German Translations

Revision as of 15:23, 28 July 2010 by Hotratsalex (Talk | contribs) (layout cleaned up, some details changed)

Evan M. Corcoran provided some fine, and rough, tuning to the following translations, for which I am eternally grateful. Also, a fellow named Morten provided some excellent tweaks.

9: Jungfrau: "virgin" or "the Virgin"
71, 242, 313, 630: Geheime Kommandosache: Secret Command-subject
72: Was tust du für die Front, für den sieg? Was has du heute für Deutschland getan?: What are you doing for the Front, for the victory? What have you done for Germany today?
75: Wütende Heer: "furious" or "raging" army
94: Der Kinderofen: The child-oven
95: Hexeszüchtigung: witch-punishment
97: Märchen und Sagen: fairytales and myths

98:Und nicht einmal sein Schritt klingt aus dem tonlosen Los:
And never once does his footstep ring from this soundless doom (p.83) (From Rilke's Tenth Elegy)

99, 670: Wandervogel: (lit., migratory bird, bird of passage) German youth movement of the 1920s/1930s
99: nicht wahr?: not so? (lit. not true)
100: Bodenplatt: lit., flat earth, fig., launching site ("concrete plate laid over strips of steel")
101, 424: Erwartung: anticipation (470: "an extraordinary sense of waiting to rise)

101: Bringt doch der Wanderer auch vom Hange des Bergrands nicht eine Hand voll Erde ins Tal, die alle unsägliche, sondern ein erworbenes Wort, reines, den gelben und blaun Enzian.
The wanderer does not bring a handful of earth, the unutterable, from the mountain slope to the valley, but a pure word he has learned, the blue and yellow gentian. (p.69) From Rilke's Ninth Elegy

101: Liebchen: sweetheart, darling
131: ein Volk ein Führer: one people, one leader
134: eia, wärn wir da!: were we but there!
142: Reichssieger: as this term relates to a dog, the proper translation is "national champion." The German word Reich means both empire and nation, and Sieger means both victor and champion
152: Kreis: circle, ring
154: Studentenheim: student's hostel
154: Die Faust Hoch: Raise Your Fist
155: Kinos: cinemas
156: Judenschnautze: Jewish nose (should be "schnauze")
156: Mausigstrasse: Mousy Street
158: Bundestag:: Federal Parliament
160: Hinterhöfe: back-courtyards
161: Schnellbahnwagen: tramcar
162: Dom: cathedral
162: Biedermeier: homely or early-Victorian-Era style
162, 324: Bürgerlichkeit: the quality of being bourgeois
162, 416: Raketenflugplatz: rocket site
163: Knallt ab den Juden Rathenau/Die gottverdammte Judensau ...:
Shoot down that Jew Rathenau/The god-damned Jewish sow
163: Götterdämmerung: twilight of the gods
165: Herrenklub: gentlemen's club
185: Wehrmacht: (lit., defense force) German armed forces
194: Spielsaal: gaming hall
207: ab-hauen: clear out, bugger off
211: Pferdestärke: horsepower
223: der Pfau: peacock - also phoenetically "The V"
228: u.s.w.: und so weiter = and so on
230: Volksgrenadier: Setzt V-2 ein!: People's Unit: Deploy a V-2!
238, 344, 700: Schwärmerei: excessive enthusiasm; strong admiration

242,432: Vorrichtung für Isolierung: device for insulation (Interesting note: Also translates as (heh heh) Device for Isolation)
246, 669: Soldbücher: soldier's pay-book

258, 646: lieder: songs
261: Gemüse-Brücke: Vegetable Bridge
262: Zürchers: residents of Zürich, Switzerland

272: Führer: leader
277, 393: gemütlich: cosy, affable, good-natured
281: Eis Heiligen: Ice Saints

281: die kalte Sophie: Cold Sophie
284: Wunderkind: wonder child; prodigy
285: Notgeld: secret emergency-issue currency
286: Schwarzknabe: black boy

287: Ach du lieber!: Good gracious!
290: Schattensaft: shadow juice
295: Stollen: tunnel
296: Raumwaffe: Space Force

