Online Repertory of German Translations of Classical Antiquity 1501-1620

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Bernd Bastert; Professor Dr. Johannes Klaus Kipf
• Subject Area: German Medieval Studies (Medieval German Literature) ; German Literary and Cultural Studies (Modern German Literature)
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424095002

The Project intends to provide a complete repertory that documents the transmission (in print and manuscript) of translations of ancient Latin and Greek literature into German between 1501 and 1620. The repertory will thus capture for the first time the exact quantity of texts written in classical and late antiquity (until c. 600 AD) that were translated in the German speaking countries in the period of Humanism and the Reformation. These translations of ancient works mark the starting point of the cultural technique of translation which became pivotal for Early Modern culture. In this context the translations of late antique Christian works will actually be registered in their entirety for the first time ever. Textual witnesses will be presented in an openly accessible, persistent relational data base which can be searched by categories such as author, work title, translator, contributor, dedicatee, printing place, printer, publisher, year of publication etc. The often complex structure of the prints and manuscripts will be prepared for analysis by detailed descriptions of content that enable the user to reconstruct personal networks, local centres and the like. Short biographies and detailed bibliographies for all translators known by name provide easy access to the current state of research. In the second funding period, the paratexts will be transcribed with the aid of OCR software and will be included into the database. Translations of Christian antiquity that are not yet recorded systematically will be reported starting with the year 1450.The repertory will thereby provide an easily accessible and searchable base for further linguistic, medial or cultural studies in a crucial period of Early Modern translation culture.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Christian Riepl