Eric Mosbacher (22 December 1903 – 2 July 1998) was an English journalist and translator from Italian, French, German, and Spanish. He translated work by
Ignazio Silone and
Sigmund Freud.[1]
Life
Eric Mosbacher was born in London. He was educated at
St Paul's School and
Magdalene College, Cambridge, graduating in 1924 in French and Italian. After working on local newspapers, he worked for the Daily Express and then the Evening Standard. He also worked as assistant editor of the weekly Everyman and editor of Anglo-American News, the London journal of the
American Chamber of Commerce.[1] Mosbacher's wife, Gwenda David, introduced him to the work of Ignazio Silone, and the pair translated Silone's anti-fascist novel Fontamara in 1934. Often working in collaboration with his wife, Mosbacher continued translating in parallel with his other jobs.[1]
During World War II, Mosbacher worked as an interpreter interrogating Italian
prisoners of war before joining the
Political Warfare Executive in 1943, working alongside
Sefton Delmer to produce a German-language newspaper to be dropped on Germany each night. In June 1945, he was sent to the
Rhineland, now occupied by the British, to encourage a
free press by starting two German-language newspapers there, Kolnischer Kurier and Ruhr-Zeitung.[1] Demobilized in 1946 at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Mosbacher was a public relations officer for the
Ministry of Town and Country Planning before joining The Times as a sub-editor in 1948. Resigning from the Times in 1960, he continued to work at translation.[1]
(with Gwenda David) Bread and wine by
Ignazio Silone. London: Methuen & Co., 1936.
(with Gwenda David) Offenbach and the Paris of his time by
Siegfried Kracauer. London: Constable, 1937.
The Triumph of Barabbas by
Giovanni Giglio. London: Victor Gollancz, 1937.
(with
Franz Borkenau) I helped to build an army. Civil War memoirs of a Spanish staff officer by
José Martín Blázquez. Translated from the Spanish. With an introduction by Borkenau. London: Secker & Warburg, 1939.
(with Gwenda David) The school for dictators by Ignazio Silone. Translated from the Italian. London: Jonathan Cape, 1939.
(with Gwenda David) Hitler and I. Translated from the French Hitler et moi. London: Jonathan Cape, 1940.
(with Gwenda David) Birl. The story of a cat by
Alexander Moritz Frey. London: Jonathan Cape, 1947.
The fiancée by
Alberto Vigevani. Translated from the Italian. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1948.
The house by the medlar tree by
Giovanni Verga. Translated from the Italian I Malavoglia. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1950.
A hero of our time: a novel by
Vasco Pratolini. Translated from the Italian Un eroe del nostro tempo. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1951.
(with David Porter) Russian purge and the extraction of confession by F. Beck (pseud.) and W. Godin (pseud.). Translated from the German. London: Hurst & Blackett, 1951.
Secret Tibet by
Fosco Maraini. Translated from the Italian Segreto Tibet. London: Hutchinson, 1952.
Heaven pays no dividends by Richard Kaufmann. Translated from the German Der Himmel zahlt keine Zinsen. London: Jarrolds, 1952.
(with James Strachey) The origins of psycho-analysis. Letters to Wilhelm Fliess, drafts and notes: 1887–1902 by
Sigmund Freud. Translated from the German Aus den Anfängen der Psychoanalyse. Briefe an Wilhelm Fliess. London: Imago Publishing Co., 1954.
Final contributions to the problems and methods of psycho-analysis by
Sándor Ferenczi. Translated from the German. London: Hogarth Press, 1955.
The state of France: a study of contemporary France by
Herbert Lüthy. Translated from the German Frankreichs Uhren gehen anders. London: Secker & Warburg, 1955.
The bound man, and other stories by
Ilse Aichinger. London: Secker & Warburg, 1955.
Tune for an elephant by
Elio Vittorini. Translated from the Italian Il Sempione strizza l'occhio al Frejus .London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1955.
(with Oliver Coburn) Ambush by
Jean Hougron. Translated from the French Rage blanche. London: Hurst & Blackett, 1956.
My secret diary of the Dreyfus case, 1894–1899 by
Maurice Paléologue. Translated from the French. London : Secker & Warburg, 1957.
Meeting with Japan by
Fosco Maraini. Translated from the Italian Ora Giapponesi. New York: The Viking Press, 1959.
Simplicius 45: a novel by
Heinz Küpper. Translated from the German. London: Secker & Warburg, 1966.
Remembrance Day: thirteen attempts in prose to adopt an attitude of respect by
Gerhard Zwerenz. London: Hutchinson, 1966.
The end of the Jewish people? by
Georges Friedmann. Translated from the French Fin du peuple juif?. London: Hutchinson, 1967.
Cosmos by
Witold Gombrowicz. Translated from the French and German translations. London: Macgibbon & Kee, 1967.
