenan (wo sie u. a. den Spülstein in der Küche als Abort benutzt
230
haben) einen Armvoll Briketts geholt, einen Hammer und zwei Gläser mit eingemachten Kirschen.
[ (where they have used, among other things, the sink as a toilet) ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Smiling bashfully, he said: “Yes, they all love me.”
231
Sagte, verschämt lächelnd, doch ganz selbstverständlich: „Ja, alle lieben mich.“
bashfully but as if it were a matter of course ...]
232
[Said, smiling
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
I then proceeded to give him a little moral lecture, trying to impress upon him that he after all was
certainly not one of “those hooligans,” but rather a considerate, cultivated, sensitive man. In short,
233
different from the others.
Ich hielt ihm moralische Vorträge und suggerierte ihm, daß er doch bestimmt keiner von den
234
„Hooliganen“ sei, sondern ein rücksichtsvoller, kultivierter, zartfühlender Mann. [ sensitive man.
Rest missing]
Swedish: “In short, different from the others, nobler, better.”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
For quite a while, in fear that the major might still turn up, I kept myself awake and wrote the above. So
235
far no one has come; I can hear the cock crowing, so now I’ll go to sleep.
Ich hielt mich noch eine Zeitlang wach, weil ich das dumme Gefühl hatte, alle meine Taten seien von
Kundschaftern ausgespäht, so daß am Ende der Major gleich nachrücken würde. Doch ist bis jetzt
236
keiner gekommen. Draußen singt der Hahn. Nun will ich schlafen.
[I kept myself awake for a while because I had the stupid feeling all my actions were spied upon and
the major might show up any minute to take over.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Looking back on Friday, May 4; written Saturday, May 5
He’s a young man, he yells, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, he’s not had a woman
for ages, and the woman’s husband (Herr Pauli!) would never know – after all, it could be over in no
237
time!
Er sei ein junger Mensch, was anderen recht sei, sei ihm billig, er habe eine ganze Zeitlang keine Frau
gehabt, und der Gatte der Witwe (dafür halt er Herrn Pauli, der nebenan seinen Mittagschlaf hält)
238
brauche ja nichts davon zu merken und zu erfahren – es sei doch gleich getan!
[ (that’s what he believes Herr Pauli to be, who’s having his afternoon nap in the next room)]
Danish: like US, but without “what’s good for the goose…”
Norwegian: just: “(Pauli!)”
Dutch: like German
The young devil, she told me, had been tame and peaceful – or rather he had been downright boring
239
until he came to the point. Then he had let her alone.
Demnach war der jugendliche Wutdeibel zahm und friedlich, ja von ermüdender Langweiligkeit, bevor
240
er die Witwe freigab. [ boring until he let the widow go.]
Swedish: “According to the widow the young devil had been tame and peaceful, even boring until he
come to the point. After that he’d let her go.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
This time it was one of the three black-pudding sisters. On learning that Anatole’s gang had vacated
their apartment, all three of them, protected by our deserter, had ventured back to the empty rooms,
picked out of the mess and garbage their sewing machine which they had then dragged up to the
apartment two floors higher. One of the sisters, suddenly remembering she needed some sewing
material, had gone downstairs again to fetch it and had run smack into the arms of an Ivan. Toward
evening, when the widow went to see her, she was still lying on the sofa in the bookseller’s apartment,
surrounded by a crowd of wailing women. This seamstress sister is also rather corpulent. So long as
241
they’re fat it doesn’t matter how old they are.
Diesmal war es eine von den drei schwarzgekleideten Schneiderinnen. Die hatten gehört, daß Anatols
Mannen ihre Wohnung wieder freigegeben hatten, und waren zu dritt, unter dem Beistand unseres
Soldaten-Deserteurs, in die verlassenen Räume gedrungen, hatten aus Müll und Kuddelmuddel
gemeinsam eine Nähmaschine herausgeholt und zwei Treppen höher geschleppt. Eine der Tanten
war nochmals allein hinuntergelaufen, irgendwelches Schneiderzubehör zu bergen – und war einem
Kerl in die Finger gelaufen. Die Witwe sprach gegen Abend mit ihr, da lag sie noch schluchzend auf
242
dem Sofa in der Buchhändlerswohnung, ein ganzer jammernder Frauenhaufen drum herum.
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “black-clad seamstresses” instead of “pudding sisters”. Passage after that up
to “Towards evening, when the widow” missing.
Dutch: like US, but: “One of the aunts had gone downstairs again on her own to fetch some twine –
and had run smack into the arms of a guy.”
Italian: like US, but “black-clad seamstresses” instead of “pudding sisters”
During the first days the family – mother, two daughters, and a five-year-old grandson – had gone into
243
hiding in a neighbor’s well-protected cellar.
Die ersten Tage über hatte sich die Familie, Mutter, zwei Töchter und ein dreijähriger Enkelsohn, im
244
gutgesicherten Nachbarskeller verborgen gehalten. [ three-year old grandson
in a well-secured
neighbouring cellar.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: “the family had hid in a well-secured cellar”
During all this I sat there peacefully darning my only towel and patching my one girdle which has been
raped to pieces.
In the evening the three of us – the widow, the deserter’s wife, and I – sat round Herr Pauli’s bed by
the light of the candle. We have given the woman a candle in return for which she has let us have a
half-empty box of matches. The major and his plumb shadow turned up at the usual time. The former
played us some wild and fiery melodies on his mouth-organ and finally, after the Asiatic had helped
245
him off with his boots, he danced a Krakowiak in his socks.
Derweil saß ich friedlich da, stopfte mein einziges Handtuch und flickte den kaputtgeschändeten
Strumpfgürtel. Eine Art Ordnung macht sich wieder bemerkbar.
Am Abend saßen wir, die Witwe, ich und die Gattin unseres Soldaten-Deserteurs, zu dritt beim
Kerzenschein an Herrn Paulis Bett. Wir haben der Frau eine Kerze abgegeben, dafür hat sie uns eine
Schachtel Streichhölzer überlassen. Pünktlich erschien der Major mit seinem pummligen Schatten.
Auf seiner kleinen Mundharmonika – einer deutschen Hohner, Beute – spielte er wild und feurig auf.
Ließ sich schließlich sogar von seinem Burschen aus seinen weichledernen Stiefeln heraushelfen und
246
tanzte auf Socken einen Krakowiak [ ].
[ garter belt. A sort of order is perceivable again.
a box of matches.
On his little harmonica – a
German Hohner, booty ]
Danish: like US, with explanation: “Krakowiak (Polish dance)”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US, but: “a box of matches”
I myself hardly dared to stir. Which of course had one advantage for me: he left me alone.
248
Ich wagte mich kaum zu rühren. Mich hat er ganz in Ruhe gelassen. Ich schlief tief.
alone completely. I slept deeply.]
247
[He left me
Danish: like US, but without “of course”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Saturday, May 5
And I? I can always fall back on my training as a photographer; I’ll find a job somewhere.
Und ich? Immerhin hab ich allerlei gelernt; ich werde schon irgendwo unterkommen.
trained in a lot of things.]
249
250
[I’ve been
252
[
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
251
“No tree is high enough for that one,” said someone yesterday at the pump.
„Kein Baum ist hoch genug für den“, so hieß es heute früh an der Pumpe über Adolf.
pump concerning Adolf.]
at the
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
253
While the men were packing up their tools a Russian came up the back stairs.
254
Als die Bretter schon den ganzen Türrahmen füllen, kreuzt auf der Hintertreppe ein Russe auf.
[After the doorframe was boarded up ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
They learned what protection these children afford them within a few hours of the Russian entry into
Berlin. On that first evening two tough Ivans had forced their way into their apartment, shouting and
255
brandishing their revolvers. They were shoving Fräulein Behn before them [ ].
Schon am ersten Russenabend haben sie gemerkt, was sie an den Kindern haben. Da waren zwei
rüde Kerle in die Wohnung eingedrungen, hatten sich mit Gewehrstößen und Geschrei Einlaß
256
verschafft, stießen das öffnende Fräulein Behn vor sich her [ ].
[They realised the children’s worth from the first night of Russians. Two rough guys had forced their
way into the apartment, pounding their rifles and shouting, pushed Fräulein Behn who opened the
door into the room]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “On the first evening two Russians had forced their way into the apartment, they shouted
and screamed, brandished their revolvers”
Dutch: like German
Italian: like German, but without mention of Frl. Behn
Now Fräulein Behn has asked me to come up and join them for a few minutes, as they have a couple
257
of Russian visitors who have been there before and today brought some candy for the children.
Nun bittet Fräulein Behn, ich möchte doch für ein paar Minuten heraufkommen; man habe
Russenbesuch, zwei, ein junger und ein älterer Mann, die schon einmal dagewesen seien, und die
258
heute Schokolade für die Kinder mitgebracht hätten. [ they have Russian visitors, two, a young
man and an older one who had been there before and today brought some chocolade for the children.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “Fräulein Behn asks me to accompany her up to Frau Lehmann.”
Dutch: like German
Then he asks me to tell the women that he also has two children who are living with their grandmother
259
in the country.
Er bittet mich dann, den beiden Frauen zu übersetzen, daß auch er zwei Kinder habe, zwei Jungen,
260
die bei der Großmutter auf dem Lande leben. [ two children, two boys, ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
261
I pass all this on to the two women. “Well, that explains a lot,” says Frau Lehmann.
Ich erkläre dies den beiden Frauen, und Frau Lehmann meint verständnisvoll: „Ja, das entschuldigt so
262
manches.“ [“Yes, that excuses quite some things,” Frau Lehmann says, sympathetically.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Silence. A ghost has walked into the room. We all stare before us.
263
264
Schweigen. Wir starren alle vor uns hin. Ein Schatten steht im Raum.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: sentence concerning ghost missing
Dutch: like German
[Inverted sequence]
Sunday, May 6, 1945, looking back on the rest of Saturday, May 5
At about 8 P.M. the major appeared again, accompanied by his shadow. This time the Uzbekian
produced from his inexhaustible pockets two turbots, not large but fresh. After the widow had covered
the precious fish with bread crumbs and fried them, we all shared in the meal; even the Uzbekian was
265
handed a piece in his window-corner to which he invariably goes like a faithful dog.
Sonntag, 6. Mai 1945
Erst zurückgeschaut auf den Rest vom Samstag.
Wieder erschien gegen 20 Uhr der Major mit seinem Mongolen. Diesmal zog der aus seinen
unergründlichen Burschentaschen zwei Steinbutts, nicht groß, doch frisch. Die Witwe panierte und buk
die köstlichen Fische. Wir aßen zusammen davon, auch der Usbek bekam ein Stück in seine
266
Fensterecke gereicht, die er wie ein treuer Hund stets sogleich besetzt. Eine leckere Sache!
[First, looking back on the rest of Saturday. Again, at about 20 o’clock, the major showed up with his
Mongol.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “First a review of the rest of Saturday.
At 20 o’clock the major returned, followed by his Mongolian shadow. […] Even the Uzbek got a piece
of fish which he took with him to the window corner.”
Dutch: like German
Although the back door is now well barricaded, although there’s no longer a war raging outside,
267
there’s still great fear in all of us – fear of some drunken, half-crazed soldiers forcing their way in.
Obwohl jetzt die Hintertür verschlossen ist, obwohl draußen kein Krieg mehr tobt, bleibt ein starker
268
Rest von Angst in uns allen. Angst vor irgendwelchen Betrunkenen, Wütigen. [ soldiers. Rest
missing.]
Danish: like US, but: “kitchen door”
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like US
It wasn’t long before she returned. “Quick,” she said, swallowing, her eyes filled with tears, “quick, give
269
me the rest of the vaseline. Someone ”
Sie kam zurück, bat mich: „Komm, gib mir den Rest Vaseline.“ Sie schluckt bereits, hat die Augen voll
270
Tränen.
[She returned, asked me: „Come, give me the rest of the Vaseline.“ She’s already swallowing, her
eyes filled with of tears.]
Swedish: “Came back down again and told me: ‘Go on, give me the rest of the vaseline. Someone…’
And she sobs, her eyes full of tears.”
Danish: “It didn’t take long for her to return. Her eyes were full of tears, and she swallowed. ‘Quick –
give me the rest of the vaseline. Someone…’” [formal form of address]
Norwegian: “But she came back down again very soon. ‘Quick, give me the jar with the vaseline’, she
said, out of breath, ‘there is someone…’ Tears are running down her cheeks.”
Dutch: “Moments later she returned. ‘Quick, give me the rest of the vaseline. Someone – .’ She sobs,
her eyes are full of tears.”
Italian: like German, but with: “’Someone…’”
While Elvira – in a slip and far too large a blouse, lent to her no doubt by the distiller’s wife – sits there
271
moaning with her feet in the bucket [ ].
Während die Rothaarige, die über dem Unterrock eine viel zu weite, wohl von der Hausfrau geliehene
272
Bluse trägt [ ] [While the redhead, who wears an underskirt and far too large a blouse, probably
lent to her by the housewife]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “Elvira has been lent a far too large but clean blouse.”
Dutch: like German
“They queued up,” whispers his wife, while Elvira just sits there speechless. “[ ] She had to take
273
almost all of it herself. The other one was unwell, they let her alone after four times “
„Angestanden haben sie“, erklärt uns im Flüsterton die Likörfabrikantin, während die Rothaarige immer
274
noch schweigt. „[ ] Sie hat beinah alles allein abgekriegt. Die andere Frau war nicht wohl.“
[ explains Mrs Distiller in a whisper while the redhead is still silent.
The other woman was unwell.”
Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US, but: “the distiller’s wife”, “the redhead”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but only: “[…] They took her one after the other…”
Dutch: like US, but: “the red-haired Elvira”
And without a word Elvira unbuttons her blouse, opens her chemise, and reveals her breasts covered
275
with bruises and the marks of teeth.
276
Wortlos öffnet die Rothaarige ihre Bluse, zeigt uns ihre zerbissenen, verfärbten Brüste.
word the redhead opens her blouse, shows us her bitten and bruised breasts.]
[Without a
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like US
For even before queueing up, as well as after, the Ivans had forced liquor down the woman’s throat.
277
Denn ehe die Burschen sich zur Schlange formten, haben sie die Frau ordentlich vollgefüllt mit dem,
was sie an Ort und Stelle fanden, haben ihr auch zwischendurch wieder zu trinken gegeben. Dies
278
alles verdanken wir dem Führer.
[Compare with Boehm; however, his “plied her” is a rather tame translation of the original
“vollfüllen”. A literal translation would be “they filled her up”.]
Danish: like US, but: “the Russians”
Norwegian: “Before the soldiers took her, they filled her up.”
Dutch: like German
Never mind. Today he is our guest: the distiller has given us a bottle of schnaps, no doubt out of
279
gratitude for the vaseline.
Macht nichts, heut ist er unser Gast, wir haben von dem Fabrikanten eine Flasche Likör geerbt.
[ a bottle of liqueur. Rest missing.]
280
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “liqueur”
Monday, May 7, 1945
281
He told me, by the way, about the two merry-making sisters.
Übrigens berichtete er mir von den beiden Sauf- und Jubelschwestern, die in die verlassene PG282
Wohnung eingerückt sind. [ who have moved into the abandoned party member’s apartment.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like German, but only: “abandoned apartment”
Shrugging his shoulders and slightly embarrassed, the major reported on the gay goings-on of the two
283
girls [ ].
Der Major berichtete achselzuckend und leicht geniert von dem munteren Treiben der beiden Frauen
284
[ ]. [two women]
Swedish: “of the two”
Danish: “The major shrugs, slightly embarrassed about the merry life of the two sisters.” [Leben in
German]
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: “of the sisters”
Italian: “of the two”
It’s a strange life this, without newspapers, without a calendar, clocks or watches [ ].
285
Weiter, der neue Tag. Es ist so sonderbar, ohne Zeitung, ohne Kalender, ohne Uhrzeit und Ultimo zu
286
leben. [ clocks or last day of the month. =Ultimo correctly translates into “last trading day of a
month” but is (or was) used colloquially simply for the last day of a month.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
We were sixteen years old [ ].
287
Wir waren fünfzehn, sechzehn Jahre alt [
].
288
[We were fifteen, sixteen years old]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Around noon we had a visitor, not from this house or from next door, but from Wilmersdorf, a section
of the city about two hours’ walk from here. She’s a girl called Elfriede whom the widow knows by
289
name.
