Presentation of the “New Voices. Literature from Ukraine” catalog of translations of new Ukrainian literature in Berlin
The catalog is the result of the first year of the translation workshop of the Ukrainian Institute in Germany and contains eight excerpts from eight books by contemporary Ukrainian authors.
Photos: Lisa Vlasenko
Presentation of the catalog
On September 5, the presentation of the catalog “New Voices. Literature from Ukraine” took place in Berlin, where Vitalina Buran, project manager at the Ukrainian Institute in Germany, and Claudia Dathe, curator of the translation workshop, introduced the catalog.
The translators, Kati Brunner and Jakob Wunderwald, who each contributed to the translation of Ukrainian books for the catalog, were also present at the event. They shared their experiences from the translation workshop and emphasized the importance of translating Ukrainian literature.
Kati Brunner, who translated the book “Revolt Against the Empire. The Ukrainian Sixties” together with Roksolyana Sviato, pointed out that there is still little knowledge among the German-speaking public about this significant period of Ukrainian history.
Jakob Wunderwald, who worked alongside Lina Zalitok on the translation of “The Tolik Gang: Back when we rewound cassettes with pencils”, noted that this coming-of-age story could also resonate with a German audience.
During the presentation, participants agreed that the books featured in the catalog should be published in Germany, as they cover universal topics. At the same time, it was highlighted that translating Ukrainian non-fiction is essential to give a voice to the authors and make their expertise accessible to a German audience.
About catalog
“New Voices. Literature from Ukraine” is aimed at German-speaking publishers, editors, literary scholars and other specialists from the book industry. The catalog is a kind of anthology in which eight excerpts from eight books by contemporary Ukrainian authors are presented. The selection includes both works of fiction and non-fiction.
In addition, there are eight reviews of the respective books and eight portfolios by experienced and recognized, but also by young and committed literary translators who were involved in the creation of this catalog.
- Anna Gruver: Blank spaces / translator Annegret Becker in tandem with Oleksandra Vankevych
- Maria Oleksa: The Firsts / Translator Ira Teiwes.
- Julija Mak: The Tolik Gang. From the days when we fast-forwarded cassettes with pencils / Translator Jakob Wunderwald in tandem with Lina Zalitok.
- Jewhenija Kusnezowa: The Ladder / Translator Jutta Lindekugel
- Walerij Pusik: In Liebe, Papa! / Translator Maria Weissenböck in tandem with Ganna Gnedkova
- Radomyr Mokryk: Uprising against the Empire. The Ukrainian Sixties / Translator Kati Brunner in tandem with Roksolyana Sviato
- Myroslaw Lajuk: Bachmut / translator Harald Fleischmann in tandem with Iryna Orlova
- Olena Parenjuk and Kateryna Shabanova: The Terrible, the Beautiful and the Ugly in Chernobyl. From the catastrophe to a laboratory / Translator Lukas Joura
Order the catalog
Are you a publisher, editor, literature scholar or journalist? We will be happy to send you a PDF version of the catalog on request. Send your request to [email protected]
About translation workshop
The catalog is the result and highlight of the Ukrainian Institute’s first translation workshop in Germany, which is becoming a regular funding program for the translation of Ukrainian literature. The multi-award-winning translator Claudia Dathe curated and directed this edition. She was joined by the German-Ukrainian translators and literary scholars Nellia Vakhovska and Roksoliana Sviato, who co-directed the translation workshop.
A further edition of the workshop is planned. The Ukrainian Institute in Germany plans to continue its collaboration with the German translators and to introduce German publishers to new and still relevant names in contemporary Ukrainian literature.
Partner
The project could be realized thanks to the support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.