Paul Celan - Black Milk (Todesfuge)

This is an English translation of "Todesfuge" - the best-known poem by Paul Celan (1920-1970). The translation tries to honor the cadence and rhythm of the original German. You can learn more about Paul Celan at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Celan.

If you would like a copy of the translation text, please send me a private message with your e-mail address.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Paul Celan
• Todesfuge Black Milk
• German poets
• holocaust
• Gerald Duffy
• translation
• world war
• ww2
• wwii
• death
• fugue
• black
• milk

[greenviolets1]

I've checked Gerald Duffy on google and can't find his translation. I think it's a good one - particularly when so well read out loud here - I have three others and I think this one is better. Where do I find a written-down version?

Jessica Greenman

[malduf]

@greenviolets1

Jessica, thanks for your comment. Please send me your e-mail address in a personal message and I'll send you a PDF file with the text.

Regards,

Gerald

[HappyDay989]

This translation is faithful to the meaning of the original and a fine example of what translation work really is about, i. e. to convey the meaning and atmosphere of the original in such a way that non mother-tongues can fully understand and feel what the original is about. This is particularly difficult when it comes to translating poems, and "Todesfuge" of all poems! Even studied German mother-tongues often do not know how to deal with this quite inaccessible piece of lyric poetry.

[malduf]

@HappyDay989

Thank you very much for your generous comments. I've also tried my hand at translating some Rilke poems, which I admire greatly. The work of German literature I'd really like to translate is Siegfried Lenz's "So Zaertlich War Suleyken." It's a wonderful book and I don't think there's an English translation yet. Maybe when I get the time.

Best wishes,

Gerald

[SpoookiePoookie]

also* perhaps

[SpoookiePoookie]

I personally think John Felstiner's translation is the most powerful. It's almost perhaps the most famous so you might have found it already, and preferred this one (which is also good). But I'm just sharing my opinion :)

[robertkeeganwalker]

Thanks for this. Powerful poem. 

[kizzzay]

A fine translation.

[dearbuffalo]

paul celan isn't very accessible, but this reading helps.