Der Montag brachte uns über Mittag Besuch. Nicht aus dem Haus und nicht von nebenan, sondern
aus einem zwei Fußstunden weit entfernten Stadtteil im Westen, aus Wilmersdorf. Ein Mädchen
290
namens Frieda, der Witwe vom Hörensagen bekannt. [Not from the house and not from next door
but from a Western city district two hours walk from here, from Wilmersdorf. A girl called Frieda ]
Swedish: like German, but “Elfriede”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
She tells us that her friend spends all day lying flat on her back, that at the slightest attempt to get up
she gets attacks of dizziness. A hospital nurse has explained to them that the unborn child takes from
the maternal body what it needs for its growth and that if the mother is not sufficiently nourished it
291
feeds on her calcium, blood, and muscle substance.
Sie bittet für die angeheiratete Nichte der Witwe und ihren werdenden Bams um Nahrung. Sie
berichtet, daß die junge Frau den ganzen Tag flach auf dem Rücken liege und beim geringsten
Versuch, aufzustehen, Schwindelanfälle habe. Eine Krankenschwester sieht gelegentlich nach ihr und
hat ihr erklärt, daß die Frucht, sobald die Mutter sich nicht ausreichend ernähren kann, ihre
Werdestoffe aus dem mütterlichen Körper herausholt, schmarotzend an Kalk und Blut und
292
Muskelsubstanz.
[She asks for food for the widow’s niece-in-law and her growing brat. She reports that the young
woman
A nurse looks in on her from time to time and has explained ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but with “looks in on her from time to time”
Dutch: like German
While we stroke her and make her feel as comfortable as possible, the naive, half-starved girl tells us
293
that she had once planned to become a gymnastic teacher.
Wir streicheln sie und strahlen sie an, die kälbrige, halb verhungerte Achtzehnjährige, die, wie sie uns
294
erzählt, einmal Gymnastiklehrerin werden wollte. [We pet her and beam at her, the calflike, halfstarved eighteen-year-old, who tells us ]
Swedish: “We pet her, we beam at her, the calflike, half-starved Elfriede. She is sixteen years old and
wanted – after what she tells us – to become a gymnastics teacher.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “We cheer up the naive, famished young girl as best we can. She tells …”
Dutch: “We make the naive, half-starved Elfriede as comfortable as possible.”
We feel considerably cheered up by the visit; it has proved that we are not completely cut off from the
world, that we ourselves could risk a walk into other parts of the city to see friends and acquaintances.
Herr Pauli, however, is strongly against the idea; he already has visions of us being picked up and
295
carted off to some forced labor camp as far away as Siberia.
Uns hat dieser Besuch sehr aufgemöbelt. Wir sind also doch nicht abgeschnitten von aller Welt,
könnten eine Fußreise in andere Stadtteile zu Freunden und Bekannten riskieren. Seither planen wir
immerzu und überlegen, ob wir es wagen sollen. Herr Pauli ist dagegen. Er sieht uns bereits für irgend
welche Zwangsarbeit aufgegriffen und einkassiert, möglicherweise in Richtung Sibirien. Wir pochen
296
auf Frieda, die es ja auch geschafft hat, bohren weiter.
[ acquaintances. Since then we’re planning all the time and wondering whether we should risk it.
Herr Pauli is against the idea.
We refer to Frieda, who has managed to do it after all, keep pushing
the matter.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: ohne Pauli ff.
Dutch: like German, but: “Elfriede”
Italian: like Dutch
297
All of a sudden an Ivan appears on a bike, stops in front of our house. It’s the major.
Da, ein Russe kommt herangeradelt, hält vor unserer Tür – der Major.
major.]
298
[There, a Russian
Danish: like US, but: “Ivan Ivanovitch”
Dutch: like German
I mount and ride away as fast as I can.
299
300
Sonne. Im Handumdrehen wird es nun warm. Ich trete die Pedale, so schnell ich kann.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
This certainly cannot be the case everywhere [
302
Dies kann nicht stimmen.
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
[This can’t be true.]
].
301
– the
But no, they surround the death of their soldiers with a red halo, sacrifice working hours and useful
303
wood for this nimbus – however poor the display may seem to us.
Aber nein, sie umgeben den Soldatentod mit rotem Nimbus, opfern Arbeit und nützliches Holz für eine
304
Gloriole, mag sie noch so armselig sein. [ however poor it may be.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like German
With great difficulty I dragged the box to the bike, fastening it to the luggage-rack with my belt and a
305
piece of string. The clerk, of course, didn’t move a finger to help me.
Er dachte nicht daran, mir zu helfen. Mühselig schleppte ich meinen Karton zum Rad und band ihn mit
306
meinem Kleidergürtel und einem gefundenen Stück Strippe auf dem Gepäckblech fest. [Inverted
sequence]
Danish: like US, but without “of course”
Norwegian: like Dutch
Dutch: like German
There are masses of cars round the former police barracks, they smell of real gasoline, something we
307
haven’t smelled for a long time.
Um die gewesene Schupo-Kaserne herum wimmelt es von Autos. Sie fahren mit tiefem, sattem
308
Gebrumm, es riecht nach richtigem Benzin. So rochen die deutschen Autos nicht.
[Compare with Boehm; however: “The German cars didn’t smell like that.”]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
309
Panting but proud I drag the load of briquettes up the stairs.
310
Keuchend und stolz schleppe ich Rad und Brikettlast die Treppe hinauf.
the load of briquettes ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, May 8, with the rest of Monday
[
I dragged the bike and
Es mochte acht sein, wir leben ohne Uhr; denn der in ein Handtuch gewickelte, hinten im Schrank
311
versteckte Wecker hat Mucken gekriegt und bleibt stehen, wann er will.
[Compare with Boehm, passage “It might have been 8p.m.” to “keeps stopping.” (adding: whenever it
feels like it.)]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
He’s a man of about fifty, bald, well-shaved, looks quite prosperous, wears a good light gray suit and
312
hand-knitted gray socks in shiny, laced boots.
Ein Mann von etwa fünfzig Jahren, sauber rasiert, Glatze. Er sieht sehr ordentlich aus, trägt einen
hellgrauen Anzug und handgestrickte graue Socken in altmodischen, blankgeputzten
313
Schnürschuhen.
[A man of about fifty years, clean-shaven, bald. He looks very proper, wears a light grey suit and handknitted grey socks in old-fashioned, shiny lace-up shoes.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
Despite this, at 9 P.M., there was someone shouting for me outside. It was the Uzbekian, who kept
repeating my name several times in his high-pitched voice. When I looked out he continued to shout,
pointing indignantly at the locked door. On going down to let him in I found the major also there. His
314
limp had grown considerably worse.
Dennoch rief es gegen 21 Uhr draußen nach mir. Mit seiner gequetschten Stimme wiederholte der
Usbek viele Male meinen Namen (das heißt, die russifizierte Form des Namens, wie sie mir der Major
verliehen hat.) Als ich hinausschaute, schimpfte und drohte der Usbek zu mir hinauf und wies ganz
empört auf die verschlossene Haustür. Tja, mein Dicker, das hilft dir gar nichts. Ich ließ ihn ein, der
315
Major folgte ihm auf dem Fuße, er hinkte beträchtlich. Das Radeln ist ihm schlecht bekommen.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
On returning to the apartment I went to the bathroom where, to my horror, I discovered a frightful
mess. It seems that the Uzbekian has a form of dysentery, for the floor and walls are covered in
316
filth.
Hinterher eklige Arbeit: Der Usbek hat eine Art Ruhr, hat Klo und Wand und Fliesen bespritzt.
317
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like German
At about 9 A.M. I heard our private signal on the front door [
].
318
Weiter, nun der Dienstag. Gegen neun Uhr morgens an der Vordertür der Hausdactylus [ ].
[Onwards, to Tuesday. At about ]
319
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
320
Or they came from Prague or Luxemburg.
321
Oder sie kamen gar aus tiefstem Frieden, aus Prag oder Luxemburg.
absolute peace, ]
[
from where there was
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
He: “I believe that with good will and the desire to work, one could create a life worth living even in
Siberia.”
And the little cripple could, I’m sure. He has done pretty well for himself here, having become the
leading chemist in a great mineral water concern; but whether his physique will be able to stand up to
what the future may require from us all, whether any of us will be able to stand it – this is another
322
question.
Er: “Ich getraue mich, guten Willen vorausgesetzt, mir auch in Sibirien ein lebenswertes Leben
aufzubauen.”
Zuzutrauen wäre es dem verkrüppelten Mann. Er hat sich ja auch hier eine gute Stellung geschaffen,
war leitender Chemiker eines großen Mineralwasserbetriebes. Aber ob er körperlich aushält, was die
323
Zukunft vielleicht von uns fordert? Ob wir anderen es aushalten? Er zuckt die Achseln.
[“I believe that with good will
whether the rest of it will be able to stand it? He shrugs.]
Swedish: like German, but with “and the desire to work”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Sie zerklopft Kisten besser als ich, hat den Trick ihrem Lemberg-Polen abgeguckt, dem dank seiner
Neigung zu Wutanfällen das Kistenzerklopfen wohl besonders gut gelang. (Übrigens weiß inzwischen
324
schon das ganze Haus den Unterschied: „Ukrainerfrau – so. Du – so!“
[Compare with Boehm: passage “She’s much better at breaking” to “like this’.”]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
The baker has not forgotten that I defended his wife when the Ivans were trying to drag her away.
325
Der Bäcker vergaß mir nicht, daß ich für seine Bäckerin eingetreten bin, als damals die Kerle an ihr
326
zerrten. [ that I stood up for his lady baker when the guys ]
Danish: “the Russians”
Dutch: like German
Italian: like Danish
Meanwhile some women busied themselves “shoveling shit,” as Frau Wendt calls it, from behind an
upholstered bench which the Russians had found in the baker’s shop and used as a latrine. There was
327
a great deal of shoveling to be done.
Und etliche Frauen haben, wie Frau Wendt sich grob ausdrückt, “Scheiße geschippt”. Denn die
Russen hatten eine im Laden stehende gepolsterte Bank zur Latrine ernannt, hatten einfach die Bank
328
ein wenig von der Wand abgerückt und sich auf die Lehne gehockt
Swedish: like German, but in addition: “There was a lot to shovel.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “In the meantime several of the women were shovelling muck from a couch in the baker’s
shop that the Russians had used as a latrine. That wasn’t a funny job.”
Dutch: like Swedish
Wednesday, May 9
329
Mittwoch, 9. Mai 1945 – ohne Dienstagrest
330
[without the rest of Tuesday]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
The widow is already beginning to worry about how we are going to exist – murmurs something about
331
our dwindling supplies, that it would be a good thing if the major turned up again.
Die Witwe war gleich wieder daseins-ängstlich, sie unkte was von schwindender Butter, und daß es
332
gut wäre, wenn der Major recht bald neue Vorräte brächte.
[ dwindling butter, that it would be a good thing if the major brought new supplies very soon.]
Swedish: “The widow had existential worries again, croaked something about dwindling supplies and
stated it would be good if the major turned up with something decent again.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “The widow immediately got anxious: what are we supposed to live on? The supplies are
dwindling, the major has to turn up with something decent very soon.”
Dutch: like Swedish
Here I came upon a couple of French picture postcards – the naked embraces covered in
333
fingerprints.
Ich fand zwei Bromsilber-Ansichtspostkarten, deutsches Fabrikat – und viele Daumenabdrücke auf
334
den fotografierten nackten Umarmungen. [ two silver bromide picture postcards, German make]
Swedish: “I found two picture postcards – ‘nude photography’ of German production.”
Danish: like US, but: “pornographic French postcards”
Norwegian: “I found two packets of French postcards of German production.”
Dutch: like German, but without “silver bromide”
Italian: “two postcards, genuine photos – of German production”
[ ] once, when they dropped, he quickly picked them up, but not before I had observed that the
335
gloves were not a pair.
Einmal fielen sie ihm zu Boden, er hob sie hastig auf, doch sah ich, daß es zwei verschiedene
336
Handschuhe waren – mit Nähten auf dem Handrücken der eine, der andere glatt. [ one had
seams on the back, the other was smooth.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Later we plan to look for wood; we need fuel for the stove [
]
337
Nachher wollen wir Holz suchen gehen, brauchen Feuerung für den Herd, die vielen Erbsensuppen
338
verbrauchen was. [ the many pea soups use up at lot of fuel.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
On this grave stands a kind of cross made from two pieces of wood tied together with string.
339
Eine Art Kreuz steht darauf, aus zwei Stücken einer weißpolierten Türfüllung schief mit Draht
340
zusammengefügt. [ from two pieces of a white polished door panel, crookedly tied together with
wire.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Just before reaching home an Ivan came tramping by, some curtains over his arm. He shouted some
341
filthy remark at us. One sees them nowadays only singly or in groups preparing to march off.
Einer stapfte daher, Gardinen überm Arm. Er rief uns eine Schweinerei nach. Man sieht sie jetzt nur
vereinzelt oder in abmarschierenden Trupps. Rauh und herausfordernd gellen uns ihre Lieder ins
342
Ohr. [One guy
Their songs strike our ears, rough and provoking.]
Danish: like US, but: “Ivan Ivanovitch”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
343
They took along the gramophone as well as the record advertising the textile firm.
Das Grammofon haben sie mitgenommen, auch die Reklameplatte der Textilfirma. („
344
für das Kind, Jedermann bei uns was findt “)
für die Dame,
[Compare with Boehm for an almost perfect transcription of the lyrics.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Weiter, dies schreibe ich nachts, bei Kerzenschein, mit einer Kompresse um die Stirn. Gegen acht Uhr
abends schlugen Fäuste an unsere Vordertür: „Feuer! Feuer!“ Wir – hinaus. Draußen grelle Helle.
Flammen züngelten aus dem Ruinenkeller zwei Häuser weiter, leckten schon zur Brandmauer des
heilen Nebenhauses empor. Beizender Qualm drang aus einem Loch im Getrümmer, kroch die Straße
hinauf. Es wimmelte von Schatten, Zivilisten. Ruhe und Geschrei.
Was tun? Wasser gibt es nicht. Der Feuerherd lag unten im Keller der Ruine. Glutheiße Luft, Wind
kam auf, es war wie in Bombennächten. Deshalb regte sich auch keiner auf. „Ersticken“, hieß es. „Mit
Trümmern das Feuer zudecken.“ Im Nu hatten sich zwei Ketten formiert. Gesteinsbrocken wanderten
von Hand zu Hand. Der Letzte schleuderte sie in die Flammen. Einer rief, daß wir uns beeilen müßten,
es sei gleich neun – und um zehn Uhr abends müssen Zivilisten von der Straße verschwunden sein.
Von irgendwoher rollten Gestalten ein Faß an, wir schöpften mit Eimern eine stinkige Brühe daraus.
Beim Weitergeben der Eimer haute mir eine Frau versehentlich die Zinkkante gegen die Schläfe. Ich
sah gleich Funken, taumelte zu einem Steinbrocken auf dem Rasen gegenüber, dem Gräber-Rondell,
hockte mich nieder. Eine Frau setzte sich zu mir und berichtete eintönig, daß „die da unten“ ein
Offiziers-Ehepaar seien, mit Cyankali vergiftet. Das wußte ich schon, ließ aber die Frau reden. „Kein
Sarg, gar nichts“, sagte sie. „Die sind bloß in Verdunkelungspapier gewickelt, mit der Strippe
drumrum. Die hatten ja nicht mal Laken auf den Betten, waren bloß als Verbombte eingewiesen.“ Aber
das Gift müssen sie doch parat gehaben haben.
Mir war schwindlig, ich spürte förmlich, wie die Beule auf der Stirn wuchs. Das Feuer war bald
eingekreist und zugedeckt. Ich gesellte mich zu einer schimpfenden Gruppe und erfuhr die Ursache
des Brandes: Ein Feinkosthändler, der früher in diesem zerstörten Haus sein Geschäft führte, hatte im
teilweise erhaltenen Keller Reste seines Weinlagers belassen. Die Russen hatten es entdeckt, ich
möchte sagen, gerochen und hatten die Regale, Kerzen in Händen, ausgeräumt. Dabei war
versehentlich Flaschenstroh ins Glimmen geraten, woraus sich langsam der Brand entwickelt hatte.
Ein Mann berichtete: „Stockblau haben die Kerls den Rinnstein lang gelegen. Ich hab selber gesehen,
wie einer, der noch aufrecht in seinen Stiefeln stand, an der Reihe lang gegangen ist und seinen
Genossen die Uhren vom Arm geknöpft hat.“ Darob Gelächter.
