Jetzt lese ich Die Verwandlung in der Originalversion auf Deutsch.
Reading The Metamorphosis in its Original German is a while different journey.
There’s something truly transformative (pun intended) about reading Franz Kafka’s Die Verwandlung (The Metamorphosis) in its original German. Kafka’s mastery of language is undeniable in translation, but experiencing his words as he wrote them unlocks a new dimension of his genius.
In German, Kafka’s prose is deceptively simple, yet every word feels carefully chosen. The rhythm of his sentences mirrors the unsettling tension of the story itself. Take the iconic opening line:
“Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.”
Translated, it’s haunting. In German, it’s a revelation. The use of “ungeheuren Ungeziefer” (monstrous vermin) is loaded with an ambiguity that translators often grapple with. The alliteration and cadence capture a sense of Gregor’s alienation before the reader even processes his transformation.
What is most unsettling is how much closer I feel to Gregor’s experience. In German, the claustrophobia of his room, the dissonance of his family’s reactions, and his growing detachment from his humanity are even more visceral. It’s as though Kafka’s words have a tactile quality in his native tongue—they crawl under your skin, much like the image of Gregor’s new body.
Reading Die Verwandlung in German is not just a literary exercise; it’s an immersion into the mind of one of literature’s greatest observers of the human condition. It’s challenging, yes, but it’s a journey worth taking for anyone looking to explore Kafka at his most authentic.
Have you read Kafka in German or in translation? I’d love to hear how the experience differed for you.