Just in time for Remembrance Day, a VIU English professor is releasing her new translation of “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
The classic story of a German soldier during the First World War is one of the most widely-read anti-war novels in the world. It has been made into films, stage plays, operas, radio dramas, and more. Originally published in 1929, it’s fictional but draws on author Erich Maria Remarque’s experiences as a German soldier. It was banned in Germany by the Nazis as well as in some other European countries.
Dr. Katharina Rout, a professional translator and Professor Emerita with Vancouver Island University’s English department, has been working for several years on a new English version to introduce the classic to new audiences.
She says most English translations rely on a censored British version, or are difficult to read. She decided to translate a more accessible version with restored content.
“My translation strives to provide a space for an uncensored “All Quiet on the Western Front” in North American culture. I use more direct and pared-down language in keeping with contemporary stylistic preferences,” she says. “My aim is to give the narrator a voice whose impact is equivalent to the German source: an equivalence of effect. Remarque treasured his musical gift and followed his inner ear to make his novels and especially their dialogues sound good.
“This translation honours Remarque’s commitment to simplicity, accessibility and the qualities of spoken language.”
The new edition also includes contextual materials which illuminate the important role the novel has played in debates about the “meaning” of the First World War. They also show the author became both the target of Nazi oppression and an internationally-admired advocate for peace.
Publisher Broadview Press is holding a launch party Thursday night at Black Rabbit Restaurant at 7 pm, visit VIU’s website for more information.