345
Nun liege ich im Bett, schreibe, kühle meine Beule.
[Compare with Boehm: passage “Moving along” to “cooling my bruise.”]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
Thursday, May 10
We proceed through the once densely populated streets of Kreuzberg, the workers’ district.
Weiter, durch einstmals dichtbevölkerte Arbeiterstraßen.
347
[
346
worker streets.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
At this rate it will take them weeks to dispose of that mountain.
348
Wenn sie so weiter machen, brauchen sie Wochen für den Berg. Sie haben knorrige Hände, vielleicht
349
schaffen sie es. [ mountain. They have gnarly hands, perhaps they’ll accomplish it.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “it will take them months”
Dutch: like German
The screeching of the saw sounds plaintive in the silence. Nowadays everything belongs to
350
everyone.
Alles gehört allen. Kläglich kratzt die Säge durch all die Stille.
351
[Inverted sequence]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch. like German
The air in the park is dust. The few remaining trees look as though they had been powdered [ ].
Die Luft im Park war bloß Staub, alle Bäume schienen weiß überpudert [ ].
353
[all the trees
Swedish, like German
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
“A classmate of my husband,” she explains. “Classical philologist. Married.“
354
„Ein Korpsbruder meines Mannes“, so sagte sie – Studienrat, Altphilologe, verheiratet.
355
]
352
Swedish: like German, but: “A colleague of my husband”
Danish: like US, but: “He and my husband were corps brothers”
Dutch: like German, but: “teacher of the classical languages, married”
The translation of “Korpsbruder” is somewhat tricky. Boehm managed to get around the issue by
saying the two men had been in the same brotherhood, which is correct, all in all. A “Korps” in this
context can mean both a students’ corps and a military corps. Since it seems unlikely (but not
impossible) that a pharmacist and a philologist shared the same students’ corps, I suspect the latter.
Finally we find the rear entrance, go up two flights of stairs, knock, and the widow shouts her name.
356
We hear some whispering and the sound of feet. At last someone realizes who we are.
Endlich fanden wir den Aufgang, klommen zwei Treppen hoch, klopften, riefen als Parole den Namen
357
der Witwe Drinnen Rumoren, Schritte und Geflüster, bis man begreift, wer draußen steht.
[Finally we found the entrance, climbed two flights of stairs, knocked, called the name of the widow as
a password . Inside noises, steps and whispers, until they realise who’s standing outside.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Apparently the conquerors arrived here later and left earlier.
358
359
Hier kamen die Sieger später und verschwanden früher, alles ging ruck-zuck.
happened in a flash.]
[
earlier, everything
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
360
They sat there in silence, in the almost empty but clean room.
361
Stumm saßen sie in einem fast leeren, scheibenlosen, doch sauberen Zimmer.
room that had no windowpanes but was clean.]
[
almost empty
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “They sat quietly and modestly, without saying anything.”
Dutch: like German
On arriving in the cellar with their flashlights, the Russians immediately picked out the two girls but
362
pushed Gisela, with all her wrinkles of charcoal, back in her chair: “You Babuschka, no good!”
Als die Russen kamen und sich mit Taschenlampen die beiden jungen Studentinnen
herausleuchteten, haben sie Gisela mitsamt ihren Kohle-Runzeln aufs Lager zurückgedrückt: „Du
363
Babuschka schlaffen.“ [ back on her bed: „You babushka sleep.“]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like German
Italian: like German [with additional translation “Babuschka” – “nonnina”]
But for me those few shy moments in the doorway have never lost their glow, and I’m glad I was
364
granted them.
Trotzdem haben jene scheuen Minuten im Torweg für mich einen Silberglanz behalten.
lost their glow. Rest missing.]
365
[
never
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
(I knew this expression from Anatole.) I had to make an effort to maintain the air of incomprehension
which the Russian was counting on. I just smiled idiotically, whereupon both soldiers burst out
366
laughing.
(Den Ausdruck lehrte mich Anatol in ländlich-sittlicher Plumpheit.) Ich mußte an mich halten, um das
doofe Nichtverstehen zu wahren, mit dem dieser Bursche rechnete. Also lächelte ich bloß, worauf die
367
beiden Kerle schallend loslachten. Bittesehr! [Anatol taught me this expression in country-boy
oafishness.
So I just smiled, whereupon the two guys burst out laughing. As you please!]
Swedish: like US, but with “As you please!”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Friday, May 11
War ich selber dafür? Dagegen? Ich war jedenfalls mittendrin und habe die Luft eingeatmet, die uns
umgab und die uns färbte, auch wenn wir es nicht wollten. Paris hat mir das gezeigt oder vielmehr ein
junger Student, dem ich im dritten Jahr der Hitler-Ära im Jardin du Luxembourg begegnete. Vor einem
Regenguß flüchteten wir unter eine Baumkrone. Wir schwatzten Französisch und hörten beide gleich
heraus, daß wir Ausländer waren. Wo zu Hause? Mit viel Spaß und Neckerei gaben wir uns ans
Raten. Meine Haarfarbe ließ ihn auf Schwedin tippen, während ich darauf bestand, ihn einen
Monegassen zu nennen, weil ich diese Bezeichnung für die Bürger von Monaco frisch gelernt hatte
und lustig fand.
Der Regen endete so jäh, wie er begonnen. Wir setzten uns in Gang, und ich machte einen kleinen
Wechselschritt, um meinen Tritt dem seinen anzupassen. Er blieb stehen und rief aus: „Ah, une fille du
Fuhrer!“ – Eine Tochter von Hitler also, eine Deutsche, erkannt in dem Augenblick, da sie bemüht war,
im gleichen Schritt und Tritt mit dem Nebenmann zu marschieren.
Aus war’s mit Spaß und Neckerei. Denn nun stellte sich der junge Mann vor: kein Monegasse,
sondern Holländer und Jude. Was sollten wir da noch reden? Wir trennten uns an der nächsten
368
Wegbiegung. Mir hat dies Erlebnis damals bitter geschmeckt, hab lange daran herumgekaut.
[Compare with Boehm: passage “What about me?” to “I brooded over it for a long time.”]
US: missing
Swedish: present
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
It occurs to me that it’s more than a week since I’ve heard anything of Herr and Frau Golz, fellow
369
tenants in my old bombed-out building and former Party members.
Mir fiel ein, daß ich seit geraumer Zeit nichts mehr von Herrn und Frau Golz gehört hatte,
370
Flurnachbarn aus meinem abgebrannten früheren Bau und gewesenen Parteigläubigen.
[ believers in the Party.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Siegismund, the inveterate believer in our victory. Actually he doesn’t know my name but has heard
that I have connections with some influential Russians. [ ] I told him I hadn’t heard anything about
371
this order and that I wasn’t under the impression that anything of this kind was being planned.
Siegismund, der Sieggläubige, der von irgend einer Seite hat läuten hören, daß ich Beziehungen zu
„hohen Russen“ hätte. [ ] Ich sagte ihm, daß ich von nichts wüßte und auch nicht glaubte, daß
372
dergleichen geplant sei – er solle abwarten. [ believer in victory, who had heard from somewhere
that I had connections to “high Russians”
planned – he should wait and see.]
Danish: like US, but: “who believed in the German victory to the last”
Dutch: like German, but: “Siegismund, the persistent crier for victory who has heard that I ‘had
connections with the Russians’”
Italian: like Dutch (but “believer in victory”)
The “Hosanna Crucifige” is constantly repeating itself. Will there ever be an end to this cry?
374
Immer wiederholt sich das „Hosiannah-Crucifige!“
[
373
repeating itself. Rest missing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but only “the ‘Crucifige’”
Dutch: like German
Saturday, May 12
375
I took Gisela into the back room for a chat. I wanted to know how she imagines her future.
Ich holte mir Gisela zum Palaver ins Wohnzimmer, wollte wissen, wie sie sich das Weiterleben
376
denkt. [living room]
Danish: “room overlooking the backyard”
Dutch: like US
When saying good-bye I secretly handed her three cigars which I pinched out of the major’s box,
377
already half-emptied by Herr Pauli.
Zum Abschied gab ich ihr zwei Zigarren mit, hab sie klammheimlich aus der Majorskiste geklaut, die
378
Herr Pauli schon zur Hälfte leergeraucht hat. [two cigars]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
I’m once more amazed that although “they” took the trouble to build barricades it evidently never
379
occurred to them to prepare a few reliable hydrants for the siege.
Wieder wundre ich mich darüber, daß „die“ zwar Barrikaden bauten, die zu nichts nütze sind, daß sie
aber nicht im geringsten daran dachten, für die Belagerung ein paar ordentliche Wasserzapfstellen
380
vorzubereiten. [ barricades that are of no use ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like US
Sunday, May 13
From early on we hear hopeful sounds – carpet-beating, scrubbing, hammering. Over us hovers,
381
nevertheless, the fear that we may have to clear our house, our apartments for the Russians.
Von früh an optimistische Geräusche: Klopfen, Schrubben, Gehämmer. Dabei schwebt über uns die
382
Angst, daß wir unser Haus, unsere Wohnungen für Militär räumen müssen. [ beating, scrubbing,
hammering.
our apartments for the military.]
Swedish: like German, but “carpet-beating” instead of “beating”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Herr Pauli, already rubbing his left thigh, hints that he will have to lie down
.
383
Herr Pauli reibt sich schon wieder das Kreuz, meint, daß er sich legen müsse
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
384
[
his back
]
Italian: like US
Two minutes’ thought should be sufficient to make them realize that alcohol makes men lecherous and
increases considerably their sexual drive (although not their potency, as it has been my lot to learn).
I’m convinced that had the Russians not found so much alcohol here, there wouldn’t have been half
the number of rapes. These Ivans are no Casanovas. To commit their acts of sexual aggression they
first have to work themselves up artificially, drown their inhibitions. I’m sure they know this, or at least
guess it, otherwise they wouldn’t be so crazy for anything even smelling of alcohol. In the next war,
which is certain to take place in the midst of women and children (for whose protection in the old days
men went into the field), every remaining drop of alcohol should be poured down the drain before the
385
enemy’s arrival.
Die sollen sich bloß mal zwei Minuten überlegen, daß Schnaps geil macht und den Trieb gewaltig
steigert. Ich bin überzeugt, daß ohne den vielen Alkohol, den die Burschen überall bei uns fanden, nur
halb so viele Schändungen vorgekommen wären. Casanovas sind diese Männer nicht. Sie müssen
sich erst selber zu frechen Taten anstacheln, haben Hemmungen wegzuschwemmen. Das wissen sie
oder ahnen es doch; sonst wären sie nicht so heftig hinter Trinkbarem her. Beim nächsten Krieg, der
mitten unter Frauen und Kindern geführt wird (zu deren Schutz früher angeblich das Mannsvolk
hinauszog), müßte vor Abzug der eigenen Truppen jeder verbliebene Tropfen an aufputschenden
386
Getränken in den Rinnstein gegossen, Weinlager müßten gesprengt, Bierkeller hochgejagt werden.
Swedish: like German, but with remark regarding potency
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
I have been in twelve European countries.
387
Einmal nachzählen: Ich war in zwölf Ländern von Europa [
]
388
[Let me count ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
They lie, however, in my opinion, in form and color and in the various rules of the game rather than in
the greater or lesser degree of happiness of the many. The little, dull, submissive human being who
knows only the existence into which he has been born did not strike me as more unhappy in Moscow,
London, or Berlin. He had adjusted himself to the conditions of life in which he found himself. And
willingly or occasionally unwillingly he followed the accepted rules of the game. It is at most the world
traveler who suffers the conflict of choice, provided of course that his movements are not restricted by
389
having to earn his livelihood.
Sie liegen aber, wie mir scheinen will, in der Form und Farbe, in den jeweils gültigen Spielregeln; nicht
im größeren oder geringeren Glück der meisten, wie es noch das Anliegen von Candide war. Der
kleine, dumpfe, untertänige Mensch, der einzig das Sein kennt, in das er hineingeboren wurde,
erschien mir in Moskau nicht unglücklicher als in Paris oder in Berlin. Er hat sich den
390
Lebensbedingungen, die er vorfand, seelisch angepaßt.
[ in which he found himself. Rest missing]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US, but: “He had adjusted himself to the conditions of life that he found under
Bolshevism or parliamentarism, in London or Berlin. […] And finally the complete lack of erotic
tension. Erotic there is purely biological, and that’s boring.”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
On the other hand, I liked being in London and Paris.
In Paris oder London hingegen war ich gern.
392
391
[Inverted sequence]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
I can only function in a small circle, be a good friend. The minutes in which I’m able to dream that I’m
different from what I am, that the world is different, our fate other than what it appears to be – these
393
moments seem to become increasingly rare.
Einzig im engen Kreise kann ich wirken und gut Freund sein.
394
[
be a good friend. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
Monday, May 14
It was dawn when I was next waked up by the chattering of the bread queue. It had already wound its
way round half the block, and even now, in the afternoon, it’s still there. A number of women had
brought stools along. [ ] There are quite a few children among them; they must be learning a lot
these days. At the pump the widow heard a seven-year-old interrupt a conversation with the following
395
remark: “My mummy was raped, too – on the kitchen table!”
In grauer Frühe weckte mich heute die schnatternde Brotschlange. Sie wand sich um den halben
396
Block herum, dauert jetzt am Nachmittag noch an. Viele Frauen haben sich Hocker mitgebracht.
[ brought stools along. Rest missing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
One of them quotes Stalin’s slogan: “The Hitlers of the world will disappear, but Germany will
397
remain.”
Eine besagt mit Stalins Worten, daß die Hitler etcetera verschwinden, daß Deutschland aber bleibe.
398
„Losungi“ nennen die Russen mit einem deutschen Fremdwort solche Kernsätze. [ remain.
“Losungi”, the Russians call those slogans with a German loanword.]
Swedish: “One of them quotes Stalin’s statement that Hitler and his followers will disappear but
Germany will remain.” Rest missing
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like US, but with “losungi”
[ ] whereupon the widow swiftly allowed a set of underwear not belonging to her to disappear into her
back. Later, however, she remembered the Ten Commandments and returned the object as “pocketed
by mistake.” Our notions of property have completely disintegrated; everyone robs his neighbor
because everyone has himself been robbed. As a result everything which accumulated as “ownerless”
399
in the courtyard turned out to be trash – old torn dresses, a few crushed hats, single shoes.
(Wobei die Witwe eine seidene Wäschegarnitur, die nicht ihr gehörte, sanft in ihren Sack
verschwinden ließ. Sie besann sich allerdings später wieder auf die Zehn Gebote und gab das Stück,
auf dessen Eigentümerin ein gesticktes Monogramm hinwies, als irrtümlich eingesteckt an die rechte
Adresse zurück.) Die Eigentumsbegriffe sind völlig zerrüttet. Jeder bestiehlt jeden, weil jeder
bestohlen wurde und jeder alles brauchen kann. So sammelte sich als „herrenlos“ schließlich nur
400
Schamott an: Verwaschene Unterröcke, Hüte, ein Einzelschuh.
Swedish: like German, but without brackets
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, May 15
That wouldn’t be so bad; mightn’t be so difficult to put away a little. Two women behind me – upper
class, to judge from their accents: “I’m very narrow, you know – my husband has always made
allowances for this. And now that .” It seems that this woman, after having been raped several times,
tried to poison herself. But: “I probably did it badly. I just couldn’t keep the stuff down .“
401
“And now?” asks the other one.
Das wäre nicht übel. Hinter mir zwei Frauen, der Redeweise nach Damen. Die eine: „Wissen Sie, mir
war alles gleich. Ich bin sehr eng, mein Mann hat darauf immer Rücksicht genommen.“ Es scheint,
daß diese Frau versucht hat, sich nach mehrfacher Vergewaltigung durch Gift das Leben zu nehmen.
Aber: „Ich wußte das ja nicht. Man hat es mir hinterher erklärt, daß der Magen dafür angesäuert sein
muß. Ich habe das Zeug nicht bei mir behalten können.“
402
„Und jetzt?“ fragt leise die andere zurück.
Danish: like US, but only: “I’m very narrow, you know… my husband has always…”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
This had gotten on the young Lesbian’s nerves. She belongs to the class of altruistic lovers; again and
again during these last years she has given her friend presents, done her innumerable small services.
