English translation here

Transcription

German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Conneaut Area Senior High School
Translation
Kapitel 1 – Chapter 1
The Kästners and the Augustins
Whoever begins to tell a story about himself, begins most of the time with completely different
people. With people, whom he has never met and never will meet. With people, who are long
since dead, and about whom he know almost nothing. Whoever begins to tell the story of
himself, begins most often with his forefathers (ancestors).
I know almost nothing of the ancestors of my father. The men were craftsmen, had many
children and lived longer than their wives. The father of my father was a table maker and had
eleven children with his wife. Five died before they had gone to school. Two of his sons became
table makers, one became a smithee,
and Emil Kästner, my father, became a
saddle maker.
Ida Amalie Kästner, my mother, comes
from a family named Augustin who
lived in Saxony. About the Augustins I
know much more, because we hear
the stories about them back and forth.
Not because of the great deeds they
have done, rather the small ones. They
were bakers and made small loaves of bread and rolls. They were famous for it and have been
written about for it. For three hundred years, the Augustins were bakers. Then they became
horse traders. Carl Friedrich Louis Augustin had a row of children. He was a smithee and a horse
trader. Seven of his sons traded horses. Two of them became millionaires because of horse
trading. His daughter, Ida Amalie is my mother.
Created: January 2014
Continued: March – April 2016
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Fragen (Questions)
1. Was waren die Vorfahren von Kästners Vater? What were the ancestors of Kästner’s father?
A. Sie waren Handwerker. Sie waren Tischlermeister, Schmied, und Sattler. They were
craftsmen. Table makers, saddle makers, and smithees.
2. Was waren die Vorfahren von Kästner’s Mutter? What were the ancestors of Kästner’s
mother?
A. Bakers. For three hundred years, they were known for their rolls and breads.
3.Von welchen Vorfahren weiß er wirklich etwas? Whose ancestors did he really know
something about?
A. Seine Mutter, die Augustins. His mother’s, the Augustins
4. Was wurden Idas Brüder?
A. Sie handelten Pferde. They were horse traders.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Little Ida and her Brothers
The little Ida Augustin, my late mother,
lived as a child in a farmhouse. Many
things belonged to this house: a hay
barn, a small front yard with flowers, a
dozen children – girls and boys – an
older garden with cherry and plum
trees, a horse stall, much work and a
long path to school. The school was in
another village. And there was not much
to learn in the school, because they had
only one teacher and two classes. In the
one class sat the children from age
seven through ten years old, and in the
other, the children from eleven to
fourteen years old. Apart from reading,
writing, and arithmetic, there was not
much to be learned, and for the brighter
students, the time became terribly long.
In the winter, the snow sometimes laid so high that one could not open the house door! Then
the children had to climb out the window, if they wanted to go to school. Or if their grandfather
wanted them to go. And the path was far and you froze, and if you finally arrived at school,
usually too late, there wasn’t anything extraordinary or interesting to learn. Little Ida went
despite the long path, because she wanted to learn. She wanted to learn everything, which the
teacher himself knew. And he did not know very much; still he always knew something more
than little Ida.
With her older brothers – Franz, Robert, and Paul – it was not so. They thought differently
about school and learning. For them, the hours in the classroom were lost time. The little bit of
reading and writing that they would need later was learned very quickly. And the math? I
believe, the three of them could already do math in the cradle.
They went every morning to school, but most of the time they did not arrive at school. What
did they do with their entire day? They traded rabbits.
They would have probably preferred to trade horses, but you cannot stick horses in small
wooden cages. Also, first one has two rabbits, and they make babies, and so one soon has more
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
rabbits, and once again, they make babies. One only needs to find a few turnips, carrots, and
heads of lettuce, and with that, the lovely little animals will be satisfied and always making
more babies.
Now, the three brothers found the
necessary food. I believe, they didn’t pay
for the food even once. As a result, they
could sell their rabbits cheap. Business
went well. The three brothers had finally
such a large rabbit trading business, that
my grandfather heard about it. He was
not particularly proud of his sons and
their business. He interrogated them
about it, but they remained silent. He
beat them until both his arms were in
pain, but that didn’t help at all. Then he
asked little Ida. She told him, what she
knew. And she didn’t know a little, she
knew a lot.