Society without the father: a contribution to social psychology by
Alexander Mitscherlich. London: Tavistock Publications, 1969.
Equilibrium by
Tonino Guerra. Translated from the Italian. London: Chatto & Windus, 1969.
(with others) Dietrich Bonhoeffer: theologian, Christian, contemporary by
Eberhard Bethge. London: Collins, 1970.
The end of an alliance: Rome's defection from the Axis in 1943 by
Friedrich-Karl von Plehwe. Translated from the German Schicksalsstunden in Rom. London: Oxford University Press, 1971.
Fragments grave and gay by
Karl Barth. London: William Collins Sons & Co., 1971.
Infallible? an enquiry by
Hans Küng. Translated from the German Unfehlbar? Eine Anfrage. London: Collins, 1971.
The hollow legions: Mullsolini's blunder in Greece, 1940–1941 by
Mario Cervi. London: Chatto & Windus, 1972.
Marxism and history by
Helmut Fischer. Translated from the German Marxismus und Geschichte. London: Allen Lane, 1973.
Solzhenitsyn by
Giovanni Grazzini. Translated from the Italian. London: Joseph, 1973.
Commemorations by
Hans Herlin. Translated from the German 'Freunde. London: Heinemann, 1975.
Children of the SS by
Clarissa Henry and
Marc Hillel. Translated from the French Au nom de la race. London: Hutchinson, 1976.
The nuclear state by
Robert Jungk. Translated from the German Atomstaat. London: J. Calder, 1979.
The biology of peace and war: men, animals and aggression by
Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt. London: Thames and Hudson, 1979.
Cocaine by
Pitigrilli. Feltham: Hamlyn Paperbacks, 1982.
Franz Kafka of Prague by
Jǐrí Gruša. Translated from the German Franz Kafka aus Prag. London: Secker & Warburg, 1983.
Nomenklatura: anatomy of the Soviet ruling class by
Michael Voslenski. London: The Bodley Head, 1984.
Leonardo's Judas by
Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Der Judas des Leonardo. London: Collins Harvill, 1989.
Saint Peter's snow by Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Sankt Petri-Schnee. London: Collins-Harvill, 1990.
By night under the stone bridge by Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Nachts unter der steinemen Brücke. London: Collins Harvill, 1989.
Psychoanalysis of the sexual functions of women by
Helen Deutsch. London: Karnac, 1990.
Eric Mosbacher (22 December 1903 – 2 July 1998) was an English journalist and translator from Italian, French, German, and Spanish. He translated work by
Ignazio Silone and
Sigmund Freud.[1]
Life
Eric Mosbacher was born in London. He was educated at
St Paul's School and
Magdalene College, Cambridge, graduating in 1924 in French and Italian. After working on local newspapers, he worked for the Daily Express and then the Evening Standard. He also worked as assistant editor of the weekly Everyman and editor of Anglo-American News, the London journal of the
American Chamber of Commerce.[1] Mosbacher's wife, Gwenda David, introduced him to the work of Ignazio Silone, and the pair translated Silone's anti-fascist novel Fontamara in 1934. Often working in collaboration with his wife, Mosbacher continued translating in parallel with his other jobs.[1]
During World War II, Mosbacher worked as an interpreter interrogating Italian
prisoners of war before joining the
Political Warfare Executive in 1943, working alongside
Sefton Delmer to produce a German-language newspaper to be dropped on Germany each night. In June 1945, he was sent to the
Rhineland, now occupied by the British, to encourage a
free press by starting two German-language newspapers there, Kolnischer Kurier and Ruhr-Zeitung.[1] Demobilized in 1946 at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Mosbacher was a public relations officer for the
Ministry of Town and Country Planning before joining The Times as a sub-editor in 1948. Resigning from the Times in 1960, he continued to work at translation.[1]
(with Gwenda David) Bread and wine by
Ignazio Silone. London: Methuen & Co., 1936.
(with Gwenda David) Offenbach and the Paris of his time by
Siegfried Kracauer. London: Constable, 1937.
The Triumph of Barabbas by
Giovanni Giglio. London: Victor Gollancz, 1937.
(with
Franz Borkenau) I helped to build an army. Civil War memoirs of a Spanish staff officer by
José Martín Blázquez. Translated from the Spanish. With an introduction by Borkenau. London: Secker & Warburg, 1939.
(with Gwenda David) The school for dictators by Ignazio Silone. Translated from the Italian. London: Jonathan Cape, 1939.
(with Gwenda David) Hitler and I. Translated from the French Hitler et moi. London: Jonathan Cape, 1940.
(with Gwenda David) Birl. The story of a cat by
Alexander Moritz Frey. London: Jonathan Cape, 1947.
The fiancée by
Alberto Vigevani. Translated from the Italian. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1948.