Now she’s angry at the other’s lack of loyalty. All this was quite calmly and openly discussed over the
bourgeois tea table. No judgment was passed, no criticism made. We no longer whisper, no longer
hesitate to utter certain words which until recently had been tabu in this stratum of society. We
403
mention them casually, objectively, as detached as though we were living on another planet.
Das geht der jungen Freundin an den Nerv, sie gehört zu den altruistischen Liebenden, hat im Verlauf
der letzten Jahre ohne Ende für die Braune geschenkt und geschleppt. Das alles wurde ruhig und
beiläufig beim Bürgertee abgehandelt. Es fiel kein Urteil, keine Wertung. Wir tuscheln nicht mehr. Wir
zögern nicht mehr vor gewissen Worten und Dingen. Wir nehmen sie in den Mund, achselzuckend
404
und wie vom Sirius her.
Swedish: like German, but: “This had gotten on the young lesbian friend’s nerves” and “We use them.
Casually, with a shrug.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “This was too much for the young lesbian girl” and only “over the tea table”
Dutch: like German, but: “This got on the young lesbian’s”, only “over tea”, “as though we were
living on another planet”
Italian: like German, but: “young lesbian”, “as though from the moon”
Wednesday, May 16
Called by the interpreter, a man emerges from the next room, an electrical engineer who, with the help
of some blueprints, shows the Commandant how the electric current is going to be distributed in this
405
district.
Aus dem Nebenraum tritt, von der Dolmetscherin gerufen, ein Mann, wohl Elektro-Ingenieur, der
anhand von Blaupausen nun dem Kommandanten zeigt, wie es mit der Stromversorgung seines
406
Bezirks steht. Ich reckte den Hals; unser Block war aber nicht mit drauf. [I craned my neck; but our
block isn’t on the prints.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
I’m equally surprised to see how each person here is trying to obtain official permission for his
activities in order to be on the right side of the law. A business manager registering his small factory
407
[ ].
Erstaunlich, wie ein Jeder plötzlich bemüht ist, für sein Tun eine Erlaubnis einzuholen, sich den
Rücken zu decken. Das Wort „Kommandant“ ist in diesen Tagen ein Schlüsselwort.
408
Ein Betriebsführer mit zwei Stenotypistinnen meldet seinen Kleinbetrieb an [ ].
[The word “commandant” is a key word these days. A business manager with two stenotypists is
registering ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “It is astonishing that everyone is so eager to get permission for their various activities. A
man appears who wants to re-open his workshop.”
Dutch: like German
I spoke freely, admitted at once what the Commandant himself must have been able to hear: that my
knowledge of Russian was inadequate for a complicated job of translation, that I was able to
409
understand only the simplest conversation.
Ich legte dreist los, gestand, was der Kommandant ohnedies hörte: daß ich so vielfältigen
410
Übersetzungsanforderungen sprachlich nicht gewachsen sei. [ job of translation. Rest missing.]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “I reported in as a translator but said that my Russian was too bad for difficult
assignments.”
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
There’s something strange about all this. I’d like to ask the lieutenant his opinion, but don’t dare to.
411
Etwas stimmt da nicht. Alles sieht eher nach wilden Plünderungen aus, bei denen sich der einzelne
Mann tüchtig was unter den Nagel riß. Gern würde ich den Oberleutnant nach diesen Dingen fragen.
412
Ich wage es nicht. [This doesn’t add up. Everything looks more like wild looting during which each
man grabbed a good deal for himself. I’d like ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
And yet in the government offices where foreigners had to present themselves, there were any
number of Jewish citizens with German-sounding names like Goldstein, Perlmann, and Rosenzweig.
Most of them had been educated abroad, spoke several languages and, having abandoned all their
Jewish traditions, were wholeheartedly dedicated to the Soviet dogma.
While we’re sitting in the shade of the lilac, a door in the cellar apartment in front of us opens a few
inches to reveal the face of a very old woman. I ask her for a glass of water. When she brings it,
413
smiling amiably, the lieutenant rises and thanks her with a bow.
Trotzdem findet man auf den Ämtern, bei denen man als Ausländer vorstellig werden muß, sehr viele
jüdische Bürger mit den typisch deutschen Namen von sinnig blumigem Klang, wie Goldstein,
Perlmann, Rosenzweig. Meistens sprachkundige Leute, dem Sowjetdogma ergeben, ohne Jehovah,
Bundeslade und Sabbath.
Wir sitzen im Schatten. Hinter uns wieder eine von den roten Holzsäulen. Ein stiller Schläfer liegt
darunter, der Feldwebel Markoff. Als sich die Tür zur Kellerwohnung einen winzigen Spalt weit öffnet
und eine Uralte hinausspäht, bitte ich für den Russen um ein Glas Wasser. Es wird freundlich
hinausgereicht, kühl im beschlagenen Trinkglas. Der Oberleutnant erhebt sich und bedankt sich mit
414
einer Verbeugung.
Swedish: like German, but: “Beneath it lays Corporal Markov.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Even the lumberjack Petka and his ilk must have felt something of this kind.
Selbst der Holzfäller Petka muß etwas derartiges gespürt haben.
felt ]
416
[
415
lumberjack Petka must have
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
And behind the living-room door hung a towel on which all three children blew their noses. The habit of
washing, natural to us even with the present shortage of water and soap, represents “Kultura” to our
417
conquerors.
Und hinter der Stubentür hing ein Handtuch, in dem sich alle drei Kinder der Familie schneuzten – das
418
Kleinste unten, die Größeren höher. Ländlich-sittlich. [ blew their noses – the smallest one at the
bottom, the older ones higher up. Very rural.]
Swedish: like US, but: “where all three children in the house blew their noses – the smallest one at the
bottom, the oldest at the top.”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
He says he would like to get to know me better, ruling out at once any suspicion of an ulterior motive
419
with the words: “Pas ça, vous comprenez.” Oh yes, I understand.
Er möchte mich besser kennenlernen, wobei er sich gleich gegen jeden falschen Verdacht verwahrt:
„Pas ça, vous comprenez?“ – So sagt er und schaut mich mit nebligen Augen an. Oh ja, ich
420
verstehe. [So he says and looks at me with misty eyes. Oh yes, I understand.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but without last sentence.
Dutch: like German
Why, for the few intervening days, should I “sleep” * some food into the house for this lazy Herr Pauli?
[Footnote:] * This is a sample of our new language; we have recently been developing a strange
421
jargon; we talk about major-sugar, rape-shoes, loot-wine, and pilfer-coal.
Was soll ich also noch für die paar Tage dem trägen Pauli Essen anschlafen? (Auch so ein neues
Wort von uns. Wir haben mit der Zeit einen seltsamen Jargon entwickelt, reden von Majorszucker und
422
Schändungsschuhen, von Plünderwein und Klaukohle.) [(One of our new words. We’ve developed a
strange jargon ]
Danish: like US [with footnote]
Norwegian: without annotation in brackets or footnote
Dutch: like German
423
The widow, still hopeful, keeps her ears cocked.
424
Die Witwe, noch hoffnungsvoll, behielt immerfort den Wecker im Auge.
clock.]
[
kept an eye on the alarm
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: like German
425
He: “No, not yet.” And he switched to another subject.
426
Darauf er: „Nein, doch nicht, es sind ganz andere Verhältnisse.“ Und er sprach von etwas anderem.
[“No, rather not, these are completely different conditions.”]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing [entire passage after “a new wind blowing our way”]
Dutch: like German
This is a very interesting deviation for several reasons. One must not forget that A Woman in Berlin of
1954 was a product of its time. Not only was it somewhat of a hard sell in the USA, given that only
nine years earlier Germans were the declared enemy – the Soviet blockade of Berlin, oddly enough,
had gone a long way to change that perception, but still the US first edition actively sought to cast a
positive light on the German civilians, both, I suspect, with a view to sales figures and as a result of
Kurt Marek’s effords on behalf of his countrymen. The US edition managed to combine that attempt
of making its German characters more sympathetic with clear hints to the anti-Soviet feelings of the
time. (Therefore the missing passage of Marta’s Paris experience and the addition of the “red cage”.)
This passage now is a very clear example of the subtle (or not-so-subtle) anti-Soviet propaganda in the
American first edition. It is highly unlikely that Nikolai, who by all accounts had ties to the political
branch of the occupiers, would have openly admitted to an impending socialisation of the banking
sector. The German version therefore sounds more real, which makes Nikolai’s confession in the US
edition a clear piece of propaganda (not to mention a modification made in hindsight).
Thursday, May 17
I remember now having seen him frequently in the cellar; I also remember the blond woman billeted in
this house whom no one seemed to know and who was constantly holding hands with her equally
427
unknown lodger. He, it seems, was the big shot [ ].
Im Keller hab ich ihn öfters gesehen, erinnere mich noch an die eingewiesene Blonde, die keiner recht
kannte und die mit ihrem dito unbekannten Untermieter ständig Hand in Hand dasaß – zwei
428
Turteltauben. Der Täuberich also war das hohe Tier. [ with her equally unknown lodger – two love
birds. So, the male bird was the bigwig.]
Swedish: like German, but: “the blond gentleman who had found shelter in our house […] and his […]
lodger”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but: “lover” instead of lodger, and: “he” instead of male bird
Dutch: like German
Friday, May 18
Intellectual workers of secondary importance are given Card II; perhaps I’ll have a chance to slip in
429
there if I’m able to find a job in a publishing house or as a designer.
Für Kopfarbeiter zweiter Garnitur ist Karte II vorgesehen; vielleicht kann ich da hineinschlüpfen.
[ slip in there. Rest missing.]
430
Swedish: “Intellectuals and artists in general are given Card II – perhaps I can get in that class when
I’m working in my area of expertise again.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “Perhaps I’ll have a chance to get in there when I find work again.”
Dutch: like Swedish
In the afternoon I accompanied the widow, the woman from Hamburg, and her daughter Stinchen who
were all going to register at the City Hall. The Hamburg woman had asked me to come along on
account of Stinchen who, it seems, was a girl leader in the Hitler Youth and fears reprisals; the mother
hopes that with my knowledge of Russian I may help to protect her daughter. I shrugged my shoulders
431
and went along.
Am Nachmittag spazierte ich mit der Hamburgerin und ihrer Tochter Stinchen zum Rathaus. Stinchens
wegen hatte mich die Hamburgerin darum gebeten. Es scheint, daß Stinchen Jungmädelführerin oder
etwas Ähnliches war, wofür sie Repressalien befürchtet, denen ich notfalls mit russischem Palaver
432
entgegentreten soll. Die Witwe schloß sich uns an.
[In the afternoon I went with the Hamburg woman and her daughter Stinchen to the town hall.
fears
reprisals that I’m supposed to counter with palaver in Russian. The widow accompanied us.]
Swedish: like US, but: “a Nazi girl organisation”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but without: “the mother hopes that with my knowledge of Russian I may help to
protect her daughter.”
Dutch: like US, but: “with palaver in Russian”
Italian: like Swedish, but: “with palaver in Russian”
We discussed whether he was really dead or had just bolted in a submarine.
Ob er wirklich jetzt tot ist? Oder ausgeflogen? Oder im U-Boot entwischt?
a submarine?]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German, but without last sentence
Saturday, May 19
(Scribbled in the margin at the end of July [
(Juli 45 an den Rand gekritzelt [ ].)
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Whit Sunday, May 20, 1945
436
].)
435
[in July 45]
434
433
[Or escaped? Or bolted in
The widow regaled us with all manner of family anecdotes. Actually, her family is quite interesting. Her
father was married twice, early and late in life, and there are innumerable children and grandchildren
from both marriages – aunts who are younger than her nieces, uncles who sat with their nephews on
the same school bench. The widow confesses that the second of the two wives who outlived her
husband married again, this time a Jew. Although this Jewish step-papa died before Hitler came to
power, he nevertheless remained – until now carefully concealed – a blot on the family reputation.
Today, however, the widow mentions his name with obvious delight, even boasts about him. Perhaps
she assumes that the former existence of this non-Aryan papa might prove useful to her in
437
retrospect.
Die Witwe gab allerlei Familien-Anekdoten zum besten. Das ist ihre Stärke. Ihre Sippe ist aber auch
wirklich komisch, da völlig unübersichtlich: Der Schwiegerpapa war dreimal verheiratet, in großen
Abständen; hat zwei seiner Frauen überlebt. Aus allen Ehen laufen nun Kinder und Kindeskinder
herum; Tanten, die jünger sind als ihre Nichten; Onkel, die mit ihren Neffen in die gleiche Schulklasse
gehen. Obendrein, so gesteht die Witwe, hat sich die letzte, überlebende Gattin anschließend in
zweiter Ehe mit einem Juden vermählt. Dieser jüdische Stief-Schwiegervater starb zwar bereits lange
vor Beginn des Dritten Reiches; doch blieb er ein Fleck in der Familiengeschichte. Heute hingegen
438
erzählt die Witwe geradezu mit Behagen von ihm und rühmt sich seiner.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Monday, May 21
At a corner I came upon an unusually large crowd, between 20 and 30 people.
439
Endlos die leeren Straßen. Plötzlich ungewohnte Menschenfülle, wohl zwanzig, dreißig Mann [ ].
[Endless the empty streets. Suddenly ]
440
Danish: like German
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
I walk on through green residential streets. As I turn the corner where my friend lives my throat dries
441
up with excitement.
Weiter, durch grüne Wohnstraßen. Überall Stille, ja Starre. Alles wirkt so verkrochen und verschreckt.
Manchmal trippelt da ein junges Ding vorbei, nett angetan. Es soll da und dort sogar schon wieder
getanzt werden, die Witwe hat es beim Bäcker gehört.
442
Der Hals war mir trocken vor Spannung, als ich in die Wohnstraße meiner Freundin einbog.
Danish: like German
Norwegian: only last sentence present
Dutch: like German
443
“Look!” shouts the husband. “Here she is – all that way – as though she thought nothing of it!”
444
Der Mann ruft: „Sowas! Da kommt sie angetänzelt, als ob gar nichts wäre!“
“My! There she comes waltzing in as though nothing had happened!”]
[The husband exclaims:
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “My, have you walked all that long way!” Ilse’s husband exclaims.
Dutch: like German
As the apartment has only an electric stove – useless at present – the girls have built themselves on
the balcony a fireplace out of bricks which they keep going with branches they pick up here and there.
445
It’s hours before their little bit of mush gets cooked.
Da es in der Wohnung nur einen – jetzt sinnlosen – Elektroherd gibt, haben sich die Mädels auf dem
Balkon aus Ziegelsteinen eine Art Herd gebaut, den sie mit mühsam gesuchten Fichtenzweigen
speisen. Es dauert ewig, bis das bißchen Brei gar ist. Zudem muß Frieda ständig vor dem Feuerchen
446
hocken, es anstacheln und Zweige nachlegen. Es roch weihnachtlich vom Harz.
[ gets cooked. In addition, Frieda has to squat in front of the little fire all the time, has to fan it and to
put new twigs in. It smelled like Christmas because of the resin.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, May 22
At about 2 P.M. I heard shouts downstairs. On looking out I actually saw an officially appointed town447
crier, the kind they used to have a hundred years ago.
Gegen 14 Uhr lautes Rufen auf der Straße vor unserem Haus: ein von amtswegen bestellter Ausrufer
448
wie vor tausend Jahren. [a thousand years ago]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “in times past”
Dutch: like German
The street in front of the Labor Office looks like a crowded building site.
Die Straße vor dem Rathaus bot das Bild einer wildbelebten Baustelle.
Danish: like German
Dutch: like German
Wednesday, May 23
449
450
[town hall]
Four of us pushed the full tubs to the ditch. I was just about to learn how to handle the tilter when the
451
downpour became so heavy we had to stop.
Zu viert schoben wir die vollen Loren an den Graben heran. Ich lernte eine Drehscheibe bedienen. Bis
452
wilde Regengüsse uns zu einer Pause zwangen. [I learned how to operate a swivel plate. Until
heavy downpours forced us to take a break.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
“Even under Adolf,” muttered one woman, “I never ate such stuff.” Protests from all sides.
453
Eine Frau murmelte: „Bei Adolf ha’ ick sowat nich jejessen.“ Von allen Seiten kam Widerspruch: „Sie,
det schreiben Se man ooch noch Ihrem Adolf uff Rechnung.“ Darauf die Frau, ganz betreten: „So ha’
454
ick det ja nich jemeint.“ [A woman muttered: “I never ate such stuff under Adolf.” Objection from all
sides: “You can bill your Adolf for that, too.” Thereupon the woman, very embarrassed: “I didn’t mean it
like that.” =People are speaking in the Berlin dialect.]
