All the major works by the famous German writer Thomas Mann (1875-1955) are available in an English translation. Here are some examples:
Buddenbrooks
German version 1901
English translation by H. T. Lowe-Porter 1924
A new English translation by John E. Woods 1993
Königliche Hoheit
German version 1909
English translation by A. Cecil Curtis 1916
Der Tod in Venedig
German version 1912
English translation by H. T. Lowe-Porter 1922
English translation by Kenneth Burke 1925
A new English translation by David Luke in 1997
A new English translation by Michael Henry Heim 2005
Betrachtungen eines unpolitischen
German edition 1918
English translation by Walter D. Morris 1983
Der Zauberberg
German version 1924
English translation by H. T. Lowe-Porter 1927
A new English translation by John E. Woods 1996
Mario und Der Zauberer
German version 1929
English translation by H. T. Lowe-Porter 1930
As far as I know, there is no new English translation of this item
Josef und seine Brüder
German version 1934
An English translation was published in four volumes 1934-1944
A new English translation by John E. Woods 2005
Dr Faustus
German version 1947
English translation by H. T. Lowe-Porter 1948
A new English translation by John E. Woods 1997
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Regarding the essay published in German in 1918:
This essay was written as a long and detailed response to his brother Heinrich who had opposed the war from the beginning in 1914. In this essay, Thomas Mann tries to defend the German war against France.
He praises the German authoritarian tradition and denounces the democracy found in France and other nations. He says Germany has culture and civilization, while France has no culture and civilization.
As soon as the long essay was published, he began to doubt his point of view. He realised that the war had been a horrible experience not only for Germany but also for France.
Perhaps his brother had been right the whole time?
He began to change his point of view. The transformation from conservative to liberal was very slow. It took four years. But in 1922, he was finally prepared to accept the Weimar Republic and the democratic system which had been created in 1918.
During World War Two, while he was in exile in the US, he denounced the Nazis in several speeches which were recorded in German and later broadcast in Europe by the BBC. In the US, he was regarded as the good German.
He never disowned his essay of 1918. But he made sure that it was not translated into English as long as he was alive.
He knew an English translation of this essay would damage his reputation in the US.
An English translation of the essay was published in 1983. This was almost twenty years after his death in 1955.
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The American writer Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter is best known for translating almost all the major works by Thomas Mann for their first publication into English.
For many years, her translations of Mann were the only versions which existed in the English-speaking world. She introduced his work to the English-speaking world.
In recent years, several experts of languages and literature have stated that her translations of Mann are flawed and often inaccurate.
Several experts of languages and literature have stated that new English translations of Mann by John E. Woods and others are better, because they are more accurate and more precise.
REFERENCES
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Mrs. Lowe-Porter
By Jo Salas
(2024)
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The famous German writer
Thomas Mann
(1875-1955)
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The well-known American translator
Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter
(1876-1963)
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