Qualcuno sarebbe disposto a tradurre questa poesia che penso abbia scritto il mio bisnonno, immigrato negli Stati Uniti all’inizio degli anni ’30?

Ich gehe durch den deutschen Wald und seh die Äste grünen…

This is really nice

I love this. Somebody else already wrote a translation, so it´s not needed anymore.

„Ich gehe durch den deutschen Wald
und seh‘ die Äste grünen,
aus lang verhallter Jugendzeit
zieht mich ein mächtig Sehnen.

Die deutschen Auen, der deutsche Klang,
O, Heimat, wie bist du so schön,
der herrliche Deutsche Liedersang,
O, Heimat, ich möchte dich sehen.

Es muss ein Wunderbares sein
um ein solch mächtiges Dringen,
der Drang nach allem was Heimat ist,
die Sehnsucht nach dir zu stillen.

O, Gottes Welt, wie bist du schön,
so klingt‘s von allen vier Winden,
jedoch den deutschen Klang davon,
kann niemand recht empfinden.

Die Sonn‘ erstrahlt mit goldenem Schein,
so hör‘ ich‘s von Fern erschallen,
sei stille, mein Herz und freue dich,
wir werden noch einmal dort wandern.

Du Land von Luther, Schiller und Arndt,
euer werden wir ewig denken,
und dort wird sicherlich noch einmal,
Gott uns‘re Schritte lenken.

So sei denn getrost mein Herz und schau
in die Zukunft fröhlich hinein.
Es wird noch mal alles – alles gut
und dein Sehnen gestillet sein.“

I’m walking through the German forest
and see the branches full of green
from my youthful time long since gone by
a powerful longing drives me in.

The German plains, the German sound,
o my home, how beautiful you are
the gorgeous sound of German song
o my home, I want to see you.

It must be feeling wonderful
to quell such a mighty yearning
the yearning for everything that is home
to quekll my desire for you.

O God’s world, how beautiful you are,
so it sounds from all four winds
alas, the German sound among it
nobody can properly feel from here

The sun shines bright with golden rays
so I hear it sound off from the distance
be quiet my heart and rejoice
for we will be wandering there once again

You land of Goethe, Schiller and Arndt,
yours we will keep inside our mind
and there will with certainty once more
God guide our steps towards

So my heart, be consoled an see
towards the future with rejoice
so everything will be fine one day
and your longing will be sated.

It’s a bit clunky and I did not bother to make it rhyme (also because I suck at writing poems), but I hope it helps with the meaning. That poor guy was extremely homesick.

u/jaden_ro, would you be interested in **hearing** the German poem your grandfather wrote read aloud? I love reading poetry, so if you like I could read it to you, since you have translations enough now, it seems.

So… I am still awake, had a bottle of wine, best time to translate poems

I will not go for a translation that tries to capture the feelings. This is just a rather quick translation that is only meant to translate the meaning of the words. Therefore: It is a very sad poem of someone who is incredibly homesick. I will not be able to capture the emotions in any way.

*Der Deutsch-Amerikaner*

(The German-American)

*von Arthur Mueller*

(by Arthur Mueller)

*Ich gehe durch den deutschen Wald*

*und sehe die Äste grünen,*

*aus lang verhallter Jugendzeit*

*zieht mich ein mächtig Sehnen*

(I walk through the German forest

And see the branches turning green,

from long past silent time of youth

a mighty longing pulls me)

*Die deutschen Auen, der deutsche Klang,*

*o Heimat, wie bist du so schön,*

*der herrliche deutsche Liedersang,*

*o Heimat, ich möchte dich sehen.*

(The German meadows, the German sound,

oh home, how beautiful you are,

the marvelous German singing of songs,

oh Home, I want to see you.)

*Es muss ein wunderbares sein*

*um ein solch mächtiges Dringen,*

*der Drang nach allem was Heimat ist,*

*die Sehnsucht nach dir zu stillen.*

(It has to be something wonderful

to have such a powerful urge,

the urge for all that is home,

the desire for you to be quenched.)

*O Gottes Welt, wie bist du schön,*

*so klingt’s von allen vier Winden,*

*jedoch den deutschen Klang davon,*

*kann niemand recht empfinden.*

(Oh god’s world, how beautiful you are,

so it rings from all four winds,

alas the German sound of it,

nobody can really feel it.)

*Die Sonn’ erstrahlt mit goldenem Schein*

*so hör ich’s von fern erschallen,*

*sei stille mein Herz und freue dich,*

*wir werden noch einmal dort wandern.*

(The sun shines with golden shine

that’s how I hear it ring from afar,

be quiet my heart and be happy,

we will be there for a hike once more.)

*Du Land von Luther, Schiller und Arndt,*

*euer werden wir ewig denken,*

*und dort wird sicherlich noch einmal,*

*Gott uns’re Schritte lenken.*

(You country of Luther, Schiller and Arndt,

we will always remember you,

and that is where surely once more,

God will lead our steps towards.)

*So sei denn getrost mein Herz und schau*

*in die Zukunft fröhlich hinein.*

*Es wird nochmal alles – alles gut*

*und dein Sehnen gestillet sein.*

(So be comforted my heart and look

forward into the future.

Once everything – everything will be good

and your longing will be quenched.)

This is a lovely poem. Lovely and sad. Anyone who’s immigrated and been homesick will know how this man feels. Despite being called “the German American” he doesn’t name America in the poem at all. He just longs for Germany.

I hope he made it back.