Swedish: like German, but without last sentence
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
At 3 P.M. the supervisor crossed us off his list and we were allowed to go home. Relieved that this first
experience had come to an end, I went off swinging my bucket to the tune of “What doesn’t kill me
455
makes me stronger.”
Gegen 15 Uhr wurden wir endlich von unserem Wiener auf der Liste abgehakt und durften
heimgehen. Übermütig schwenkte ich unterwegs meinen Dreckeimer, nach dem Motto: „Was mich
456
nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker.“ [At about 3 p.m. our Viennese finally crossed us off
On my
way I jauntily ]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Thursday, May 24
Woke up early.
457
Der Wecker rasselte – auf zum Schippen.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
458
[The alarm clock jangled – up for shovelling.]
This one, however, proceeded to act. He was a lieutenant, and with his rifle gripped in both hands he
drove the rest of the women out of their hiding places and into a group. Having rounded us up as
though we were a flock of sheep and he a dog, the lieutenant herded us across the allotment gardens
459
and into the grounds of a tool factory.
Dieser nun schritt zur Tat. Er schien mit Befehlen ausgerüstet, sammelte die Restbestände von uns
Frauen und trieb uns zu einem Haufen zusammen. Wir zockelten hinter ihm drein, vor ihm her. Er
rannte um uns herum wie ein Hund um die Schafherde; ein Leutnant mit gezückter Knarre. Quer durch
die Schrebergärten trabten wir und landeten schließlich auf dem Gelände einer Werkzeugmaschinen460
Fabrik.
Swedish: like German, but without sentence: “We trudged along behind him, in front of him.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but without mention of rifle
Dutch: like Swedish
Friday, May 25
I was one of the three. Where were we going? “To peel potatoes?” ventured one of my companions –
for it seems that about a dozen women have already been chosen to peel potatoes in a railroad
461
carriage.
Die dritte war ich. Wir trabten hinter ihm drein. Wohin? Eine von uns mutmaßte: „Vielleicht zum
Kartoffelschälen?“ Dazu haben sie nämlich schon ein Dutzend Frauen hinüber zum Bahndamm
462
geholt, wo die sinnig mit Gardinen gezierten russischen Wohnwagen stehen.
[The third one was me. We trotted after him. Where to?
Because they have already taken a dozen
women to do that at the railway embankment where the Russian trailers with their cozy curtains are
standing.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: without mention of railroad carriage
Dutch: like German
We rolled up our sleeves and started to work – soaped, rubbed, lugged water, warm water from the
copper, cold from the hydrant in the street. Before long my fingers grew sore from trying to clean the
filthy towels and clothes. The former, stiff with grease, were good towels, with initials – obviously
looted from bourgeois German households. In an attempt to protect my hands I started scrubbing the
towels with a hairbrush, which didn’t help much.
While we worked groups of Russians kept appearing, hung around us, trying to pinch us. I kicked like
a horse, splashed at them with my hairbrush but didn’t utter a word. I listened to them talking about us,
arguing about our ages. After a long discussion they assessed mine at twenty-four. Not bad to be
463
taken for as young as that.
Dauern kommen sie in Gruppen daher, lümmeln sich um die Bütte herum und quatschen über uns.
Zum Beispiel stritten sich zweie, wie alt wir wohl seien. Mir gaben sie nach langem Hin und Her 24
Jahre. Nicht schlecht!
Die Stunden schlichen. Wir seiften, rieben, schleppten Wasser heran, warmes aus dem
Truppenkessel, kaltes vom Hydranten an der Straße. Hab mir die Finger wund gerieben an dem
verdreckten Zeug. Die Handtücher starrten von Fett. Es waren durchweg deutsche Familientücher mit
Monogramm, Beute. Ich bürstete die Sachen mit einer Haarbürste und quälte mich sehr damit ab.
Derweil immerfort Russen um uns herum, sie kniffen uns, wo sie uns zu fassen kriegten. Ich schlug
464
aus wie ein Pferd und spritzte sie mit meiner Haarbürste naß, sagte aber keinen Ton.
[Inverted paragraphs; compare with Boehm]
Swedish: like German, but: “Not bad, that much less!”
Danish: like US, but: “towels and underwear”
Norwegian: like US, but: “Very flattering!”
Dutch: like Swedish
The Ivans seemed impressed. “They really work well – and always cheerful,” I heard one of them
465
say.
Die Kerle wunderten sich. Ich hörte, wie einer zum anderen sagte: „Die arbeiten gut. Und immer
466
lustig.“ [The guys]
Danish: like US, but: “the Ivan Ivanovitchs”
Norwegian: „the Russians“
Dutch: like German
At last, at 7.30 P.M., our supervisor shouted that the freightcar was full.
Endlich, gegen 20 Uhr, rief unser Aufseher, daß der Waggon voll sei.
467
468
[At last, at about 8 p.m.
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
Italian: like US
I got back home at 9 P.M. [
].
469
Eine Stunde später war ich zu Hause [
].
470
[An hour later I was home]
Swedish: “At 8 p.m. I was home”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Saturday, May 26
Once more the Ivans closed round us [
Wieder umdrängen uns die Russen.
472
].
471
[Russians]
Danish: like German
Dutch: like German
However, among them were some kinder-hearted fellows who dropped crusts of bread beside our
473
tub.
]
Andere Burschen bezeigten sich freundlicher, legten Brotstücke neben ihre Blusen.
shirts.]
474
[
beside their
Danish: like US, but “beside their shirts”
Dutch: like German
There we sat in the sun, slowly eating out meal.
475
476
Bedächtig aßen wir in der Sonne. Auch meine Mitwäscherinnen genossen dies Essen sehr.
washers, too, enjoyed the meal very much.]
[My co-
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US
477
“[ ] Imagine!” added my companion, “a mirror!”
Die Erzählerin fuchtelte empört mit ihrem Suppenlöffel in der Luft herum: „Spiegel! Dolles Ding!“
Freilich ist das ein wunderlicher Tod. Vermutlich sollten sich die Kindlein, für die der Keller gebaut war,
vor diesem Spiegel am Morgen nach den Bombennächten ihre Löckchen strählen. Gewiß hat man
diesen Zierat ganz zu Beginn des Luftkrieges eingebaut, als wir den Luftschutz noch mit Komfort und
478
Zuversicht betrieben.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Back home the widow and I finished off the rest of the Burgundy which I’d swiped from the police
barracks on that day which now seems years and years go. [ ] The Viennese has given us a lecture
saying that those who fail to turn up for work tomorrow will be fetched from their apartments by
479
force.
Zu Hause haben wir, die Witwe, Herr Pauli und ich, den letzten Rest des Burgunders ausgetrunken,
den ich seinerzeit aus der Schupokaserne geräubert habe. [ ] Der Wiener hat uns eine Rede
gehalten, des Inhalts, daß man uns, falls wir morgen nicht kämen, zwangsweise aus den Wohnungen
480
holen werde, zur Weiterarbeit in die Fabrik. [At home the widow, Herr Pauli and I finished off
by
force, to continue working at the factory.]
Swedish: like German, but: “we three”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Sunday, May 27
Once Cross-eye even risked a dance with one of our girls while the others beat time by clapping.
When it looked as though our zinc was at last coming to an end, we heard there were still a countless
481
number of bars in the cellar.
Dabei hat Schielewipp sogar mit einem von unseren Mädeln einen Tanz riskiert, wozu wir anderen
den Takt geklatscht haben. Gegen 17 Uhr waren sie plötzlich verschwunden. Feierabend für sie, leider
nicht für uns. Mit einem Mal war es unheimlich still auf dem Grundstück. Kein Treiberruf, kein
Geschwätz, kein Stöhnen, gar nichts mehr. Bloß das Schurren unserer Füße, und manchmal der
dünne Ruf: „Achtung –!“, wenn eine der Frauen döste. Und dann natürlich immer wieder die Frage
nach der Uhrzeit.
Aus dem Keller, wo auch den ganzen Tag Frauen standen, erging die Meldung, daß dort noch
482
unabsehbare Massen von Zinkbarren lagerten.
Swedish: like German, but: “It was reported from the cellar that there were still countless numers of
zinc bars stored there.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Monday, May 28
Again we wash shirts, underwear, and handkerchiefs. By now I’ve come to know my two companions
483
quite well.
Wieder wuschen wir Blusen, Hemden und Taschentücher. Eines erwies sich als Nachttischdeckchen –
ein kleines, rotgesäumtes Rechteck mit der in Kreuzstich gestickten Aufschrift „Schlafe wohl“. Zum
ersten Mal wusch ich vollgeschnodderte Schneuztücher fremder Menschen. Ekel vor dem feindlichen
Rotz? Ja, mehr als vor den Unterhosen, ich hatte ein Würgen zu überwinden.
Meine Mitwäscherinnen empfanden offenbar nichts dergleichen, sie wuschen verbissen. Nun kenne
484
ich die beiden schon ganz gut.
Danish: like US [but consistently: “Gertrud” instead of Gerti]
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
While the girl was telling me this story, in a voice low with embarrassment, I stared at her in horror,
trying to visualize the atrocious situation.
One real problem for us washerwomen is the toilet. The only place at our disposal is enough to make
one shudder; there isn’t a spot less than an inch high in filth. During the first days we tried to clean it
485
up a bit with our slop water, but the pipes are completely blocked.
Ich starrte die Kleine an, als sie leise und schamvoll diese Geschichte auf ihr Waschbrett herunter
erzählte; ich versuchte mir das Schauerbild vorzustellen. Nie, nie könnte ein Autor dergleichen
erfinden.
Um uns herum den ganzen Tag Treiberrufe: „Dawai, pustai, rabotta, skaree!“ Los, hopp, ran,
schneller! Sie haben es mit einem Mal alle brandeilig. Vielleicht hauen sie bald ab.
Ein Problem für uns Wäscherinnen ist das Klo. Wir benutzen einen schaurigen Ort, kaum kann man
486
hintreten. Am ersten Tag versuchten wir es erst mit Spülwasser. Aber die Rohre sind verstopft.
[Compare with Boehm; correct: “No author could ever invent something like that.”]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but with paragraph author
Dutch: like German
487
At 7 P.M., drenched in sweat, we trudged home.
Naßgeschwitzt gingen wir gegen 19 Uhr nach Hause. Wieder konnten wir uns durch das
488
Seitenpförtchen heimlich verkrümeln. [Again, we were able to sneak out by the side entrance.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, May 29
489
All day long Ivans hung around our tubs with the same old offer [ ].
Den ganzen Tag umbuhlten uns die Burschen wieder mit ihrem stereotypen Angebot [
fellows]
].
490
[the
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “The whole morning the Russians bothered us.”
Dutch: like German
Italian: “the soldiers”
In the afternoon most of the Russians went off for a siesta. No one came to pat or pinch us. We went
on washing drowsily, half asleep. At some point the conversation turned to the subject of poetry, and it
transpired that little Gerti knows half of her schoolbooks by heart. For quite a while the words of
Mörike, Eichendorff, Lenau, and Goethe hovered over the tub. With eyes lowered Gerti quoted: “Wait,
491
O wait – soon you too shall rest” [ ].
Draußen schönstes Trockenwetterchen, Sonne und Wind. Die meisten Russen pennten irgendwo im
Gelände. Niemand kam, uns zu kneifen und zu knutschen. Wir wuschen bloß so vor uns hin.
Irgendwie gerieten wir auf Gedichte. Es zeigte sich, daß die kleine Gerti ihr halbes Schullesebuch
auswendig weiß. Ich tat mit; und eine Weile tönte es über die Waschbütte von Mörike, Eichendorff,
492
Lenau und Goethe. Gerti, mit gesenkten Wimpern: „Warte nur, balde – ruhest du auch.“
[Outside best weather for drying, sun and wind. Most of the Russians slept somewhere on the
premises. No one came to pinch or kiss us. ]
Swedish: like German [quote in German]
Danish: like US, but quote in German
Dutch: like Swedish
Italian: like German [quote in German, with translation in footnote]
My reaction: Thank God! Now I know where I am. It’s a long time since I enjoyed eating here. All last
week I was glad to be earning my food from the Russians. So that’s that. [ ]
So I packed my belongings, my few spoons and rags and took them upstairs. The orphan child has to
493
be on her way again. Tonight I’m going to sleep down here for the last time.
Ich: „Gott sei Dank, daß ich weiß, woran ich bin. Mir hat schon seit langem kein Bissen mehr
geschmeckt hier. Ich war froh, daß ich die letzte Woche mein Essen bei den Russen hatte.“ [ ]
Ich packte mein Krämchen, meine paar Löffel und Lumpen, zockelte damit treppauf; schlafe aber noch
494
ein letztes Mal in der Wohnung der Witwe, wo ich jetzt dies schreibe. Waisenkind muß wandern.
[Inverted sequence]
Swedish: like German, but without: “The orphan child has to be on her way again.”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Wednesday, May 30
The men are washing themselves in the open, scrubbing their broad chests. Most of them are of the
495
squat, short-legged, vigorous type.
Die Mannschaften schrubbten sich im Freien, in Schüsseln, die sie auf Stühle gestellt hatten; mit
496
nassen Handtüchern rubbelten sie sich die breiten Brustkästen blank. [The troops were scrubbing
themselves in the open, from bowls they had set on chairs; with wet towels they polished their broad
chests. Rest missing.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
He hasn’t got the pinching mania; if anything he’s shy, a peasant. Nevertheless, so long as he kept
497
near me our “persecutors” refrained from pinching and pushing us around.
Den Knutschdreh hat er nicht, ist eher schüchtern, ein Bauer. Bloß immerzu der hundetreue Blick, in
den er alles mögliche hineinzulegen versuchte. So lange er in meiner Nähe war, ließ das Gekneife
und Geschiebe der Männer um unsere Waschbütte herum nach.
498
Wir plagten uns wieder redlich zu dritt.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “But he didn’t touch me, he’s a country boy, shy. As long as he kept close to me, the other
Russians refrained from pinching and patting us.”
Dutch: like German
She’s a hefty, sergeant-major type who apes the tone of our slave-drivers although it’s none of her
business to do so. She, like the rest of us, came here originally as a worker, has been elevated to he
499
present position simply on account of her few words of Russian.
Ein starkes Frauenzimmer, Dragonertyp. Sie duzt uns alle und tutet mit unseren Antreibern ins selbe
Horn, obwohl sie keinen Auftrag dazu hat, sondern als Arbeiterin hergetrieben worden ist wie wir alle,
bis sie dank ihrer paar Brocken Russisch (sie stammt aus dem polnischen Oberschlesien) zur
500
Dolmetscherin aufgestiegen war. [ her few words of Russian (sie’s from Polish Upper Silesia) ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Friday, June 1
For breakfast I had three slices of bread. On them I spread a paste which I had concocted from some
dry yeast and water. On this I started out very early on a long walk, this time to Steglitz to visit Hilde,
the publishing firm’s little stenographer who used to type our letters so long as there was mail, and
501
even later when almost all letters were returned as “not deliverable”.
Zum Frühstück gab es drei Brotschnitten, bestrichen mit einem Kleister, den ich mir selbst aus
Trockenhefe und Wasser gemischt habe. Schmalhans regiert.
Trotzdem bin ich zu einem großen Marsch aufgebrochen, diesmal nach Steglitz, zu einer jungen
502
Sekretärin aus meiner ehemaligen Firma.
[Food is scarce.
Still, I started out on a long walk, this time to Steglitz, to visit a young secretary from my former firm.]
Swedish: “For breakfast three slices of bread with a paste made of dry yeast and water. That is only
something for tightening the belt. Still, I went on a long walk, this time to Steglitz, to the secretary of
my old firm.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “For breakfast I had three slices of bread. Instead of butter I’d made a manner of dough
from dry yeast and water. After breakfast I walked the long way to Steglitz for a visit with my friend
Hilde, my secretary from the publishing house.”
Dutch: like German, but: “publishing company” [instead of “firm”]
Notices are pasted to walls and lamp-posts telling Silesians and East Prussians to join collective
transports. Everyone wants to go home. Towards the east this is said to be already possible;
westwards, however, it’s still supposed to be difficult. The Elbe cannot be crossed. This is where the
503
Russkis and the Amis have met; according to the radio they are still celebrating that meeting.
