To the Zoominar

Within the relatively new branch of Translator Studies, there are only a few precedents focusing on translators as key figures for the successful introduction of foreign literature in specific countries. This presentation aims to give a first account of Marie Franzos’ work as a ‘cultural transmitter’ (Broomans 2009) of Swedish literature into German. I will focus on disclosing her relationship with the Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940) from different perspectives, as made possible by the approach of biographies croisées (Großmann 2014; Kaindl 2017).

The transnational author-translator relationship is investigated in-depth through a microhistorical approach. The interconnection of the author-translator life paths, the dynamics resulting of this contact, and the effects they had on Franzos are at the core of this case study. My aim is to show that Franzos’ work contributed to the success of Selma Lagerlöf in German-speaking countries at the turn of the 20th century. As pointed out by Kaindl (2017:101), transnational connections are at the core of translator biographies, since translators are professionals at the crossing of cultures. In light of this, Franzos’ role is to be seen as the result of the interconnections of her inherited family network with social, political, and transnational constellations. This was the basis for her personal development, on which she built her diverse roles that I will investigate within the framework of Genetic Translation Studies (Cordingley & Montini 2015).

To unfold the dynamics between Franzos and Lagerlöf specifically, I carried out a thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke 2006) of their correspondence based on the three last elements of Kremmel’s model for translator biographies (2021), that is network, working conditions, and translatorial identity/image. While contributing to “a ‘microhistory’ of translation and translators” (Munday 2014:64), studying Marie Franzos’ biographies croisées also allows us to reflect on the role of women translators within translation history, if not literary history at large, at the turn of the 20th century.

References

Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2), 77–101. doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Broomans, P. (2009). Introduction: Women as Transmitters of Ideas. In: Broomans, P. (ed.) From Darwin to Weil. Women as Transmitters of Ideas. (Studies on Cultural Transfer and Transmission). Barkhuis. 1–20.

Cordingley, A. & Montini, C. (2015). Genetic translation studies: An emerging discipline. Linguistica Antverpiensia, 14, 1–18. doi.org/10.52034/lanstts.v14i0.399

Großmann, J. (2014). Die Internationale der Konservativen. De Guyter/Oldenbourg.

Kaindl, K. (2017). Dolmetschen als Dienst am Leben. Die autobiographischen Texte der Hiltgunt von Zassenhaus. In: Andres, D., Kaindl, K., & Kurz, I. (eds) Dolmetscherinnen und Dolmetscher im Netz der Macht. Autobiographisch konstruierte Leben in autoritären Regimen. Frank & Timme.

Kremmel, S. (2021). Translators in Exile: Correspondence as a Source. In: Schippel, L. & Richter, J. (eds) Translation und „Drittes Reich“ II: Translationsgeschichte als methodologische Herausforderung. Frank & Timme. 149–170.

Munday, J. (2014). Using primary sources to produce a microhistory of translation and translators: theoretical and methodological concerns. The Translator, 20 (1), 64–80. doi.org/10.1080/13556509.2014.899094

Giada Brighi

About the Higher seminar in Translation Studies