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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

mit dem Leid von Toten

English translation:

the agony of the dead/those suffering death

Added to glossary by Ramey Rieger (X)
Jun 28, 2017 12:36
6 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

mit dem Leid von Toten

German to English Social Sciences History Concentration camps
I'm currently translating this first-hand concentration camp report and would like a bit of help with the phrase "mit dem Leid von Toten". Is it mean to indicate a 'miserable sight of the dead' or that the living had to 'suffer seeing the dead'? The full sentence is below. Not a nice phrase, I know, but one it would be important to get right.

"In unserem, eigenen Bereich lagen viele Krankenbaracken mit dem Leid von Toten davor."

Many thanks in advance
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 the agony of the dead/those suffering death
3 showing the ordeal of the deceased
3 my version
Change log

Jul 12, 2017 07:41: Ramey Rieger (X) Created KOG entry

Discussion

Laura Massey (asker) Jun 28, 2017:
Brilliant suggestions, thank you so much everyone for your input, it's been really helpful. For the context, the idea that the dead bodies outside represent the suffering that went on inside the barracks housing the sick would seem to me to fit best.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jun 28, 2017:
The barracks for the sick bring the PROCESS of death into focus. There is no chance of healing in these barracks, only the suffering of death. Here's another suggestion:
Our area was littered with barracks housing the sick, with those suffering/having suffered the agony of death on display.
gangels (X) Jun 28, 2017:
I would think the key to the phrase is 'Leid' and in the context I'd translate it as "horror".
Laura Massey (asker) Jun 28, 2017:
I find it a strange sentence because there is, as can be imagined, a lot of discussion of the dead everywhere, but this is the only one where he hints at suffering and misery to do with them. They are elsewhere almost dealt with as observations of what he can see around him.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jun 28, 2017:
davor in front? This seems the most logical, with the sentence following.
--with the agony of the dead on display
Laura Massey (asker) Jun 28, 2017:
Thank you Ramey, and yes, although I have now read the text many times, it doesn't fail to move me every time I read it. The agony of the dead is a good phrase
ortholingua Jun 28, 2017:
The misery of the dead in front of the barracks. Laura, it sound like it is a literal description.
The misery of the dead in front of the barracks probably describes the dead which were brought out and piled in front of the barracks until they were transported away with the meat hooks mentioned in the next sentence.
I am glad that I am not doing that translation.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jun 28, 2017:
My goodness! I'd need a punching bag AND a box of tissues. Okay, let's see...
Our area had many ... with the suffering dead piled in front of them.
"the suffering dead" is not necessarily logical, but the agony of the observer comes across.
Laura Massey (asker) Jun 28, 2017:
Bei Tageslicht sahen wir dann das Lager. Es enthielt viele Abteilungen; für Männer und Frauen, anscheinend verschiedener Kategorien; gegen einander durch Stacheldrahtzäune abgesperrt. In unserem, eigenen Bereich lagen viele Kfankenbaracken mit dem Leid von Toten davor. Den ganzen Tag hindurch wurden die an Haken zum Block 11 geschleppt, der abgesehen von einem sogenannten Waschraum, wie ein Warenmagazin mit Toten gefüllt war.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jun 28, 2017:
Hi Laura No, it's not a nice sentence. Can you give us the preceding and following sentences as well, please?

Proposed translations

+2
39 mins
Selected

the agony of the dead/those suffering death

The 'davor' is complicating matters.

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Note added at 44 mins (2017-06-28 13:21:21 GMT)
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Our area was littered with barracks housing the sick, with those suffering/having suffered the agony of death on display.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2017-06-29 07:16:06 GMT)
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Hi Laura,
Here is another option holding a bit more true to grammatical logic:
Our area was littered with barracks housing the sick, with the bodies having suffered the agonies of dying on display.
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : I'd love having a go. One of the types of text I translate.......
31 mins
Hard text to translate!
agree franglish
3 hrs
Many thanks!
neutral gangels (X) : the agony of dying, yes; but once deceased, you are no longer in agony
10 hrs
I'll offer another option, this has been nagging at me, too.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
22 mins

showing the ordeal of the deceased

This is just one idea of how this might look in a sentence

"Our own section included many barracks for the sick showing the ordeal of the deceased at their steps."
Something went wrong...
52 mins

my version

....many barracks serving as sick bays, with the horrific sight of dead bodies stacked outside of them
Something went wrong...
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