Da und dort an den Mauern und Laternenpfählen kleben Zettel, welche die Schlesier und Ostpreußen
zu Sammeltransporten in die Heimat aufrufen. In Richtung Westen soll es schwieriger sein, noch ist
die Elbe unpassierbar. Dort haben Rußki und Ami sich getroffen, dort feiern sie, wie es im Radio hieß,
504
noch immer Verbrüderung. [ collective transports. Towards the west it’s supposed to be more
difficult, the Elbe still cannot be crossed.]
Swedish: like German, but: “Towards the west it is said to be more difficult. That’s where Russians
and Americans have met, that’s where they – according to the radio – are still celebrating their
fraternisation. And as long as that’s going on it’s impossible for us to cross the Elbe.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
I saw any number of long lines of women on my way. Their predominant color was blue – the blue of
505
kitchen aprons. All round the hills of rubble buckets were being passed from hand to hand [ ].
Unterwegs kam ich an langen Frauenketten vorbei, blau und grau zogen sie sich über Trümmerberge.
506
Eimer wanderten von Hand zu Hand. [On my way I passed long lines of women, blue and grey they
wound across mountains of rubble. Buckets were being passed from hand to hand.]
Swedish: “On my way I passed many women who formed lines across the hills of rubble. Buckets
were being passed from hand to hand.”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Every time one pays a visit these days one feels compelled to take the last two or three corners at a
run; all of a sudden one can’t wait to see whether the friend’s house is still standing or whether in its
place there’s a ruin, a charred shell, a mass of rubble, or even a mass grave.
Although baldy battered the house was still standing. Within were signs of fire, cracked walls,
507
wallpaper hanging down in ribbons. Hilde’s little room, however, looked neat, with lilac in her vases.
Das Haus stand noch, sah aber stark durchgepustet aus. In der Wohnung Brandspuren und
508
Mauerrisse. Die Tapeten hängen in Fetzen; doch in Hildes Zimmerchen Blumen in den Vasen. [First
paragraph missing;
flowers in the vases.]
Danish: like US, but: “whether the house in which the friend lives (or lived) is still standing”
Dutch: like German
A whole week passed before Hilde had found him there.
509
510
Erst zwei Tage später fand Hilde, die überall herumsuchte, dort den Bruder.
Hilde, who looked everywhere, found the brother there.]
[Only two days later
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Neither mother nor daughter had been caught by the Russians. They had been protected by living on
the fourth floor. The women in the cellar, however, had not been so fortunate; among those raped was
511
a tall twelve-year-old girl.
Von den Russen haben weder Mutter noch Tochter etwas abbekommen. Die vier Treppen zu ihrer
Wohnung schützten; zudem ist das Treppengeländer vom dritten Stock ab zerbrochen, man glaubt
nicht, daß höher noch jemand haust. Hilde berichtete, daß bei ihnen im Keller in der Eile auch eine
512
aufgeschossene Zwölfjährige „mitverschlissen“ wurde. [The four flights of stairs to their apartment
protected them; also, the banister is broken from the third floor up, one doesn’t believe anyone is living
higher up. Hilde reported that a tall twelve-year-old in their cellar ]
Danish: like US, but only: “a twelve-year-old girl”
Dutch: like German
The doctor who lives next door has diagnosed an inflammation of the ovaries; he thinks she’s probably
513
pregnant. Every morning she throws up the little bread she has eaten for breakfast.
Die Ärztin, die nebenan wohnt, hat auf Eierstockentzündung diagnostiziert. Zudem ist Hertha mit
hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit schwanger. Sie bricht am Morgen das bißchen Trockenbrot aus. Der
514
Mongole, der sie aufbrach, hat sie viermal hintereinander gehabt.
[A {female} doctor
In addition, Hertha is most likely pregnant. In the morning she throws up her little
bit of dry bread. The mongol who forced her open has had her four times in a row.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US (gender unclear)
Dutch: like German
Saturday, June 2
I’ve already seen a flag like this with a pathetic little hammer, a sickle all twisted and bent. (The widow
has generously sacrificed an old yellow blouse for this purpose.)
The easiest flag to make is the tricolor, for the French are conquerors, too. Just three stripes – red,
white, and blue – sewn vertically together, and that’s that. For the color red, most seamstresses (who
discuss the subject from house to house and help each other out with colors) use bed ticking or
remnants of Nazi flags. For the white, old sheets are easily found. The great problem is the blue. I’ve
seen women cut up tablecloths, children’s dresses, and aprons for it. [ ] One more thing that’s
possible only in this country. An order is issued – Heaven knows by whom – to the effect that the four
Allied flags are to be displayed. And lo and behold! the German housewife produces the flags out of
515
thin air!
Ich sah rührend krumme Hämmerlein und verbogene Sicheln. Am besten gelingt die Trikolore; denn
auch die Franzosen sind Sieger: Einfach blau und weiß und rot, drei Streifen senkrecht aneinander
gesteppt, und fertig. Für das Rot nehmen die meisten Näherinnen Inletts oder Nazifahnenreste.
Lakenreste für Weiß finden sich leicht. Problem ist auch hier das Blau. Ich sah, wie man Kinderkleider
und Tischdecken dafür zerschnitt. Die Witwe hat für Hammer, Sichel, Sowjetstern eine alte gelbe
Bluse geopfert. [ ] Sowas ist auch nur in diesem Lande möglich. Ein Befehl erging – ich weiß nicht,
woher –, daß mit den Fahnen der vier Sieger zu flaggen sei. Und siehe da, die deutsche Hausfrau
zauberte aus dem Beinahe-Nichts diese Fahnen. Wäre ich Andenkensammler aus Siegerland, so
würde ich nachher herumgehen und diese wunderlichen Fetzen, so unterschiedlich in Farbe, Form
und Stoff, als Kuriositäten einsammeln. Überall in unserer Straße kamen im Lauf des Nachmittags
516
rührend schiefe, verschossene, puppenhafte Läppchen den Häusern zum Vorschein.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but: “I’ve seen women cut up tablecloths, children’s dresses and aprons“,
without sentence „Something like that is only possible in this country.”
Dutch: like German
After they left I spent a quiet evening alone, improved by the radio which I’d succeeded in retrieving
from the man who repaired my roof. I listened to some jazz, concentration camp revelations, Heinrich
Heine, and a humanitarian speech, but when hymns in praise of the Red Army started coming over the
517
air I found it a bit too much.
Stiller Abend für mich, verschönt durch das Radiogerät, das ich den Dachdeckern abkämpfte. Hab
aber bald wieder abgedreht. Nach Jazz, Enthüllungen, Heinrich Heine und Humanität kamen
518
Lobsprüche auf die Rote Armee, die mir denn doch allzu überzuckert waren. [Turned it soon off
again, however. After jazz, revelations ]
Swedish: like German, but without “revelations”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Sunday, June 3
I busied myself in the garret, cooked some soup out of dried peas on the electric plate which keeps
fading out. This looks like my last meal for some time. So far we’ve not been given any fat. But there’s
a rumor in the shops that we’re to get some sunflower oil. I can still see the great golden fields of
519
sunflower in the Ukraine.
Ich püttjerte in der Wohnung herum, kochte auf der immer wieder versagenden elektrischen Heizplatte
meine Graupensuppe. Noch zweimal Suppe, und die Graupen sind weg. Fett hab ich gar keins mehr;
es gab noch keine Zuteilung. Doch sagte man mir im Laden, daß russisches Sonnenblumenöl im
520
Anrollen sei. Und ich sah die weiten fettgoldenen Sonnenblumenfelder der Ukraine. Schön wär’s ja.
[ barley soup. Two more soup, and the barley is gone.
But I was told in she shop that Russian
sunflower oil was on its way. And I saw before me the wide, fat golden sunflower fields of the Ukraine.
Would be nice.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “Two more soups, then the pea meals is at an end.”
Dutch: like German, but in addition: “Schön wär’s ja, says the Berliner.” [“Schön wär’s ja” in
German]
In addition, the Hungarian plans to found a whole string of magazines – one for women, one for the
521
rising generation, one for art – all, of course, of a democratic character.
Außerdem will der Ungar mehrere Zeitschriften gründen, eine für Frauen, eine für die reifere Jugend –
522
Blätter zur demokratischen Umerziehung. (Das Wort hat er aus dem Radio.) [ one for women,
one for older teenagers – papers for the purpose of democratic re-education. (That phrase he’s
learned from the radio.)]
Swedish: like German, but without mentioning of the radio.
Danish: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
Another interesting example of the changes that were made for the US edition. By 1954, the infamous
American policy of “re-educating” the West German people might have appeared too alike to the same
system in Soviet-occupied East Germany.
He knows of a small printing firm which at present is half buried under debris, with the result that it has
been overlooked by the Russians. According to Herr R, the machines can easily be put back into
working order.
523
“And the moment they’re working again,” I objected, “they’ll be confiscated.
Er kennt eine Druckerei, die noch zur Hälfte unter lockerem Brandschutt liegt. Die im Schutt
versteckten Maschinen seien, so meint er, bei fachmännischer Behandlung leicht wieder brauchbar zu
machen. Ich erwiderte, daß die Freilegung wohl erst stattfinden könne, wenn die russischen Truppen
524
abgezogen seien.
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like German, but with passage “overlooked by the Russians”
Dutch: like German
I’ve been promised my lunch there, as well as a small salary. But the main thing is the food. Ilse has
525
smuggled me a little bag of dried peas.
Mein Mittagessen soll ich auch dort erhalten. Ilse hat ein Säckchen Erbsen durchgeschleust. Gut
526
so. [ my lunch there. Ilse has managed to preserve a little bag of peas. Good thing, too.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but in addition “Good thing, too.”
Dutch: like German
Monday, June 4
A sultry day. Started out early for Charlottenburg. The magazines are already beginning to reveal
individual faces. I assembled all kinds of writings from hitherto forbidden authors whose work I found in
Herr R’s library and elsewhere in the house. (The Hungarian doesn’t own any books, nor does he read
any.) I dug out appropriate texts from the work of Maxim Gorki, Jack London, Thomas Wolfe, Thomas
527
Mann, as well as others from Tolstoy and Dickens.
Früher Marsch nach Charlottenburg, Schwüle. Unsere Zeitschriften bekommen schon ein Gesicht. Ich
stellte dafür Texte aus verbotenen Autoren zusammen, soweit sie in Greifweite vorhanden; in Herrn
R.s Bücherei oder sonstwo im Hause. Maxim Gorki, Jack London, Jules Romains, Thomas Wolfe,
528
auch ältere Autoren wie Maupassant, Dickens, Tolstoi.
[Early march towards Charlottenburg, a sultry day.
in the house. Maxim Gorki, Jack London, Jules
Romains, Thomas Wolfe, Thomas Mann, as well as older authors like Maupassant, Dickens, Tolstoy.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
The Hungarian, however, is not in the least worried by such German notions of excessive honesty.
Den Ungarn stören solche Nichtigkeiten überhaupt nicht.
530
[
529
such minor details.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
He’s smart, this man. He has already managed to procure two bicycles to be placed at the disposal of
the future firm.
For lunch we had pea soup – just for a change! Unfortunately there was a snag to it. Ilse said that
since no amount of cooking seemed to soften the peas, she had put the whole thing through a meat
grinder. It was gritty, but I managed to get it down. With it she had cooked a little bacon, of which I was
given the rind because I had walked so far.
At 6 P.M. I started out on my trip home. The streets were alive with lots of weary little processions.
531
Where are they going? I don’t know.
Ein Fahrrad hat er bereits aufgetrieben, er stellt es dem „Verlag“, der einstweilen nur in der Luft
besteht, großartig zur Verfügung.
Zu Mittag gab es tatsächlich Erbsensuppe, leider nicht ganz vorschriftsmäßig: Die Erbsen, so sagt
Ilse, lassen sich einfach nicht weichkochen. Drum hat sie den ganzen Klumpatsch durch den Wolf
gedreht. Es schmeckt rauh wie Sand, läßt sich aber herunterbringen. Dafür war ein Käntchen Speck in
der Suppe mitgekocht, ich bekam die Schwarte, weil ich so viel marschieren muß. Müßte mich mal
wieder wiegen, hab das Gefühl, daß ich schnell vom Fleisch falle. Alle Röcke schlabbern bereits.
Gegen 18 Uhr Heimmarsch. Die Straßen waren belebt von vielen müden kleinen Karawanen. Woher?
532
Wohin? Ich weiß es nicht.
[First sentence missing. He has already managed to procure a bicycle, he grandiously places it at the
disposal of the “publishing house” that for now only exists in thin air.
For lunch we really had pea soup, unfortunately not quite by the book
because I have to walk so
far. Should weigh myself again, have the feeling I’m losing weight fast. All my skirts are hanging
loosely.
At about ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “a bicycle”
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, June 5
Today flags are out everywhere – why I’m not quite sure. I’ve heard that the Allies – thousands of
British, French, and Americans – have landed at the airport. So maybe the comical, improvised little
flags, product of the German woman’s industry, are flying in their honor. Meanwhile Russian trucks are
carrying off our machinery.
All in all nowadays I must be walking about twenty kilometers a day on a more or less empty
533
stomach.
Heute ist wieder überall geflaggt. Zu Tausenden sollen die Alliierten auf dem Flughafen gelandet sein,
Engländer, Amerikaner, Franzosen. Ihnen zu Ehren flattern die putzigen, so ungleichen Fähnchen,
Produkte des Wochenend-Fleißes der deutschen Frauen. Unterdes rollen die russischen Lastwagen
weiter mit unseren Maschinen vondannen.
Ich trabe und trabe, bleibe die Gehmaschine. Immerhin marschiere ich rund 20 Kilometer pro Tag, bei
534
knappster Nahrung.
[Today flags are out everywhere again. It is said that thousands of the Allies have landed at the
airport, English, Americans, French. In their honour the comical, dissimilar little flags, product of the
weekend industry of the German women, are flying.
I walk and walk, remain the walking machine.
All in all I’m marching about 20 kilometers
]
Swedish: like US, but: last passage like German
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like Swedish
535
At 6 P.M. I started out on my way home. By now the soles of my shoes are as thin as paper.
Zwischendurch spendierte Ilse eine Tasse Bohnenkaffe. Ab 18 Uhr nahm ich den Heimweg unter die
536
Schuhsohlen (die bereits papierdünn geworden sind). [In between Ilse treated us to a cup of real
coffee. At about 6 p.m. ]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
I didn’t want to be reminded of it. Besides, I was so tired, terribly tired
538
Ich mochte nicht daran erinnert werden. Und ich war so müde.
.
537
[so tired.]
Swedish: “so tired, so tired”
Danish: like US
Dutch: like US
This unfortunately has killed the black market which was once so helpful.
540
Da stirbt der Schwarze Markt.
539
[This kills the black market.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German, but past tense
Wednesday, June 6
I filled the bathtub and splashed myself with water.
541
Hab die Badewanne gefüllt und mich mit Wassergüssen überschüttet. Vorbei das mühselige
542
Treppenklimmen mit den schweren Wassereimern. [No more arduously climbing up the stairs with
the heavy buckets.]
Swedish: “I’ve showered and filled the bathtub after that.” Rest like German
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
We saw all kinds of odd people there: male dancers, a Jewess who talked about her nose operation,
an elderly man with a red Assyrian beard, a painter of “degenerate” pictures – types one hasn’t seen
543
for years, now creeping out of their holes.
Ich sah dort wunderliche Figuren: Tanzjünglinge; eine getauchte Jüdin, die von ihrer Nasenoperation
erzählte; einen ältlichen Mann mit brandrotem Assyrerbart, Maler von „entarteten“ Bildern. Sie
544
kriechen aus allen Löchern; Typen, wie man sie seit Jahren nicht sah. [a Jewess who’d gone
underground]
Swedish: “a Jewess who’d hidden her ancestry”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Italian: “a Jewess who’d kept herself hidden”
German paperback edition by btb, published on the occasion of the film adaptation 2008: “a halfJewess”
Thursday, June 7
Then I calculated that I’m now just two weeks overdue. So I decided to consult a woman’s doctor
545
whose sign I had seen on a house round the corner.
Rechnete mir dann aus, daß ich nun mehr als zwei Wochen überfällig bin, und stiefelte sieben Häuser
weiter, wo das Praxisschild einer Ärztin hängt, obwohl ich nie zuvor dort gewesen war, gar nicht
546
wußte, ob sie bereits wieder praktiziert.