Robert, Franz, and Paul did not find their situation to be very pretty. As result they would not
speak with their sister, and they had very long bluish bruises and their exchange with their
father. First they were green, then they became yellow before they finally disappeared.
The blue spots were the sole result of the conversation between Ida and my grandfather. Sister
said, “Father wanted to know the truth. And you must always tell the truth. You learn that at
school and at home.” But the three brother were not in school or at home often enough to
know that. They said, “You snitched! You are not a good comrade, and no ordinary sister. You
should be ashamed!”
Who’s right, it is not easy to say. Are you allowed to
lie to your parents because your brothers want you
to? Or must you always tell your parents the truth
even if it is bad for your brothers? This question is as
old as the world.
If my grandfather had paid better attention to his
sons, he would have had to interrogate little Ida.
However, he was often away from home, in order to
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
buy and sell horses. Was that his fault?
If the brothers had been courageous boys, little Ida would not have had to snitch. But they
were business people and did not like going to school. Was that their mistake?
The only person, who felt guilty, was little Ida. She went dutifully every day to school. She
helped diligently at home, looked after her smaller sisters and brothers and said, when she was
asked, the truth. Was that her mistake?
Dear children, read the following also. It is perhaps not as interesting as rabbit handling, but it is
far more important! And therefore, I repeat these three points!
First, a father has too little time for his family, because he has to earn money. He catches and
beats three of his twelve children, and with that, for him everything is back in order again.
Second, three boys skip school, get beaten by their father, beat a sister, and with that for them
everything is back in order again.
And third, a small, really courageous girl, whose parents and sisters and brothers loved, is
supposed to tell the truth, and she did. As a result, everything for her is in disorder.
So it was, and that is bad. My mother never put that episode in her past. Should she have told
on her brothers? Should she have lied? Why had her father asked her? So many questions! And
no ordinary answers.
Fragen (Questions)
1. Wo wohnte die kleine Ida als Kind? (Where did little Ida live as a child?)
A. On a farm
2. Was war ihr Vater?
A. A horse trader
3. Wie war die Schule?
A. The school was a long distance from her home in another village. In the winter, it was cold,
and people froze getting to school. It was a two room building with one teacher who divided up
the students into two classes. For the clever students, school was boring.
4. Warum ging sie schon brav in die Schule?
A. She wanted to learn everything that the teacher knew.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
5. Warum gingen die Brüder nicht gern dorthin?
A. They quickly learned how to read and write, and they knew math since they were in the
cradle. As a result, they found school to be boring.
6. What did they do instead?
A. They raised rabbits.
7. Why did Ida tell what she knew?
A. She was taught at home and at school to always tell the truth to your parents.
8. How did the brothers handle their sister?
A. They called her a snitch and wouldn’t talk to her anymore.
9. Who was right?
A. Difficult to say, according to the author.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
The Former Rabbit Handlers
Life went on. The children became older, and the three brothers, the rabbit handlers, what
became of them? Did they become horse traders? Not quite, although they knew everything
about horses. Already as a child they had a lot to do with horses. But when they wanted to
become horse traders, they needed money. And money they did not have. And their
grandfather did not have any either. Thus, he let them become butchers. So they became
butchers, because grandfather wanted them to do so. Whether they were on the right path,
they did not yet know.
On Hecht Street they began as young
butchers, Uncle Franz and Uncle Paul.
Hecht Street was narrow and gray, and
many people lived there. The storefronts
were cheap to have. Everyone had his
own, and they lay across from one
another. But that brought no strife. Their
products were good, especially their
sausage and cuts of meat. Their wives,
Aunt Lina and Aunt Marie worked in the
shops from early in the morning until late
at night. Back and forth they saw one
another across the street in the other
shops and waved to each other.
When Uncle Franz and Uncle Paul had
made cutlets and sausage for long
enough, they could buy their first horse and the corn with which to feed it. And a short time
later, they sold it at a good price. Now it had become easier to buy two horses. Three horses.
Four horses. And they were efficient, and everything went well.
Still, they were butchers and their day began early at 5:00 AM and it lasted until late in
the evening.
Aunt Marie had four children. A son, Hans, was blind. He was always happy, liked to eat
and laugh and when his mother, Aunt Marie died, he came to live in a home for the blind. There
he learned basket weaving. His father, Uncle Paul, had no time for his blind son.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
The former rabbit handlers were hardy
people. They did not think about
themselves. They thought only about the
business. If the day had forty-eight hours,
then perhaps they could have thought
about things such as wife, children,
brothers, sisters, or even themselves. But
the day has only twenty-four hours.
