Fan-based German translation of OotP continues in private
July 14, 2003 at 4:47 PM ET
Sano Orbis
iharrypotter.net (via Wired News)
Wired News reports in this article
that over 10,000 German fans of Harry Potter have formed the Harry-auf-Deutsch website as a community forum for translating the English novel into German. The translation created by the community is available only by e-mail to registered members of the site, as requested by Potter's German publisher. The stated purpose of the translation is to create community involvement and discussion, not publishing the work itself.
"The most important thing is not the book, the most important thing is for everyone to be involved in the translating," said Bernd Koeleman, the Berlin programmer and Web designer who spends five hours a day managing the noncommercial project.
"The aim is not to create a translation as quickly as possible, and then stop. The translation is the beginning of life in this community."
It was previously reported by the BBC that the German publishers had asked that the translation be removed from the public site.
Czech fans have also been working on their own translation.