[ overdue, and walked seven houses down to where the signboard of a doctor was hanging, though
I hadn’t been there before, didn’t even know whether she was already practising again.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but “who has her practice a little way down the street”
Dutch: like German
Friday, June 8
On my way to work today I had a strange experience.
547
Wieder war die Gehmaschine unterwegs. Heute wunderliches Erlebnis [ ].
was on the move again. An amazing experience today]
548
[The walking machine
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “A strange experience!”
Dutch: like German
Strange, dreamlike weather today, made me see everything as though through a veil. Gazing out of
Ilse’s window I noticed that the people round here have built themselves little fireplaces out of rubble
on their balconies. They squat in front of these fires, feeding them with twigs, while spirals of smoke
549
rise into the air.
Seltsam traumhafter Tag, ich sah Menschen und Dinge wie durch Schleier.
day, I saw people and things as though through a veil. Rest missing.]
550
[Strange, dreamlike
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Sunday, June 10
A new man, manufacturer and printing expert has joined us.
Ein neuer Mann, ein Druckfachmann, ist zu uns gestoßen.
us.]
551
552
[A new man, a printing expert, has joined
Danish: like German
Dutch: like German
553
“What? Photos? Under glass?”
„Bilder? Mit Glas?“
554
[“Pictures? With glass?”]
Danish: “What are you saying? Photos. With frame and glass?”
Norwegian: “Photos? In glass and frame?”
Dutch: like German
She has had a miscarriage.
555
Sie hat, wie Gisela sagt, eine Fehlgeburt gehabt.
556
[Gisela says she has had a miscarriage.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
She can’t imagine that at the moment we’ll be allowed to print anything of what we ourselves believe;
feels convinced that only magazines toeing the Moscow line will meet with official approval.
I have the impression from what Gisela does not express that she has undergone some kind of
conversion. She’s still too inhibited to pronounce the word God when speaking to me, but everything
557
she said seemed to point in this direction.
Sie kann sich nicht vorstellen, daß wir in unserem Lande nach unserem Sinn Druckschriften gestalten
dürfen. Sie meinte, nur Blätter im Moskauer Sinn würden erlaubt sein, der nicht der ihre ist. Noch hat
sie zu viel Scham, um vor mir das Wort „Gott“ in den Mund zu nehmen; doch alles, was sie sagte,
558
zielte dahin. [ only magazines toeing the Moscow line, which is not hers, will be allowed. She’s
still too inhibited ]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German, but without “which is not hers”
I’m also sure she has no more to eat than I have, there are deep shadows under her eyes; but she’s
neither bitter, like her two young companions, nor cynical, like me. “We can’t help one another these
days,” she said, “but the knowledge that everyone round me is suffering the same hardships keeps me
559
going.”
Zu essen hat sie nicht mehr als ich. Ihre Augen sind tief umschattet. Aber diese Augen leuchten,
während meine nur blank sind. Man kann einander jetzt nicht helfen. Doch das bloße Presentsein
560
anderer Hungernder um mich herum hält mich aufrecht.
[But these eyes are shining while mine are just blank. We can’t help one another these days. But the
simple existence of other hungry people around me keeps me going.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but: “bitter like the two young girls nor cynical like me.” Rest missing.
Dutch: like German
This is a phenomenon that causes deviations between the US and the German first edition several
times: Direct speech in one edition becomes depiction in the other and vice versa. Keeping in mind
translator Letizia Fuchs-Vidotto’s mentioning of typos in the manuscript she worked with, is it
possible the confusion was a result of insufficient marking of direct and indirect speech?
Monday, June 11
In March, from Brandenburg where he had taken refuge, the old gentleman wrote me a letter asking
me to look after his garden. Having presented this letter, I was sent from pillar to post. Stale air and
petty squabbling in every office. Nothing has changed.
561
On my way I picked my daily quota of nettles which are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Ich legte einen Brief des alten Herrn vor, den dieser mir noch im März aus seinem märkischen
Zufluchtsort geschickt hat und worin er mich bat, nach seinem Garten zu schauen. Man schickte mich
von Pontius zu Pilatus. Niemand war zuständig. Überall Mief und kleines Gezänk in den mit Pappe
verschallerten dunklen Bürobuden. Nichts hat sich geändert.
562
Unterwegs zupfte ich mein Brennesselquantum.
[ from pillar to post. Nobody was in charge. Stale air and petty squabbling everywhere in the dark
little office rooms boarded up with cardboard. Nothing has changed.
On my way I picked my quota of nettles. Rest missing.]
Danish: like US, but: “from Herodes to Pilate”
Norwegian: like German, but without “Stale air and petty squabbling…”
Dutch: like German
The question is, what are we going to live on in July? Even as it is I have to guard the bread against
563
myself.
Wovon sollen wir im Juli leben? Dazu macht mir der Gasherd Kummer. Reicht der Gasdruck mal aus,
so knallt es im Rohr wie von Schüssen. Und die elektrische Kochplatte, zusammengeflickt wie sie ist,
will nicht mehr.
564
Das Brot muß ich vor mir selber bewachen. [What are we going to live on in July? In addition, the
gas stove worries me. When the gas pressure is sufficient, it pops in the pipe like shots. And the
electric cooking plate, patched up as it is, doesn’t work anymore.
I have to guard the bread against myself.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Tuesday, June 12
The widow repeated to me a rumor now going the rounds: We are being starved as punishment for
some Werewolves having shot at the Russians. I doubt it. I’ve seen hardly any Russians recently in
our neighborhood. Where they’ve gone to I don’t know. The widow, on the other hand, insists that one
of the two merry-making sisters, Anya with her three-year-old son, is still receiving the visits of some
565
food-providing Ivans.
Eine Parole hat die Witwe gehört, sie geht derzeit in Berlin um: „Die strafen uns mit Hunger dafür, daß
etliche Werwölfe in diesen Tagen auf Russen geschossen haben.“ Ich glaube nicht daran. In unserer
Gegend sieht man überhaupt keine Russen mehr, da wäre gar keine Beute für Werwölfe. Ich weiß
nicht, wo die Iwans geblieben sind. Die Witwe behauptet, daß die eine der beiden in unserem Hause
verbliebenen Jubelschwestern, Anja mit dem niedlichen Söhnchen, nach wie vor fleißig
566
anschleppenden Russenbesuche bekomme.
[ the rounds in Berlin: „They are starving us
You don’t see any Russians in our neighbourhood
anymore, there wouldn’t be any prey for werewolves. I don’t know where the Ivans have gone. The
widow claims that the one of the two merry-making sisters remaining in our house, Anja with her cute
little son ]
Danish: like US, but “Russians” instead of “Ivans”
Norwegian: like German, but: passage “remaining in our house” is missing
Dutch: like German
Wednesday, June 13
567
After deduction of taxes I’m to receive 52 Marks [ ].
568
Sogar Abzüge für die Steuern waren eingetragen. Ausgezahlt erhalte ich 56 Mark [ ].
deduction of taxes has been noted down. I’m to receive 56 Marks]
[Even the
Danish: like US, but „57 Marks“
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
While I stood waiting in pouring rain for the streetcar to take me back, I fell into conversation with a
couple of Sudeten German refugees. Man and wife from Czechoslovakia, they had been on the road
for eighteen days and had a grim story to tell. At the border the Czechs, he says, are stripping the
German men and beating them up. “We shouldn’t complain,” says his wife. “After all, we asked for
569
it.”
Während ich in Sturm und Regen auf die Bahn für die Rückfahrt wartete, sprach ich mit einem
Flüchtlingspaar. Mann und Frau sind seit achtzehn Tagen unterwegs. Sie kamen aus der Tschechei,
berichteten Böses. „Der Tscheche nimmt den Deutschen an der Grenze das Hemd ab und schlägt sie
mit der Hundepeitsche“, sagt der Mann. Und darauf die Frau, müde: „Wir dürfen nicht klagen. Wir
570
haben’s ja selbst so gewollt.“
[While I waited in storm and rain for the streetcar home, I talked to a couple of refugees. Husband and
wife had been on the road for eighteen days. They came from Czechoslovakia, reported grim things.
“The Czech is taking the shirt of the Germans’ back and beats them with the dog whip,” the man says.
And the woman, tiredly: “We can’t complain. We’ve asked for it.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but mention of the dog whip
Dutch: like German
I promptly got out and went in to see the next performance. The film was entitled: “Six P.M. after The
571
War.”
Sofort stieg ich aus, begab mich zur nächsten Vorstellung in den ziemlich leeren Saal. Ein Russenfilm,
572
Titel „Sechs Uhr abends nach Kriegsende.“ [ the next performance in the quite empty theatre. A
Russian movie, title “Six p.m. after the end of the war.”]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but film title like German
Dutch: like German
I devoured the film which teemed with vital types – strong, heavily built girls and healthy-looking men.
573
As the action took place among simple Russian people I was able to understand a good deal.
Ich fraß den Film. Er strotzt von lebensstarken Typen: breiten Mädchen, gesunden Männern. Ein
Tonfilm, er lief in russischer Sprache, ich verstand, da er unter einfachen Menschen spielte, ziemlich
574
viel. [A talkie, it was shown in Russian, as the action took place among simple people I understood
a good deal.]
Swedish: “A talkie in Russian. I understood a good deal.”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
Thursday, June 14
Piously I carried home the little bottle, with the result that tonight my kitchen smells like a Moscow
“Stolowaja.” *
575
[Footnote:] * Cheap restaurant.
Andächtig trug ich das Fläschchen, das ich die ganze Woche vergeblich leer mitgeführt hatte, nach
Hause. Nun duftet es in meiner Küche wie in einer Moskauer „Stolowaja“, dem Speiserestaurant
576
einfacher Leute. [Devoutly I carried home the little bottle that I had carried around in vain for the
whole week. Now my kitchen smells like a Moscow “Stolowaja”, the restaurant of simple people.]
Swedish: “just like in a restaurant in Moscow”
Danish: “like in a cheap restaurant, a Stolowaja, in Moscow”
Norwegian: like US, but: “like in a cheap Moscow restaurant”
Dutch: “that I had carried around in vain for the whole week” present, “Stolowaja” like US with
footnote
Italian: “that I had carried around in vain for the whole week” present, “Stolowaja” translated [“a
trattoria in Moscow”]
Friday, June 15
Hab mir in aller Frühe meine sechs Tagesbrötchen geholt. Sie sind feucht und dunkel, früher gab es
sowas nicht. Ein Brot zu kaufen wage ich nicht mehr, würde mich vorzeitig am Quantum des nächsten
577
Tages vergreifen.
[Compare with Boehm, passage “I went down” to “next day’s portion.”]
US: missing
Danish: missing
Norwegian: missing
Dutch: present
Italian: present
The two men tried to hide behind the box until the woman disappeared.
Die beiden Männer machten sich hinter der Kiste ganz klein.
579
578
[The two men hid behind the box.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
Finally we managed to slip out of the house unnoticed via a gate into the courtyard, and with the
580
precious loot made off as fast as we could [ ].
Unbemerkt konnten wir durch den Hintereingang entwischen. Mir macht es nichts aus, wenn die Leute
auf den Schaden kommen. Schließlich hab ich Kamera und Zubehör, die ich auf Wunsch des Chefs
im Betrieb aufbewahrte, bei dessen Totalverbombung eingebüßt. Was sind dagegen die paar
581
Scheiben? Wir stoben mit unserem Raub davon, so schnell wir konnten.
[We managed to slip out through the back entrance. I don’t care if the people notice the damage. After
all, I’ve lost my camera and its accessories, which I’ve kept in the office according to the wishes of the
boss, in its bombing. What are the few window panes compared to that? We made off with our loot as
fast as we could.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
In the evening, with an eye on our literary project, I browsed through the motley collection of books
582
belonging to the owner of the garret.
Ich las am Abend in der ziemlich willkürlich zusammengestoppelten Bücherei des Wohnungsinhabers
583
herum. [In the evening I browsed through the motley library of the owner of the garret.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
From Saturday, June 16 to Friday, June 22 – no entry.
584
Nor do I intend to continue this diary. I’m no longer in the mood for it.
Von Samstag, 16. Juni, bis Freitag, 22. Juni 1945
585
Nichts mehr notiert. Und ich werde nichts mehr aufschreiben, die Zeit ist vorbei. [Didn’t write
anything down. And I won’t write anything down anymore, the time has passed.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
At the last moment his flak unit had been transferred to the east.
586
587
Man hat seine Fla-Einheit noch in letzter Minute nach dem Osten geworfen.
[his fla unit]
Swedish: “his unit”
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “his company”
Dutch: like US
Italian: “his unit”
One night the three young men joined a group of evacuated Berliners who had decided to make their
way home. The last part of the journey Gerd had spent in a freightcar full of rotten potatoes – with the
588
result that by the time he arrived here he smelled exactly like my kitchen.
Zu dritt schlossen sich die Männer einem Trupp evakuierter Berliner an, trampten mit ihnen heimzu.
[The three men joined a group of evacuated Berliners, tramped home with them. Rest missing.]
589
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
In his sack he had more than 25 pounds of potatoes as well as a side of bacon, both from his villa
590
hideout.
In dem Sack hat er tadellose Kartoffeln sowie einen Kanten Speck mitgebracht.
flawless potatoes as well as a side of bacon.]
591
[In his sack he had
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “12-15 kilogram good potatoes and a large piece of meat”
Dutch: like German
I noticed at once that Gerd was shocked, watched him freeze into silence. He soon feigned tiredness
and withdrew. After the widow had left we avoided looking at one another, exchanged hardly a
592
personal word. The worst for Gerd is that he has nothing to smoke; it makes him so restless.
Ich sah, daß Gerd befremdet war. Von Satz zu Satz gefror er mehr, markierte Müdigkeit. Wir
umschlichen einander und sparten mit persönlichen Worten. Schlimm ist, daß Gerd nichts zu rauchen
593
hat. [I noticed that Gerd was disconcerted. With every sentence he reacted colder, feigned
tiredness. We tiptoed around each other
It’s bad that Gerd has nothing to smoke.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US, but without “feigned tiredness”
Dutch: like German
th
Gerd, Gerd, do you remember? It was Tuesday the 29 of August, 1939. You called me urgently at ten
594
in the morning in my office, imploring me to take the day off.
Gerd, weißt du noch? Es war ein Dienstag, Ende August 1939, morgens gegen zehn, als du mich im
595
Büro anriefst und mich batest, mir für den Rest des Tages frei zu nehmen [ ]. [ at the end of
August]
Swedish: like German, but with precise date
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like Swedish, but: “You came into the office…”
Dutch: like Swedish
Later a great big butterfly sat sunning itself in the middle of the road, its widespread wings trembling,
and you said: “Look, there’s a Trauermantel!” * And in the evening while we were sitting on a tree
596
stump [ ].
[Fußnote:] * “Trauermantel” is the German for the Camberwell Beauty butterfly; literally the word
means “mourning cloak.”
Mitten auf dem Weg sonnet sich mit weitgespannten, leis bebenden Flügeln ein großer Falter, den du
Trauermantel nanntest – sammetbraun mit gelb und blauen Säumen. Und als wir wenig später auf
597
einem Baumstamm rasteten [ ].
[ that you called Trauermantel – velvety brown with yellow and blue edges. And when we were
resting a little time later on a tree trunk ]
Danish: like US, but name translated
Norwegian: like German, but without the name Trauermantel
We’ve both survived it, Gerd. Do you think it’s a good thing, Gerd?
598
599
Wir haben ihn beide überlebt. Ob zu unserem Glück?
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
600
He stared at me as though I’d gone out of my mind.
601
Er sah mich an, als ob ich verrückt sei, sagte nichts mehr.
[ , didn’t say anything else.]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like German
602
Said he wanted to hunt up some food. I wonder if and when he’ll come back.
603
Will Nahrungsmittel heranholen. Ich weiß nicht, ob er wiederkommt.
I don’t know if he’ll come back.]
[Wants to organise some food.
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
604
It seems to be moving away from the Bolshevist economic system [ ].
605
Es scheint vom sowjetischen Wirtschaftssystem abzurücken [ ].
[Soviet economic system]
Danish: like US
Norwegian: “Soviet Russian“
Dutch: missing
Italian: missing
I’m not so sure, am afraid it won’t make any great difference to our lives now that our conquerors have
606
embraced one another so warmly at the Elbe. We’ll have to wait and see.