Therefore, they thought only about the business. Not once did they think about their old
father. And he was sick and had no money, and he knew that he would be dying soon. But he
was too proud to ask his son for help. Also, he thought about this idea: A father can more easily
raise twelve children than twelve children can tend to a father. My mother heard how sick
father was and went to Hecht Street to Uncle Franz and pleaded with him to do something for
father. That he did! He sent his father a couple marks and a letter with heartfelt greetings and
the best wishes for his fatherly health. He didn’t even write the letter himself! His wife, Aunt
Lina, did that. Uncle Franz had no time for his that. However, when the time came for the
funeral a short time later, he attended to that personally.
For family reunions, one had time. Especially for funerals. At these reunions, relatives
met one another. With handkerchiefs to wipe the tears. Their eyes and the tips of their noses
became bright red. And the tears were indeed real!
Also, for the mercy meal that followed the funeral, there was time. And everyone was
sad during the meal, as it should be. By the time coffee and cake were served, people were
laughing. And by the time the cognac was poured, the former rabbit handlers gently pulled
their pocket watches from their vests. They had to hurry again. “Adieu!” “We will see each
other again!” “Oh how polite we are!”
The only other time they stayed longer was for their own funerals.
Fragen (Questions)
1. Was wurden Idas Brüder zuerst? What did the brothers become first?
A. Sie werden Fleischer. They became butchers.
2. Wie lagen die Geschäfte der beiden Brüder? How did the brothers’ shops lay in relation to
one another?
A. Sie lagen gegenüber die Straße. They lay across the street from one another.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
3. Wer verkaufte die Waren in den Geschäften? Who sold the goods in the stores?
A. Tante Lina und Tante Marie
4. Womit handelten die beiden Brüder? With what did the brothers concern themselves?
A. Zuerst mit Wurst und Koteletts, aber dann mit Pferde. First with sausage and cutlets, but then
with horses.
5. Warum kümmerten sie sich nicht um ihre Familie? Why were they not as concerned about
their families?
A. Sie dachten nur an den Handel. They only thought about the business. If the day had 48
hours, they would have spent time with family, but it only has 24 hours.
6. Bei welchem Gelegenheiten waren sie aber immer dabei? With which occasions were they
always present?
A. Bei den Begräbnisse. At funerals.
7. Wie lange bleiben sie?
A. Bis zum Kognak nach dem Leichenschmaus. (Until the cognac at the mercy meal following the
funeral of their father.)
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Das Pferdehotel – The Horse Hotel
Franz Augustin and Paul Augustin continued living on Hecht Street, even after the butcher shop
had been sold, and now they were only horse handlers.
Uncle Paul bought and sold only thoroughbred horses. Already after a few years he was
allowed to name himself royal horse provider. He even had a sign painted for himself and hung
it over the door.
However, I preferred to be with my Uncle Franz. He bought and sold work horses. Horses for
cargo wagons, beer wagons, and furniture wagons. He was intensely serious, my Uncle Franz.
He would never be able to sell pure bred horses, but I prefer him to the refined Uncle Paul,
whom his sisters and brothers named “Lord Baron.” I felt at home with Uncle Franz and his
farm workers and horses.
Pictures taken from pages 24 – 25 of text
In the brown wooden stalls in the courtyard, there was room for approximately 30 horses. For
the Danish, the East Prussian, the Oldenburg, the Holstein, and the Belgian. The farm hands
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
brought hay, corn, and straw and many pitchers of fresh water. The horses ate and drank so
much, that it was almost unbelievable.
They made noise with their thick hooves, and hit the flies from their backs with their
tails. When I came closer, they turned their heads and looked at me as foreign and still.
Sometimes, they nodded and sometimes they shook their heads. But I did not know what they
meant. Rasmus, the tall and muscular boss farm hand, who could not say an “S,” went with the
veterinarian from stall to stall.
Horses can get sick, just like us. They frequently have the same sicknesses. We don’t die,
however, when we cough or sniffle. With horses it is not the same. They eat moist hay, and
their bellies become large and fat, and death knocks on the stall door. Or they become too
warm, and they drink water that is too cold, get sniffles, and they begin to cough. The fever
climbs, and already death knocks on the stall door. Sometimes the vet came early enough.
