Lyssa

Thats awesome. It will make me walk to work with a lighter step. And I decided to listen to this with my students and make some Math-dancing today. ;-) Thanks for sharing.

Both sonnets are so beautiful. No. 115 the impressions of the enchanted forest around monastery La Verna rise up in my mind. No 116 I agree with Parker, you describe something, that sounds very familiar to me as well. Thank you for sharing those wonderful poems.

For over a week, I think about what to comment to this particular sonnet and the question connected to it in the comments. Still, I have the feeling, I can not answer it properly. Either I will start and it will be a very very very long track of thoughts, or I will keep it short and leave out too much. But maybe to notice that is just enough. Obviously this sonnet moves me and the history is too complex to be talked about easily. But your work and question raised a long thinking process and I mean this as big compliment. Again thanks for your great work. Muha

With the translation of the sonnets of the thousandth regiment, AC gave Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele a voice in English. A brilliant work by AC, harrowing poems and a heartbreaking story by Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele. Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele used the sonnet form masterfully. His poems hold sounds and metaphors, which are going under the skin. Outstanding is ACs talent to transport this and make those sonnets not a simple translation but a deep experience that reflects the original in English. Lyssa

It is so heartbreaking sad, to read Hans longing for peace, knowing, he lived only few more weeks after finishing his work on the sonnets. This collection was a very challenging and outstanding masterpiece of translation done by you. Challenging as well for the readers and I have to admit, that looking so intensely on the sonnets and literature surrounding it, was a deep emotional experience at many times. Yet, I am glad you worked so passionate and dedicated. Thank you very much for your hard work.

That translation worked magnificently out. Brilliant!

This sonnet brings a vision of Hans dreams and longing. It is much more tranquil and a bit brighter than the ones before. I am still brooding over a letter from Murnau to Kippenberg from the 8th of January of 1917 to the publishing of "das tausendste Regiment". Murnau describes in the letter who Hans had changed during the war. I try again and again to bring it in connection with the different sonnets. Murnau wrote:"Als ich ihn das letzte mal sah, bei seinem Urlaub Anfang Juni 15, fand ich ihn heiter, in sich selbst ruhend, greift und gewandelt, wie ich es in so kurzer Zeit nicht für möglich gehalten hätte. Das hatte der Krieg an ihm getan und einen Monat später hat er ihn genommen." "The last time I saw him, during his home visit at the beginning of June (19)15, I found him serene, resting in himself, matured and transformed as I would not have thought possible in such a short time. The war had done that to him and a month later he (the war) took him. Maybe this sonnet is an example, that Hans became more calm, I am not sure. I wonder how much of this transformation was because of the visit at home, his experiences, or his realization of having to die soon, if he goes back. The next lines of Murnau are even more difficult to understand, as he writes about the comfort he tries to get of the thought, that Hans died while he fought for something he thought worthy. Does he mean the subversive thoughts and believes Hans places so well masked into his sonnets about a new democratic country? I personally feel the pain, horror and fear are overwhelming in those sonnets and the universal plea for this to end. Obvisiously I need to brood a bit more, befor I will understand this letter.

That sonnet is heartbreaking, but it also makes me think about the people today, which must feel forgotten. Looking at Christmas in two month... out in the world are far to many people having to endure cruel wars or hunger or persecution for very different reasons.

Those pictures are more than painful for my inner eye, they transport the hopelessness and the torture of the ones, lost and wounded left in the woods.

What a heartbreaking sonnet. For me it is always impressive, which sound Hans created in my inner ear, describing the scenes. In this case they change from stanza one to stanza two from piano to forte and change back to piano in three and four and you translation creates the same, which is fascinating and amazing.

This is a magnificent translation. I hope, you don't mind my pestering concerning specific terms anymore, but I have to say, the outcome was worth it. The picture Hans painted is very vivid and his emotions are so palpable and comprehensible. Every time I read this sonnets, I wished the collection would stop or even better end with a love poem to Murnau. But closing my eyes to the real ending would be wrong and therefore my searching about Hans goes on. (I will comment on the other sonnets I missed, as soon as we are settled in at home again. Muha)