Ich weiß es nicht; ich fürchte, für uns wird es keinen großen Unterschied machen, wer uns besetzt hält
607
– nun, da unsere Sieger einander an der Elbe so herzlich umarmt haben. Warten wir es ab. [Let’s
wait and see.]
Swedish: translated
Danish: translated
Norwegian: “Wait and see.” [in English]
Dutch: “Wait and see.”
Italian: “Wait and see.”
Sometimes I’m surprised I don’t suffer more from my renewed separation from Gerd.
608
Manchmal wundere ich mich darüber, daß ich nicht stärker leide unter dem Zerwürfnis mit Gerd, der
609
mir doch sonst alles war. [ who used to be everything to me.]
Danish: like US
Dutch: like German
God knows what I’ll still be driven to eat.
610
Gott weiß, was wir noch alles essen werden.
611
[we’ll]
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US
Norwegian: missing [whole passage concerning Lutz Lehmann and the horse], instead: “The stronger
my instincts react. They order me to endure, order me to survive – perhaps not at all cost, I’m not
close to starving to death yet – but perhaps at a very high cost.”
[ ] I hope to survive – hope for it in a completely primitive, animal way.
And there’s another thing I’ve decided to do: I’ve borrowed the widow’s typewriter and now I’m typing
out my three volumes of diary on the white backs of old manuscripts I’ve found here in the garret.
Slowly, in order to save my energy. Clearly, and without any abbreviations like “rp.” But with a few
additions, things that may occur to me here and there while I’m typing. I’d like Gerd to read it when he
612
comes home. Perhaps it will help us to find the way back to one another.
Ich weiß nur, daß ich überleben will – ganz gegen Sinn und Verstand, einfach wie ein Tier.
Eines noch will ich tun. Ich hab mir von der Witwe die Schreibmaschine ausgeliehen. Darauf schreibe
ich meine Tagebuchhefte sauber ab, auf Papier, das ich in der Dachwohnung fand. Schön langsam,
wie es die Kräfte zulassen. Schön deutlich und ohne Abkürzungen wie „Schdg.“ Gerd soll es lesen,
wenn er zurückkehrt.
613
Vielleicht finden wir doch wieder zueinander.
[ typing out my diaries, on paper I’ve found in the garret. Slowly, as my energy allows me to. Clearly,
and without any abbreviations like “rp.” I’d like
Perhaps we’ll find the way back to each other.
Swedish: like US
Danish: like US, aber without “rp.”
Norwegian: like US
Dutch: like US, but without mentioning of the manuscripts
Italian: like Dutch
Interesting here is the reference to the old manuscripts in the garret. Perhaps too obvious a clue as to
the writing profession of its owner? The German first edition, after all, is silent about the fact, as well
as about the additions. This paragraph in the US edition reads like the actual description of how the
first typescript was produced. It must have been present in the original German typescript as it found
its way into the Swedish translation, at least (which was not based on the English translation), but was
then removed for the German first edition.
1
Anonymous, 1954, p. 11
2
Anonyma, 1959, p. 10
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Conversation with the author, April 11th, 2015
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
Anonymous, 1954, p. 54-55
39
40
41
42
43
Anonyma, 1959, p. 50-51
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
Ebenda
57
58
Ebenda
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
Anonyma, 1959, p. 70-71
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
Anonyma, 1959, p. 89-90
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
Anonyma, 1959, p. 93-94
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
Anonyma, 1959, p. 100
132
133
Anonyma, 1959, p. 101
134
135
Anonyma, 1959, p. 102
136
137
Anonyma, 1959, p. 103
138
139
Anonyma, 1959, p. 103
140
141
Anonyma, 1959, p. 104
142
143
Anonyma, 1959, p. 104
144
145
Anonyma, 1959, p. 105
146
147
Anonyma, 1959, p. 106
148
Anonymous, 1954, p. 120-121
149
Anonyma, 1959, p. 109
150
151
Anonyma, 1959, p. 109
152
Anonymous, 1954, p. 122-123
153
Anonyma, 1959, p. 111
154
155
Anonyma, 1959, p. 113
156
Anonymous, 1954, p. 125-126
157
Anonyma, 1959, p. 113-114
158
159
Anonyma, 1959, p. 115
160
161
Anonyma, 1959, p. 115
162
Anonymous, 1954, p. 127-128
163
Anonyma, 1959, p. 115-116
164
165
Anonyma, 1959, p. 116
166
167
Anonyma, 1959, p. 118
168
169
Anonyma, 1959, p. 118
170
171
Anonyma, 1959, p. 119
172
173
Anonyma, 1959, p. 119
174
175
Anonyma, 1959, p. 119
176
177
Anonyma, 1959, p. 120
178
179
Anonyma, 1959, p. 121
180
181
Anonyma, 1959, p. 121
182
183
Anonyma, 1959, p. 123
184
185
Anonyma, 1959, p. 123
186
187
Anonyma, 1959, p. 124
188
Anonymous, 1954, p. 136-137
189
Anonyma, 1959, p. 124
190
191
Anonyma, 1959, p. 125
192
193
Anonyma, 1959, p. 125
194
195
Anonyma, 1959, p. 126
196
197
Anonyma, 1959, p. 126
198
199
Anonyma, 1959, p. 127
200
201
Anonyma, 1959, p. 130
202
Anonyma, 1959, p. 132
203
204
Anonyma, 1959, p. 132
205
206
Anonyma, 1959, p. 132
207
208
Anonyma, 1959, p. 133
209
210
Anonyma, 1959, p. 133
211
212
Anonyma, 1959, p. 134
213
Anonymous, 1954, p. 148-149
214
Anonyma, 1959, p. 136
215
216
Anonyma, 1959, p. 136
217
218
Anonyma, 1959, p. 138
219
220
Anonyma, 1959, p. 139
221
Anonymous, 1954, p. 153-154
222
Anonyma, 1959, p. 140
223
224
Anonyma, 1959, p. 142
225
226
Anonyma, 1959, p. 143-144
227
228
Anonyma, 1959, p. 144
229
230
Anonyma, 1959, p. 145
231
232
Anonyma, 1959, p. 146
233
234
Anonyma, 1959, p. 146
235
236
Anonyma, 1959, p. 146-147
237
238
Anonyma, 1959, p. 149
239
240
Anonyma, 1959, p. 150
241
Anonymous, 1954, p. 164-165
242
Anonyma, 1959, p. 150
243
244
Anonyma, 1959, p. 151
245
246
Anonyma, 1959, p. 152
247
248
Anonyma, 1959, p. 152
249
250
Anonyma, 1959, p. 153
251
252
Anonyma, 1959, p. 153
253
254
Anonyma, 1959, p. 155
255
256
Anonyma, 1959, p. 155
257
Anonymous, 1954, p. 170-171
258
Anonyma, 1959, p. 156
259
260
Anonyma, 1959, p. 156
261
262
Anonyma, 1959, p. 157
263
264
Anonyma, 1959, p. 157
265
266
Anonyma, 1959, p. 158
267
268
Anonyma, 1959, p. 158
269
270
Anonyma, 1959, p. 159
271
272
Anonyma, 1959, p. 160
273
274
Anonyma, 1959, p. 160
275
276
Anonyma, 1959, p. 160
277
278
Anonyma, 1959, p. 160-161
279
280
Anonyma, 1959, p. 161
281
282
Anonyma, 1959, p. 161
283
284
Anonyma, 1959, p. 162
285
286
Anonyma, 1959, p. 162
287
288
Anonyma, 1959, p. 162
289
290
Anonyma, 1959, p. 164
291
292
Anonyma, 1959, p. 165
293
294
Anonyma, 1959, p. 165
295
296
Anonyma, 1959, p. 166
297
298
Anonyma, 1959, p. 166
299
300
Anonyma, 1959, p. 166
301
302
Anonyma, 1959, p. 167
303
304
Anonyma, 1959, p. 168
305
306
Anonyma, 1959, p. 169
307
308
Anonyma, 1959, p. 169
309
310
Anonyma, 1959, p. 169
311
Anonyma, 1959, p. 171
312
313
Anonyma, 1959, p. 171
314
315
Anonyma, 1959, p. 173-174
316
317
Anonyma, 1959, p. 174
318
319
Anonyma, 1959, p. 174
320
321
Anonyma, 1959, p. 175
322
323
Anonyma, 1959, p. 178
324
Ebenda, p. 178-179
325
Anonymous, 1954, p. 195-196
326
Anonyma, 1959, p. 179
327
328
Anonyma, 1959, p. 179
329
330
Anonyma, 1959, p. 181
331
332
Anonyma, 1959, p. 181
333
334
Anonyma, 1959, p. 182
335
336
Anonyma, 1959, p. 183
337
338
Anonyma, 1959, p. 183
339
340
Anonyma, 1959, p. 184
341
342
Anonyma, 1959, p. 184
343
344
Anonyma, 1959, p. 185
345
Ebenda, p. 186-187
346
347
Anonyma, 1959, p. 188
348
349
Anonyma, 1959, p. 189
350
351
Anonyma, 1959, p. 190
352
353
Anonyma, 1959, p. 190
354
355
Anonyma, 1959, p. 190
356
Anonymous, 1954, p. 206-207
357
Anonyma, 1959, p. 190
358
359
Anonyma, 1959, p. 191
360
361
Anonyma, 1959, p. 192
362
363
Anonyma, 1959, p. 193
364
365
Anonyma, 1959, p. 194
366
367
Anonyma, 1959, p. 195
368
Ebenda, p. 196-197
369
370
Anonyma, 1959, p. 197
371
372
Anonyma, 1959, p. 197
373
374
Anonyma, 1959, p. 198
375
376
Anonyma, 1959, p. 199
377
378
Anonyma, 1959, p. 200
379
380
Anonyma, 1959, p. 200
381
382
Anonyma, 1959, p. 201
383
384
Anonyma, 1959, p. 201
385
386
Anonyma, 1959, p. 201-202
387
388
Anonyma, 1959, p. 202
389
Anonymous, 1954, p. 220-221
390
Anonyma, 1959, p. 203
391
392
Anonyma, 1959, p. 204
393
Anonymous, 1954, p. 221-222
394
Anonyma, 1959, p. 204
395
396
Anonyma, 1959, p. 205
397
398
Anonyma, 1959, p. 205
399
400
Anonyma, 1959, p. 207
401
402
Anonyma, 1959, p. 209
403
Anonymous, 1954, p. 228-229
404
Anonyma, 1959, p. 210
405
Anonymous, 1954, p. 229-230
406
Anonyma, 1959, p. 211
407
408
Anonyma, 1959, p. 212
409
410
Anonyma, 1959, p. 212
411
412
Anonyma, 1959, p. 215
413
Anonymous, 1954, p. 236-237
414
Anonyma, 1959, p. 218
415
416
Anonyma, 1959, p. 219
417
418
Anonyma, 1959, p. 219
419
420
Anonyma, 1959, p. 219
421
422
Anonyma, 1959, p. 220
423
424
Anonyma, 1959, p. 220
425
426
Anonyma, 1959, p. 221
427
428
Anonyma, 1959, p. 223
429
430
Anonyma, 1959, p. 224
431
432
Anonyma, 1959, p. 225
433
434
Anonyma, 1959, p. 227
435
436
Anonyma, 1959, p. 230
437
Anonymous, 1954, p. 250-251
438
Anonyma, 1959, p. 230-231
439
440
Anonyma, 1959, p. 234
441
442
Anonyma, 1959, p. 234
443
444
Anonyma, 1959, p. 235
445
446
Anonyma, 1959, p. 237
447
448
Anonyma, 1959, p. 238
449
Anonymous, 1954, p. 259-260
450
Anonyma, 1959, p. 239
451
452
Anonyma, 1959, p. 241
453
454
Anonyma, 1959, p. 242
455
456
Anonyma, 1959, p. 242
457
458
Anonyma, 1959, p. 243
459
460
Anonyma, 1959, p. 244
461
462
Anonyma, 1959, p. 248
463
Anonymous, 1954, p. 269-270
464
Anonyma, 1959, p. 249
465
466
Anonyma, 1959, p. 250
467
468
Anonyma, 1959, p. 251
469
470
Anonyma, 1959, p. 251
471
472
Anonyma, 1959, p. 252
473
Anonymous, 1954, p. 272-273
474
Anonyma, 1959, p. 252
475
476
Anonyma, 1959, p. 252
477
478
Anonyma, 1959, p. 253
479
480
Anonyma, 1959, p. 253
481
Anonymous, 1954, p. 275-276
482
Anonyma, 1959, p. 255
483
484
Anonyma, 1959, p. 256-257
485
486
Anonyma, 1959, p. 257
487
488
Anonyma, 1959, p. 258
489
490
Anonyma, 1959, p. 259
491
Anonymous, 1954, p. 280-281
492
Anonyma, 1959, p. 260
493
Anonymous, 1954, p. 281-282
494
Anonyma, 1959, p. 261
495
496
Anonyma, 1959, p. 261
497
498
Anonyma, 1959, p. 262
499
500
Anonyma, 1959, p. 263
501
Anonymous, 1954, p. 286-287
502
Anonyma, 1959, p. 265-266
503
504
Anonyma, 1959, p. 266
505
506
Anonyma, 1959, p. 266
507
508
Anonyma, 1959, p. 266
509
510
Anonyma, 1959, p. 266
511
512
Anonyma, 1959, p. 267
513
514
Anonyma, 1959, p. 267
515
516
Anonyma, 1959, p. 269-270
517
Anonymous, 1954, p. 292-293
518
Anonyma, 1959, p. 271
519
520
Anonyma, 1959, p. 271
521
522
Anonyma, 1959, p. 272
523
524
Anonyma, 1959, p. 272-273
525
526
Anonyma, 1959, p. 273
527
528
Anonyma, 1959, p. 273
529
530
Anonyma, 1959, p. 273
531
532
Anonyma, 1959, p. 274
533
534
Anonyma, 1959, p. 275
535
536
Anonyma, 1959, p. 276
537
538
Anonyma, 1959, p. 276
539
540
Anonyma, 1959, p. 278
541
542
Anonyma, 1959, p. 278
543
544
Anonyma, 1959, p. 278
545
546
Anonyma, 1959, p. 279
547
548
Anonyma, 1959, p. 280
549
550
Anonyma, 1959, p. 281
551
552
Anonyma, 1959, p. 282
553
554
Anonyma, 1959, p. 283
555
556
Anonyma, 1959, p. 283
557
Anonymous, 1954, p. 306-307
558
Anonyma, 1959, p. 284
559
560
Anonyma, 1959, p. 284
561
562
Anonyma, 1959, p. 284
563
564
Anonyma, 1959, p. 285
565
566
Anonyma, 1959, p. 286
567
568
Anonyma, 1959, p. 287
569
570
Anonyma, 1959, p. 288
571
572
Anonyma, 1959, p. 288
573
574
Anonyma, 1959, p. 288
575
576
Anonyma, 1959, p. 289
577
Ebenda, p. 290
578
579
Anonyma, 1959, p. 290
580
581
Anonyma, 1959, p. 290
582
Anonymous, 1954, p. 313-314
583
Anonyma, 1959, p. 290
584
585
Anonyma, 1959, p. 291
586
587
Anonyma, 1959, p. 291
588
589
Anonyma, 1959, p. 292
590
591
Anonyma, 1959, p. 292
592
Anonymous, 1954, p. 315-316
593
Anonyma, 1959, p. 292
594
595
Anonyma, 1959, p. 293
596
597
Anonyma, 1959, p. 293
598
599
Anonyma, 1959, p. 293
600
601
Anonyma, 1959, p. 294
602
603
Anonyma, 1959, p. 294
604
605
Anonyma, 1959, p. 294
606
607
Anonyma, 1959, p. 295
608
609
Anonyma, 1959, p. 295
610
611
Anonyma, 1959, p. 295
612
613
Anonyma, 1959, p. 295-296

A comparison of the American, Swedish, Danish

Transcrição

Documentos relacionados

PDF-Dokument - Cologne Soundsystem

Mimicry

Welche felgen fÃ¼r die KB!? Re:Welche felgen fÃ¼r die KB!?

Rhetorische Stilmittel1 - Songwriting Forum Berlin

Platten vor - bureauexport Berlin

Mario Winans

German Survival Guide - UNO Division of International Education

HOT LIKE SUSHI Pressetext PAGES

Was kommt alles unter den - German International School Boston

GERMAN II Kapitel 3 Vokabeln