Sometimes he came too late. Then came the wagon of the animal undertaker picked up the
dead horse. The hooves, the skin, and the hair from the tail and mane were still needed.
The worst part of a horse’s death was the lost money. One doesn’t cry, because the
horse does not belong to the family. They were something like four-legged hotel guests, who
lived in Dresden for a few days. Their trip went further, to a farm, in a factory or in a shop.
Sometimes to the animal undertaker. Hotel guests do not cry when a guest in a hotel dies. One
simply quietly carries the body down the back steps and out of the hotel.
Fragen
1. Wo war der kleine Erich am liebsten?
A. Bei dem Onkel Franz
2. Wie war der Onkel Franz?
A. Er was saugrob.
3. Wie sah es im Hinterhof aus?
A. In the brown horse stalls was enough room for 30 horses.
4. Was konnte mit den Pferden passieren?
A. Sie konnten krank werden. Und der Tod klopft an die Stalltür.
5. Was tat man dann mit ihnen?
A. Carry it out the back with the Abdecker*.
*Abdecker = wagon of the animal undertaker
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Uncle Franz and Aunt Lina
The uninviting, provincially furnished apartment lay above the butcher shop, in which another
butcher sold cutlets. In the apartment lived Frieda, the quiet and diligent cleaning maid. Frieda
cooked, washed, kept the apartment in order and was for my cousin Dora, the mother, because
the mother, aunt Lina, had no time for the child.
She was the director of her husband’s firm, and sat
in the office from early in the day to late in the evening.
With checks, bills, taxes, paychecks, and such things. Such
things were meaningless for Uncle Franz. He had said,
“You do it,” and therefore she did it.
If he had said, “Jump this evening at six o’clock
from the church tower,” she would have jumped. Perhaps,
she would have left a note up high on the tower, in which
she had written, “Dear Franz! Excuse me that I jumped at
eight minutes AFTER six, but I had to finish my work. Your
devoted, Lina.
Naturally, he did not come up with the idea, to let
her jump. Otherwise, he would lose his business manager.
That would be dumb of him, and he was not dumb, my Uncle Franz.
The office, it was called the Comptoir (comptroller), was at the end of the courtyard in a
small shed. Here, Aunt Lina worked and stayed. Here the farm hands picked up their paychecks
every week.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Here, she wrote the checks. Here she kept the accounting books. On the wall was a safe,
which only Lina had the keys. On her apron, she has a key ring, and the money clip. She always
placed a pencil behind her ear. She was energetic and knew what she wanted. One single
person in the world made her nervous (jittery, upset): the “Lord.” So she named him, when he
was not there. If he were in the room or on the phone, she would say, “Franz” to him. “Yes,
Franz.” “Naturally, Franz.” “Certainly, Franz.” “I understand, Franz.” Then her energetic voice
would weaken.”
When he needed her, he shouted wherever he went or stood, only the word,
“WOMAN!” And soon in response, she said, “Yes, Franz?” and ran as quickly as she could. Then
he needed only to say, “Tonight I am traveling with Rasmus to Flensburg (in order) to buy
horses. Give me 20,000 marks in hundred mark bills.” She took off her apron and ran to the
bank. An hour later she was back from the bank with 200 hundred mark bills. Later when they
lived in the Villa, I ran to the bank and picked up the money.
Fragen
1. Womit beschäftigte sich Tante Lina?
A. She was the director of her husband’s firm, and sat in the office from early in the day to late
in the evening. With checks, bills, taxes, paychecks, and such things.
2. Wer war Frieda?
A. Frieda war das Dienstmädchen. (She was the maid.)
3. Wie verhielt sich Tante Lina Onkel Franz gegenüber?
A. Schrecklich. He had said, “You do it,” and therefore she did it.
4. Wie behandelt Onkel Franz Tante Lina?
A. When he needed her, he shouted wherever he went or stood, only the word, “WOMAN!”
5. Wo kaufte Onkel Franz seine Pferde?
A. Flensburg
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
The Lord of the Horses becomes a Millionaire
When Uncle Franz came back from the
horse market, when the horses were
unloaded from the horse cars and were
brought to Hecht Street, that’s when
Uncle Franz had much to do. First, the
horses had to rest for a few days,
because the trip had been difficult for
them. They got to eat and drink very
well.
