German translators working on Georgian authors in Tbilisi residency

Three visiting translators are spending their days in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi for the purpose of making some of the most fascinating literature by local authors available in the German language.

Julia Deng, Sabine Schiffner and Sybilla Heinze are the first literary professionals to take the opportunity of a newly launched Tbilisi residency program for foreign-language translators.

Within the project, visiting professionals are hosted at the Writers’ House of Georgia to work on developing translations of modern and classical work by contemporary and late Georgian writers.

The current phase of the residency will result in German versions of literary creations by two award-winning contemporary authors — Rati Amaglobeli and Lasha Bugadze — as well as a major 1924 work by late novelist Mikheil Javakhishvili.

Sybilla Heinze photographed at the Writers' House of Georgia, where she is working on a novel by Lasha Bugadze. Photo: Dato Koridze/Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty.

A collection of poetry by Saba Literary Prize winner Amaglobeli has been the subject of Sabine Schiffner’s work in Tbilisi since February 24, with the translator concluding her stay at the residency on Tuesday.

The collaborative effort by Schiffner and Amaglobeli will be the subject of a public event at the Writers’ House of Georgia today, where they will discuss their experience and answer questions from the audience.

Sybilla Heinze, another visiting translator hosted at the venue, will be continuing her work on Lasha Bugadze’s 2017 novel Small Country through March 13.

The Tbilisi venue is also hosting translator Julia Deng within the residency. Photo: Dato Koridze/Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty.

The semi-autobiographical work by the Saba Literary Award- and 'Duruji' Theatre Prize-winning author narrates the story of social, political and cultural transformation in Georgia over the last generation.

In the third creative endeavour for the residency, Julia Deng is working with the objective of making celebrated late novelist Mikheil Javakhishvili’s prominent work Jaqo’s Dispossessed available in German.

Detailing a picture of social division in the early 20th century Georgia, the novel enjoyed public limelight since its first publication in 1924 and has served as basis for theatre- and film adaptations.

Sabine Schiffner worked in Tbilisi on translating poetry by Rati Amaglobeli. Photo: Dato Koridze/Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty.

The three German translators have worked on Georgian literature in their past collaborations with the Georgian National Book Centre. Their bilateral cooperation has resulted in German translations of works by authors Rezo Tcheishvili, Ana Kordzaia-Samadashvili and Nana Ekvtimishvili, among others.

Supported by the Georgian National Book Centre, the Tbilisi translation residency program was launched last year.

Translators are offered a stay at the recently renovated rooms at the historic venue of the Writers’ House of Georgia.

The residency program also comes in the context of Georgia’s participation in this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, where the country will be hosted as the official Guest of Honour.