300: Summe, Summe: sum, total
304: Ah, so reizend ist! [...] Hübsch, was?: Ah, he's so adorable! [...] Cute, don't you think?
308: Gruss Gott: Greetings!
310: Himmel: Heaven

327: Schwarze Besatzung am Rhein!: Black garrison at the Rhine River
330: Brockengespenstphaenomen: Brocken specter phenomenon
331: warum: why
333: Rathaus: town hall (lit. council house)

334: Ritter: knight (medieval, not chess)
334: Kot: shit
336: Ur-Markt: primordial market
341: O, wie spurlos zerträte ein Engel den Trostmarket: Oh, how an angel would trample — and leave no trace — their marketplace of solace (p.77) From Rilke's Tenth Elegy
344: Ostarzneikunde: Eastern Pharmaceuticals
359: Tiergarten: zoo (lit. animal garden). This is the central park in Berlin.
362: Was ist los, meinen Sumpfmenschen?: What's up, my swamp-men
363: der Fünffachnullpunkt: quintuple zero
365: Grosser Stern: Great Star. It is a traffic circle in the middle of the Tiergarten.
366: Tauschzentrale: bartering or swap center

367: Kerl: guy or fellow
372: Berliner Luft: Berlin air - also title of a popular song
372, 579: bürgerlich: (adj) middle-class, bourgeois
375: Purpurstoff: purple substance

376: Glück: fortune, luck
377: Stiefeln, bitte: Boots, please (should be "Stiefel")
377: Funkturm: radio tower
378: Stimmt: all right, O.K.

380, 446: Hauptstufe: main stage
387: Alpdrücken: nightmare
387, 443: Gesellschaft: society
393: Inflationszeit: inflation era

394: Königreich: kingdom
394: Das Wütende Reich: The Raging Reich
400: Kadavergehorsamkeit: corpse-like obedience, i.e., slavish obedience

402, 436: Hinterhof: back-courtyard
402, 422: Halbmodelle: half-model
403: Folgsamkeitfaktor: obedience factor
404: Versuchsanstalt: research institute, experimental station

416: Schicksal: destiny, fate
419: Tierpark: zoo (lit. animal park)
429: Volkssturm: people's unit (toward end of WWII, German army units comprised of young boys and older men)
429: Göllerei: a von Göll-ism ("one of his damned touches")

432: Vorrichtung für die Isolierung: insulation device
432: Obersturmbannführer: leader of a battalion of storm troops
433: Königstiger: King Tiger

433: Der feind hört zu: the Enemy is Listening (see p.434)
436: Erster-Hof, Zweiter-Hof, Dritter-Hof: first courtyard, second courtyard, third courtyard
437: was ist los?: What's up?
439: saftig: luscious
442: Fabelhaft, was?: wonderful, eh?

442: Hübsch (charming); stahlig (steely, metallic); Bodengeschmack (earthy); Körper (full-body); süffig (tasty); spritzig (lively); bukettreich (full bouquet, fragrant); Art (style); kernig (seedy; robust); sauber (clean, fine, rare); pikant (spicy); Spiel (playful); glatt (smooth); blumig (aromatic, flowery); Fülle (fullness); zart (tender); würzig (spicy, piquant)

443: Kurfürstendamm: street in Berlin

448: Rücksichtslos: respectless/disrespectful; reckless
448: Kriegsmarine: navy
448: Geschwader: squadron
452: Schlieren: slip (of rope)

454: Chinesische Blätter für Wissenschaft und Kunst: Journal of Chinese Science and Art
454, 679: Los!: this commonly used word has many meanings, but in this context it means more like "let's get going" or "let's move"; sort of like Vamos in Spanish or Allez in French

457: Bad: bath
458: Zigaretten, bitte?: cigarettes, please?
459: Spaetzle: a type of thick, chewy noodles
465: Urstoff: primordial stuff

466: Liebling: darling
475: Urquelle: original well (or) source. [Pilsener Urquelle is a beer still brewed (as of 1997)]
476: Trinkhalle: pump-room of a spa
477: Brodelbrunnen: mineral spring

477: Kursaal: cure hall
482: Weisse Sandwüste von Neumexiko: White Sand Desert of New Mexico
483: Jugend Herauf: Youth Arise!