After a couple days the customers
came. Many big, fat men, who knew
about horses, and had fat wallets.
Farmers and factory owners – one could
believe that here they sold fat men, and
not horses. The farm hands offered up cigars. Everyone waited for the main figure, for Franz
Augustin, the master of horses. And when he finally showed up, smiling at the entranceway to
the courtyard, cigar in his mouth, the brown bowler hat snugly on his head, the people who had
never seen him before, knew immediately, “That is he! He will sell me a horse at an expensive
price and I will think he gives it to me as a gift.” There where he stood was the center (of
attention), and everyone heard
him: the farm workers, the
horses, and the customers.
The animals were
shown one after the other. The
farm workers took the horses
by the halter and ran them
back and forth again and again.
Rasmus held the reins
especially for the wild horses.
Even the wildest horse was
calm as a lamb when Rasmus
ran beside it. Sometimes Uncle Franz cracked the whip. Most of the time he needed only a
handkerchief to control them. The handkerchief snapped like a flag in the wind, and brought
even the laziest horse in line.
If a horse was being closely examined, the customers would walk nearer to it, and look
at him in the mouth. And Uncle Franz would announce the price. When the deal was made, the
buyer would shake Franz’ hand, and Aunt Lina would write up the bill of sale (who bought the
horse).
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Sometimes Uncle Franz had brought so
many horses, that the showing took days to
complete. And in the tavern in the back of the
facility sat the customers, and they drank alcohol,
and smoked cigars, that the smoke was so thick
that you could not cut it with garden shears.
Uncle Franz drank much Schnapps and never got
drunk. Others were intoxicated after four
schnapps. Aunt Lina drank nothing. She played
the role of cashier. Hundred, five-hundred,
thousand Mark bills. The wallets of the customers
shrank thinner and thinner. And Aunt Lina
brought the money to the back house, to the
office, and put it in the safe. And Uncle Franz
became a millionaire.
Fragen – Questions
1. Wie kamen die Pferde nach Dresden?
A. Mit dem Zug. (With the train)
2. Wo fand der Verkauf statt?
A. The horse market (Pferdemarkt)
3. Wer kam, um Pferde zu kaufen?
A. Fat men with fat wallets
4. Wie ging der Handel vor sich?
A. Work hands offered cigars, and people waited for the main figure, Franz. He arrived and
showed the horses. Customers would approach and look in the horses’ mouths. Then Franz
announced his price, and the deal was sealed with a handshake.
5. Welche Rolle spielte Onkel Franz dabei?
Er ist der Herr der Pferde. He is the lord of the horses.
6. Was machte Tante Lina an solchen Tagen?
A. She was the cashier. She collected the money and put it in the safe.
7. Wie war es in der Kneipe?
A. Really heavy smoke in the room – so thick you could not cut it with garden shears. It also had
customers who drank only a few shots of schnapps and were intoxicated.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Uncle Franz must buy a Mansion
The people on Hecht Street were proud of Uncle Franz, because he had shown, that even
though he came from Hecht Street, he could still become a millionaire. However, they said,
“Whoever becomes so rich, has to show how rich he is.” “He has to buy a castle. He has to
move away immediately.” “Such nonsense,”
growled Franz. “Our apartment above the
butcher shop is good enough for me. I am
almost never at home.” The people on Hecht
Street were stronger than he. And finally he
bought a house.
He bought the house at 1 Anton
Street. A castle it was not, rather it was two
story, large Villa with a lovely garden, which
was almost a park, and it lay on Albert Plaza.
And I had to walk across Albert Plaza when I
went to school.
Next to the large villa stood a greenhouse, two pavilions, a horse stall, carriage house. In
the carriage house lived Frieda, who was now the chief of staff. She received a maid of her own,
and a gardener to help tend to the villa. She commanded them from their first day of work.
For Aunt Lina, times were harder. She did not want to be an aristocratic woman, and she
didn’t become one.
Fragen
1. Warum konnte Onkel Franz nicht in der Hechtstrasse bleiben?
A. Er war reich. He was rich.
2. Was kaufte er sich?
A. A villa
3. Was gehörte zu dem Haus?
A garden, a guest house, and a horse stall were part of the house.
