tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post3234937461631712702..comments2024-03-27T12:00:23.624-07:00Comments on Unprofessional Translation: Franco, Hitler and Gibraltartranslatologyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11562130468577763310noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-48350665408619869872020-04-29T02:27:59.042-07:002020-04-29T02:27:59.042-07:00Given that Spain was so weak after its civil war a...Given that Spain was so weak after its civil war and that Nazi Germany after the fall of France was so powerful what held Hitler back from forcefully occupying (by air or sea or land???) the parts of Spain he needed for taking over Gibraltar? That might have been a less costly and more successful approach than what the Italian and German armies subsequently<br />ly attempted in North AfricaPaul Desaillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14750990530420749641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-83077196388682687822018-10-24T14:28:25.159-07:002018-10-24T14:28:25.159-07:00I've just finished reading Robert Harris's...I've just finished reading Robert Harris's "Munich", in which Paul Schmidt features. This story sounded like a sequel!<br /><br />One point though: are you sure you've got it the right way round about how translation works? I was under the impression that each principal speaks their own language and the other side's translator translates out for their guy. So Hitler says "Wilkommen" and Franco's guy whispers "Bienvenida". Owen Boylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17859228018945815715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-19759588247248154072016-05-20T00:39:40.004-07:002016-05-20T00:39:40.004-07:00Thank you for writing.
I stand by my version of th...Thank you for writing.<br />I stand by my version of the event. It's based on the sources listed at the end of the post, some of which are Spanish. Toland may have been misled by two things. One is that Schmidt, as senior German foreign ministry interpreter and one of Hitler's personal aides, was undoubtedly RESPONSIBLE for the interpreting on the German side but he didn't actually DO the interpreting. (The other side brought their own interpreter, as is customary in diplomatic interpreting.) Or Toland may have confused this meeting with the one between Hitler and Pétain a few days later. There the languages were German and French and so Schmidt came into his own.<br />There are other controversies. Why did Franco arrive late? On purpose or because the Spanish rail tracks were in very poor condition? What was Franco's motivation: to stay out of the European conflict or to gain territories in North Africa? Anyway it was a momentous meeting. The interpreting was not responsible for the failure, because fortunately the Spaniards had a good interpreter.<br />I don't know about Mussolini's German but he didn't really need it because Hitler had a very good Italian interpreter in the person of Eugen Dollmann.<br />translatologyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11562130468577763310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-59920131662315044192016-05-18T09:34:56.481-07:002016-05-18T09:34:56.481-07:00I know this post is old, but perhaps you will rece...I know this post is old, but perhaps you will receive my question. <br /><br />I am reading "Adolph Hitler:The Definitive Biography" by John Toland. In his description of this scene, Schmidt is given credit as the only translator. Gross is not mentioned. As you stated, Toland conveys the impression that Franco, a clever and gifted negotiator, verbally and politically out-played Hitler.<br /><br />How would Toland get such an important point wrong?<br /><br />Were many other important meetings during WWII influenced by poor interpreters? I have read that Mussolini refused to use interpreters and instead relied on his mangled German. Is this true?<br /><br />Fascinating stuff! Thanks for sharing.Mary Judehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706331343670430219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-31558228258554092782013-05-29T09:00:17.662-07:002013-05-29T09:00:17.662-07:00A great post!A great post!Tiago Bragahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04739004060776860083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-64020200340546502492013-05-17T03:48:18.573-07:002013-05-17T03:48:18.573-07:00Great post, thanks.Great post, thanks.TrUlsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16688053965759346438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-49934716328733926672012-10-23T22:19:35.889-07:002012-10-23T22:19:35.889-07:00I'm really thrilled to read what transpired be...I'm really thrilled to read what transpired between these two dictators during those horrid times and how Franco helped his country not to plunge directly into WW2K Muralidharanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10264204978641420165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-7201617440312013302011-02-06T11:32:27.036-08:002011-02-06T11:32:27.036-08:00Thank you so much for this entry! I've been lo...Thank you so much for this entry! I've been looking for information like this for a few days now. I've just sent you an email to contact you and see if you can help me with my university thesis.Gabriel Núñezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05148836326983099539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-19011359903422323662010-10-25T13:35:18.798-07:002010-10-25T13:35:18.798-07:00More than just interesting! I imagine a scene from...More than just interesting! I imagine a scene from a film before my eyes!<br />Marcos ZattarZattarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12600672274720467945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267894446738309734.post-32338288018587613222010-10-24T15:38:17.576-07:002010-10-24T15:38:17.576-07:00Wonderful piece of history, thank you very much fo...Wonderful piece of history, thank you very much for writing it up.Sarah Dillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583119266241381779noreply@blogger.com