483: Juden Heraus!: Jews out!
486: Ur-Heimat: original homeland
493, 569: Bohnenkaffee: pure coffee
504: Zu Befehl, Mutti!: At your command, Mommy!

508: Zitz und Arsch: tits and ass (should be 'Zitze')
513: Schwarzphänomen: black phenomenon
514: Lebe wohl: Fare well
523: Leunahalluziationen: gasoline hallucination

526: Mitteleuropäisch: middle European
549: gassen: alleys
549: Volksdeutsch: ethnic Germans
550: Bruder: brother

567: Himmel and Hölle: Heaven und Hell
567: Treppengiebel: stepped gable
567: Laterne (lantern), Laterne, Sonne (Sun), Mond (Moon) und Stern (stars) — These are the words of a popular song sung (especially) on the Feast of St. Martin, when in the evening children walk in processions holding lanterns.

568: Volksgrenadier: militia or, perhaps, home guard
568: Schweinheldfest: pig-hero festival
568: Haferschleim: oatmeal gruel
569: Quark: curds
569: Kartoffelpuffer: potato pancakes
570: Gemütlichkeit: geniality, good-naturedness, coziness, leisureliness
570: erste Abreibung: first rubdown (euphymism for a beating--see p.437)
571: Schweinheld: pig-hero
571: Buchdrucherverband: should be "Buchdruckerverband": book-printer's union
573: Winkelhaken: justifier (a printer's tool)
578: Zeitgeist: spirit of the times
579: der Spieler: the Player
580: Stickstoff Syndikat: nitrogen syndicate
587: Schnipsel: a snip
587: Vereinigte Stahlwerke: United Steelworks
587: also: thus (fig. ah-ha!)
592: Weltschmerz: world-weariness
624: willst du V-2, dann arbeite: If you want the V-2, then work
624: Frisch Fromm Fröhlich Frei: Fresh Pious Cheerful Free
625: Gnädige: gracious
625: Heiligenschein: lit. Holy Brilliance; halo
626: Heidschnucken: sheep who live on the heaths in Northern Germany
630: Wehrwirtschaftstab: Economic Defense Staff 631: Draufgänger: daredevil
653: Die Fahne Hoch: Raise High the Flags (aka Horst Wessel Lied)
653, 681: Nürnburg: Nuremburg
660: Oberhauptberlinerschnauze: "Berlin Snoot supreme"
666: Schutzhäftlingsführer: prisoner-refuge-commander
666: Blockältester: Block elder

666: Kapo: Head Guard at Concentration Camp
666: Vorarbeiter: foreman
666: Stubendienst: cleaning barracks
666: Läufer: runner, messenger; also the German name for the Bishop in chess
684: Deutschland, Deutschland Über Alles: Germany, Germany over Everything
684: Welt: world
693: Ortsschutz: local constable
700: Fuder and Fass: literally, cart-load and cask; a somewhat outdated German expression for "lock, stock and barrel"
702: Polschuhen: pole shoes
714: Überraschungbraten: spit-roast surprise
718: Bauernfrühstuck: farm breakfast
742: Niederschaumdorf: Lower Foaming Village
743: Maitrinke: May drink
751: Zündkreutz: ignition-cross
751: Ochsen-Augen: ox eyes
757: Räumen: veer aft (of wind)
757: Steuerung klar: steering - check
757: Ist klar: check
757: Treibwerk klar: fueling gear - check
757: Luftlage klar: launch site - check
757: Schlüssel auf Schiessen: switch on firing
757: Schlüssel steht auf Schiessen: switch set on firing
758: Durchschalten: lit., to switch through
758: Vorstufe: first stage
758: Ist durchgeschaltet: switch is on
758: Beluftung klar: ventilation - check
758: Zundung klar: ignition - check
758: Hauptstufe ist gegeben: main stage is acknowledged
758: Stecker 1 und 2 gefallen: plugs 1 and 2 separated
759: Streckefuss: Stretchfoot (This translation doesn't make too much sense. In technical German "fuss" translates as "valve". The word might be taken from the V-2 Blueprints or other technical documents.)

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