4. Was wurde Frieda nun?
A. She’s the chief of staff.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Auf dem Gartenmauer – On the Garden Wall
From our apartment to Anton Street it was only a short path. Because Aunt Lina felt foreign in
her own villa, she felt happy when we visited. With nice
weather, I came by in the afternoons. Uncle sat on a train,
Aunt Lina in the office, and Dora was at a school friend’s
house. So I had the house and the garden for me all alone.
I most enjoyed sitting on the garden wall watching the
traffic on Albert Plaza. Street cars come and stop. Hundreds of
passengers climb on and off the street car. Horses and buggies,
cars, and pedestrians come past me. Fire trucks come past
with lots of sounds, noises, and fire bells. From a beer truck
came a keg and the people ran over to get some. Albert Plaza
was like a theater, and I sat between the trees and watched
the performance.
Then Frieda came and said, “I have coffee for you.” I sat
in the shade of the trees and drank coffee, and ate cake.
Afterward I walked through the garden again, and in the fall I
beat the trees to get nuts from them, or pick up goods from
the store for Frieda. Sugar, potatoes, lettuce, or whatever else
she needed.
Fragen
1. Wo saß der kleine Erich gern?
A. In the shade of the trees.
2. Was konnte er von dort aus sehen?
A. The activity on Albert Plaza.
3. Was brachte Frieda ihm?
A. Coffee and cake.
4. Was tat er oft für Frieda?
A. Go to the store.
5. Was tat er im Herbst?
A. He poked the nut trees with a stick to get nuts.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
The Master and his Servants
Also, in the evenings, we often went to the Villa. They liked being there most, when Franz was
traveling. Then Aunt Lina felt, despite Dora, so alone that she was happy when we ate dinner
with them together in the dining room. And Frieda could make wonderful sandwiches, and she
was sad, when slice of bread with sausage or ham was left over. Because we did not want to
see her be sad, we ate it all.
Less comfortable were the evenings,
when Uncle Franz was not on a trip.
Certainly, he was not home. He sat in the
bar and drank and sold horses. However, he
could arrive suddenly, because nothing in
the world is impossible. Then on such
evenings, we would sit in the kitchen.
The kitchen was beautiful, and at
home we sat in the kitchen, tasted Frieda’s
sandwiches, and they were not bad there
either. However it was not really
comfortable. Lina had anxiety. She seemed
as if she were by herself when we visited.
Her anxiety made us on edge. So we sat and
listened intently like rabbits. Would he come? It was uncertain. It was rather improbable.
Nevertheless, sometimes he came.
First, we heard the garden gate slam shut, and Frieda said, “The master is coming.” The
house door sprang open, the windowpanes shook, and Aunt Lina called out, nervously and
cheerily, “The master is coming!” In the entranceway, a lion screamed, “Woman!” With the call,
“Yes, Franz!” Lina ran hurriedly to Franz with Frieda and Dora following, out of the kitchen and
to the entryway where the master of horses impatiently took off his hat and set down his cane.
They served him like slaves for their
Sultan. He threw himself on the sofa
in the living room, they took his shoes
off and gave him his slippers. He
groaned, “Cigar!” Dora ran to the
workroom, picked up the cigar box
and the matches, brought the box to
him, and stood at attention with a
match. He took a cigar, bit the tip, and
spit the end on the carpet. Dora lit a
match on fire. First he said nothing,
smoked his cigar, and looked like a
robber when he is satisfied. Then he
asked, “what’s wrong?” Aunt Lina tells
him what happened that day. He
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
growled. “Do you want to eat?” asked Frieda. “I have already eaten,” he growled. “Want a glass
of wine?” asked Dora. “Sure,” he said in a friendly way, “but hurry! I have to leave again.” So
she ran to the cellar and got a glass of wine.