The house by the medlar tree by
Giovanni Verga. Translated from the Italian I Malavoglia. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1950.
A hero of our time: a novel by
Vasco Pratolini. Translated from the Italian Un eroe del nostro tempo. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1951.
(with David Porter) Russian purge and the extraction of confession by F. Beck (pseud.) and W. Godin (pseud.). Translated from the German. London: Hurst & Blackett, 1951.
Secret Tibet by
Fosco Maraini. Translated from the Italian Segreto Tibet. London: Hutchinson, 1952.
Heaven pays no dividends by Richard Kaufmann. Translated from the German Der Himmel zahlt keine Zinsen. London: Jarrolds, 1952.
(with James Strachey) The origins of psycho-analysis. Letters to Wilhelm Fliess, drafts and notes: 1887–1902 by
Sigmund Freud. Translated from the German Aus den Anfängen der Psychoanalyse. Briefe an Wilhelm Fliess. London: Imago Publishing Co., 1954.
Final contributions to the problems and methods of psycho-analysis by
Sándor Ferenczi. Translated from the German. London: Hogarth Press, 1955.
The state of France: a study of contemporary France by
Herbert Lüthy. Translated from the German Frankreichs Uhren gehen anders. London: Secker & Warburg, 1955.
The bound man, and other stories by
Ilse Aichinger. London: Secker & Warburg, 1955.
Tune for an elephant by
Elio Vittorini. Translated from the Italian Il Sempione strizza l'occhio al Frejus .London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1955.
(with Oliver Coburn) Ambush by
Jean Hougron. Translated from the French Rage blanche. London: Hurst & Blackett, 1956.
My secret diary of the Dreyfus case, 1894–1899 by
Maurice Paléologue. Translated from the French. London : Secker & Warburg, 1957.
Meeting with Japan by
Fosco Maraini. Translated from the Italian Ora Giapponesi. New York: The Viking Press, 1959.
Simplicius 45: a novel by
Heinz Küpper. Translated from the German. London: Secker & Warburg, 1966.
Remembrance Day: thirteen attempts in prose to adopt an attitude of respect by
Gerhard Zwerenz. London: Hutchinson, 1966.
The end of the Jewish people? by
Georges Friedmann. Translated from the French Fin du peuple juif?. London: Hutchinson, 1967.
Cosmos by
Witold Gombrowicz. Translated from the French and German translations. London: Macgibbon & Kee, 1967.
Society without the father: a contribution to social psychology by
Alexander Mitscherlich. London: Tavistock Publications, 1969.
Equilibrium by
Tonino Guerra. Translated from the Italian. London: Chatto & Windus, 1969.
(with others) Dietrich Bonhoeffer: theologian, Christian, contemporary by
Eberhard Bethge. London: Collins, 1970.
The end of an alliance: Rome's defection from the Axis in 1943 by
Friedrich-Karl von Plehwe. Translated from the German Schicksalsstunden in Rom. London: Oxford University Press, 1971.
Fragments grave and gay by
Karl Barth. London: William Collins Sons & Co., 1971.
Infallible? an enquiry by
Hans Küng. Translated from the German Unfehlbar? Eine Anfrage. London: Collins, 1971.
The hollow legions: Mullsolini's blunder in Greece, 1940–1941 by
Mario Cervi. London: Chatto & Windus, 1972.
Marxism and history by
Helmut Fischer. Translated from the German Marxismus und Geschichte. London: Allen Lane, 1973.
Solzhenitsyn by
Giovanni Grazzini. Translated from the Italian. London: Joseph, 1973.
Commemorations by
Hans Herlin. Translated from the German 'Freunde. London: Heinemann, 1975.
Children of the SS by
Clarissa Henry and
Marc Hillel. Translated from the French Au nom de la race. London: Hutchinson, 1976.
The nuclear state by
Robert Jungk. Translated from the German Atomstaat. London: J. Calder, 1979.
The biology of peace and war: men, animals and aggression by
Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt. London: Thames and Hudson, 1979.
Cocaine by
Pitigrilli. Feltham: Hamlyn Paperbacks, 1982.
Franz Kafka of Prague by
Jǐrí Gruša. Translated from the German Franz Kafka aus Prag. London: Secker & Warburg, 1983.
Nomenklatura: anatomy of the Soviet ruling class by
Michael Voslenski. London: The Bodley Head, 1984.
Leonardo's Judas by
Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Der Judas des Leonardo. London: Collins Harvill, 1989.
Saint Peter's snow by Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Sankt Petri-Schnee. London: Collins-Harvill, 1990.
By night under the stone bridge by Leo Perutz. Translated from the German Nachts unter der steinemen Brücke. London: Collins Harvill, 1989.
Psychoanalysis of the sexual functions of women by
Helen Deutsch. London: Karnac, 1990.