Radovan Charvat

Born 9 April 1948 in Prague, translates screenplays into German, does simultaneous translating of movies and TV films, newspaper articles (Literární noviny, Lidové noviny) and is a literary translator.

His life

Completed a technical degree in 1984, then mathematician in Prague, later freelance translator and journalist. Spent a year in Africa in 1987. 1989-90 studied German, English and American Studies at J. W. Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. Since 1989 freelance literary translator from German and English into Czech. Divorced, one child, Jan, born 1985.

Collaborations with organisations   

Austrian Culture Forum Prague, ARD Studio, Goethe Institute (readings), the German publishers Suhrkamp, Hanser, and Aufbau, and in the Czech Republic with Volvox Globator, Prostor, Paseka, Opus and Argo publishing houses in Prague.

 

Radovan CharvatRadovan Charvat

 

A selection of his literary translations

 

  • Hermann Hesse: Heumond (1996); Die Wanderung (1997)
  • Sten Nadolny: Ein Gott der Frechheit (1996); Die Entdeckung der Langsamkeit (1997)
  • Franz Werfel: Barbara oder die Frömmigkeit (1997)
  • Thomas Bernhard: Auslöschung. Ein Zerfall. (1998); Beton (2000); Der Stimmenimitator (2002); Verstörung (2004);  Frost (2007)
  • Martin Walser: Ein springender Brunnen (1999)
  • Victor Klemperer: Tagebücher 1933–1945 (2002-4)
  • W.G. Sebald: Die Ausgewanderten (2006) Austerlitz (2009)
  • Robert Walser: Jakob von Gunten (2005); Der Gehülfe (2007); Geschwister Tanner (2007); Poetenleben – Kurzprosa I (2008); Der Leseabend – Kurzprosa II (2009)
  • Tilman Rammstedt: Der Kaiser von China (2009)

 

Works in progress:

Thomas Bernhard "Auswahl Kurzprosa" (2010-11)

W. G. Sebald: Die Ringe des Saturn (2011)

 

Awards

  • 2003 Prize from the Federal Chancellery in Vienna, Austria for achievements in translation

 

  • 2005 Prize for Central European translators, Adalbert Stifter Association, Munich

 

  • 2006 Prize from the ProHelvetia cultural foundation for translations of the works of Robert Walser

 

  • 2007 Nomination for the Magnesia Litera translation prize in Prague, for Sebald's "Die Ausgewanderten"