Benno Lichtenegger's fairytale career as a translator

Created: 12/15/2021, 8:00 PM

From: Clara Wildenrath

“Burattino on a treasure hunt” is the name of the children's book that Benno Lichtenegger translated from Russian into German.

© cw

When Benno Lichtenegger started learning Russian around 20 years ago, he probably didn't think of translating books one day.

Dietramszell

- A fairy tale is to blame that Benno Lichtenegger started learning Russian over 20 years ago.

“I found a tattered children's book among friends from Ukraine, which was beautifully illustrated.

That made me want to translate it into German, ”says the 66-year-old, who was mayor of Dietramszell from 1990 to 2002.

He acquired the necessary language skills through adult education courses and two trips to former forced laborers in Odessa.

And indeed he managed to convince the publisher of his version of the Russian children's story in rhyme form.

In 2010 “Doctor Aibolet and his animals or Doctor Auwehzwick” appeared in Lichtenegger's translation.

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Ten years later the publisher got in touch again.

Could Lichtenegger be able to translate a Russian fairy tale into German again?

Leonid Wladimirski, a well-known illustrator in the former Eastern Bloc states, had written a sequel to “The Adventures of Burattino” - the Russian equivalent of Pinocchio.

"That was almost too much for the honor," admits the ex-mayor.

He worked on the translation for around a year and sometimes reached his limits.

“For example, there is a leech seller in the story - you won't find the word in any dictionary.” It's good that a friend from Georgia was able to help him occasionally.

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In “Burattino on a treasure hunt”, the wooden jumping jack with the long nose embarks on an adventurous journey.

The goal: to save its creator Papa Karlo and the puppet theater from ruin.

Of course, he and his friends have to outsmart some robbers and villains and face many other dangers.

But everything will end well, Lichtenegger promises in his foreword - just as it always happens in good stories.

The colorfully illustrated book for children aged eight and over was published by Leipziger Kinderbuchverlag in June 2021.

cw

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