Fragen
1. Wen besuchten Kästners oft abends?
A. Tante Lina, Frieda, und Dora
2. Wann war es am gemütlichsten?
A. When Franz was not there.
3. Why would they sit in the kitchen much of the time?
A. Although it was nice in the kitchen, they ate there to avoid Uncle Franz.
4. What did Uncle Franz do when he came home?
A. Sat on the couch, and demanded a cigar.
5. What did the women do?
A. They acted like his slaves.
6. How did Uncle Franz feel about that?
A. He does not care. He is ambiguous about it.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
The Lion Roared
We always sat in the kitchen and were quiet. My mother smiled ironically, my father was not
happy, and I ate a sandwich from time to time. What happened in the dining room, we knew
only too well. We could only wait and see, how the comedy would end today. There were
namely three possibilities:
Either Franz would go back out again, and the three slaves came back into the kitchen,
maybe with the bottle of wine, and we would stay there a little longer. Or, Franz stayed at
home. Then Frieda would come back and look unhappy; we had to go out of the house through
the backdoor. But the most dramatic, was the third
option, and that did not happen seldomly.
Sometimes, Uncle Franz looked at Aunt Lina
and in a friendly manner asked, “Is someone else in
the house?” Then Aunt Lina knew that Franz knew
everything. “Who?” he asked further, “out with it!”
“Oh,” she said quietly, “it’s only the Kästners.”
“Where are they?” he asked angrily and repeated
himself. “Where are they, I asked?” “In the kitchen,
Franz.”
And now he became wild. “IN THE KITCHEN?”
he roared. “It’s only the Kästners? You stuck our
relatives in the kitchen? Have you all gone crazy?”
He stood up, threw the cigar on the table, and
stomped around enraged, and went noisily into the
entryway. Unfortunately, he had slippers on instead
of work boots. They would have been much better.
He ripped open the kitchen door, mustered up the strength, held his hands on his side,
took a deep breath, and called out angrily, “Who said you could do that?” My mother said
peacefully and quietly, “We did not want to disturb you, Franz.” “Who,” he demanded to know,
“said in this house, my relatives disturb me? That is simply not believable. You come in the
living room right now. Now? Too soon? Or, am I supposed to send you written invitations? Ida!
Emil! Erich! Hurry up! Immediately!”
Then he went back again into the living room quite noisily. We three behind him.
“Wife!” he bellowed, “Frieda! Dora!” “Two bottles of wine!” “Cigars! And something to eat!”
The three female slaves scurry away and do it. “We have already eaten in the kitchen, Franz,”
said my mother. “Then you will eat again!” he screamed angrily. My father was not sure if he
wanted to take a Havanna. Otherwise, Uncle Franz would not be satisfied.
And when we sat under the lamp together eating and drinking, he rubbed his hands
with pleasure, and said, “Now we will be hospitable with one another. Take a slice of bread, my
boy, you are eating nothing.” Now I could have eaten much more than today, so I ate until he
was satisfied, one slice of bread after another. And then Uncle Franz spoke again about the
rabbit business, and that my mother had snitched. And the more furious my mother became,
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
the more joyful he became. And when he had made her angry enough, he lost interest in the
subject, and changed topics, and he spoke with Aunt Lina about the business. Then he stood
suddenly and said, “Do not disturb me. I am going to bed now.” And he was off. Sometimes he
was much more pointed, and he said quietly “And now you can go.” Yes, he was a real winner!
Fragen:
1. Wie bekam Onkel Franz daraus, daß die Kästners da waren?
A. He becomes angry. (Er wird böse.)
2. Wie kam er dann in die Küche hinaus?
A. He stomps out.
3. Was mußten die Kästners dann?
A. They follow him into the living room.
4. Wovon sprach Onkel Franz am liebsten mit seiner Schwester?
A. Von dem Kaninchenhandel. (About the rabbit business)
5. Wann verlor er das Interesse an der Sache?
A. Wenn die Mutter böse genug ist.
6. Wie behandelte er die Kästners?
A. He feeds them, and treats respectfully, but then tells them to leave.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
A Lioness and a Lion
For my aunt, who could no longer walk well, I made something for her worries, and it
happened, that I brought the money from the horse sales to the bank. Sometimes there was
very much, 30,000 Marks or more. The customers in the bank were quite surprised, when I, a
small boy, pulled so much money out of my wallet, and laid it on the table for the cashier. I had
counted the money myself, and knew exactly how much was there, and my count was always
correct! When the cashier came to a different result, he had to count it again, because he had
made a mistake. When the bank slip with my calculation came, I could proudly put it in the
briefcase.
However, once my aunt was missing 200 marks. She calculated, and re-calculated, but
the 200 Marks were missing. She spoke with Uncle Franz about it, and together they found who
could not have taken the money. They had decided earlier that there was a thief among them.
This time only two remained: Meta and I. Aunt Lina spoke first with Meta. Meta said that she
didn’t do it, and you simply had to believe her. The conversation with Aunt Lina was very short.
She had barely asked me, because I was already out the door. At home I told my mother the
story. My mother only said, “Pity, they were such nice people.” With that, the matter was
settled for her.
A few days later, my aunt found the money in a box. She had probably put it there, and
forgotten about it. First, my cousin Dora came to us. She said that they had found the money,
and brought us greetings. But my mother was very angry and sent Dora home again. The next
day, Frieda came. She was also sent back home. One day later, Aunt Lina came to us, although
she could barely walk. “It’s all good Lina,” said my mother. “I like you, and you know that.
However, anyone who says my son is a thief, I don’t know you anymore.” With that, she
slammed the door on Aunt Lina’s nose.
When another day had passed, a
carriage pulled up in front of our house,
and Uncle Franz climbed out. Shortly
thereafter, he stood for the very first time
on our doorstep. “Nanu!” said my mother,
“What do you want here?” “Wanted to
see how you live,” he grumbled. “May I
come in?” “No!”said my mother, but he
shoved his own way in.
The conversation which both of them held in the living room was very loud. I sat in the
kitchen and heard her scream. In the end, only my mother spoke. As my uncle left, he dried his
forehead with a large handkerchief. He seemed satisfied. Then he climbed into his carriage and
drove off.
“He apologized for himself,” said my mother. “He said we should forget this event, and
should get together again soon. What do you think? Should we forget it?” “I think we should
already,” I said. “It is for the best,” she said. “He is my brother.”
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Fragen
1. Was tat der kleine Erich oft für Tante Lina?
A. Er nahm das Geld zum Bank.
2. Wer hatte immer richtig gerechnet?
A. Erich
3. Was passierte einmal?
A. Zwei hundert Mark war verloren.
4. Wer hatte das Geld genommen?
A. Tante Lina hatte das Geld in der Schachtel
dahingelegt und dann vergessen.
5. Warum dachte man, daß Erich das getan hatte.
A. Denn er nahm das Geld jedesmal zum Bank.
6. Was sagte Erichs Mutter dazu?
A. Schade, sie waren gute Leute.
7. Wie behandelte Erichs Mutter Dora, Frieda und Tante Lina?
A. Sie sagten, es tut mir leid. Sie entschuldigten sich.
8. Warum schickte sie nicht Onkel Franz wieder fort?
A. Er schob seinen Weg ins Haus.
9. Wer war der stärkere von den beiden?
A. Answers are opinion based.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
What use is that much money?
And so it was again, as it had been. I was sitting down on the garden wall looking at Albert
Square and took the money to the bank for Aunt Lina. The briefcase was always getting thicker.
“I would only like to know,” the old gardener once said to me, when I went past him with the
thick briefcase, “what does he want with so much money? More than one cutlet, he cannot eat.
He cannot have more than one
hat on his head, and in his coffin,
he cannot spend any money.” The
worms eat him for free. The man
has not yet had one free day in his
life. Only when he is in the earth
and looking at the radishes from
underground will he have peace.
“You talk a great deal about death,” I said. “That is not so remarkable,” he said, “I am after all, a
cemetery caretaker.”
Naturally, the man was right. Uncle Franz, however, could not sit still. After the First
World War, he lost all his money. But, he started up once again, and became a rich man. Then
suddenly it was gone from him. He fell like a tree and was dead.
German 2
Mein Onkel Franz
Translation
Translation Credits
Special thanks to Cori Erford and Cooper French for their meticulous records and the following
German 2 students
Cory Alexander
Celina Bumbas
Reilley Burke
Selina Cacek
Tyler Campbell
Shawn Fuller
Dustin Hargenrater
Mariah Hineman
Kane Kehl
Robert Lord
Tess Martin
Kylee McIntyre
Erica Schetlin
Scott Shaffer
Jesse Thompson
Kassidy Vale
Kelly Beil
Ryan Boryszewski
Robert Cowden
Kaitlyn Denman
Madisyn Erford
Chloe Hoehn
Aidan Hoesch
Devon Lawton
Kendell Loughner
Chase McDonald
Zachary Miller
Caleigh Pearson
Dakota Phillips
Remmie Smith
Taylor Williams

English translation here

Transcription

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