Herr der Dinge

English translation: lord of all he surveys

12:34 Jan 18, 2004

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary / story set in Germany during WWII

German term or phrase: Herr der Dinge

Maybe, ruler of men and land??

The Russians are coming and soon the count will lose everything he owns. He decides to commit suicide.

Die Tatsache, daß sein geliebtes Gut nun doch in russische Hände fallen würde, daß er nicht mehr der Herr der Dinge sein würde, daß die Familie, die Ernte, Gebäude, das Land für immer verloren waren, ließ ihn innerlich sterben. Alles was über Generationen so fein gefügt war, so vortrefflich funktionierte, ja sein Herz, sein ganzes Sein so völlig ausfüllte sollte nun in die Hände der Feinde fallen. Der Lärm der Flakgeschütze war so nah wie noch nie.

Thanks!

Gunilla Zedigh KudoZ activity Questions: 296 (4 open) (7 without valid answers) Answers: 108 Germany
Local time: 00:06

English translation:lord of all he surveys

Explanation:
"Lord of all he surveys" is a common, often sarcastic term which I think might fit here. It's usually used for someone with lots of land, so I'm sure you'll know if it fits here.

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Note added at 4 mins (2004-01-18 12:39:36 GMT)
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An example of a \"Herr der Dinge\" from \"Herr der Ringe\"
\"Theoden, King of Rohan (Bernard Hill)
Despite being the lord of all he surveys (basically a few hundred miles of grass and horses), Theoden is a gloomy and suspicious King Lear type. His borders are under threat; his mind poisoned by a duff adviser (Grima Wormtongue). Once a mighty hero, he now sits at home twiddling his thumbs and squabbling with the kids. Something\'s got to give...\"

http://film.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,8544,821597,00.html

Selected response from:

IanW (X)
Local time: 00:06

Grading comment

thanks everyone!! i little sarcasm is ok here ... gz
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

Lord of the Manor

Gareth McMillan

5 +2

master of things

Johanna Timm, PhD

4 +2

lord of all he surveys

IanW (X)

4 +2

to call the shots

IanW (X)

4 +2

lord and master

jerrie

Master of the situation

lone (X)

4 +1

no longer in charge!

Ellen Zittinger

he was no longer having the say

Edith Kelly

master of reality / master of the present

Alexander Schleber (X)

master of his own domain

Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.

no longer in charge!

Ellen Zittinger

master of his own fate

Roddy Stegemann

Master and Commander

Nancy Arrowsmith

Answers

3 mins confidence:

he was no longer having the say

Explanation:
he was no longer cock of the walk - if you want it really colloquial

Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in pair: 9253

3 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

lord of all he surveys

IanW (X)
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 2468

Grading comment

thanks everyone!! i little sarcasm is ok here ... gz

9 mins confidence:

master of reality / master of the present

Explanation:
another possibility.

Alexander Schleber (X)
Belgium
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in pair: 2426

18 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

to call the shots

Explanation:
Another angle for you: "that he would be no longer calling the shots".

IanW (X)
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 2468

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Klaus Herrmann: This is closer to how I read the German "Herr der Dinge" - it's more about being in control than about owning land.

25 mins

agree

writeaway: twins?

32 mins

neutral

Gareth McMillan: Ian? I can just imagine the count addressing his servants- "Hey man, I'm calling the shots round here!" Servants- "OK, it's cool".ADD: No deal laddie, Ah only gie slack tae amachurs an weemin.

1 hr

-> Come on Gareth, it's not as slangy as you make it out to be - it means "to be in charge or control: determine the policy or procedure". Cut mah some slack, dude!

neutral

Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.: on a par with 'cock of the walk'

2 hrs

neutral

Richard Benham: There's enough shots going on in the middle of a warzone without calling for any more. And Gazza's right, it is a bit slangy.

7 hrs

56 mins confidence:

Master of the situation

Explanation:
my interpretation!

x

lone (X)
Canada
Local time: 18:06
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in pair: 330

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

Lord of the Manor

Explanation:
Suitably old fashioned, implies his status as landowner, control and influence over the locl community etc.-

Or it's a typo: Lord of the Rings (heh,heh).

Gareth McMillan
Local time: 00:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 793

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

lord and master

Explanation:
king of the castle

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 1469

3 hrs confidence:

master of his own domain

Explanation:
His independence and subsistence is threatened. He is ashamed that he cannot defend his family legacy. Therefore, the suicide. It's not merely economic. His ganzes Sein and his honor is in the land.

Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.
United States
Local time: 18:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 986

4 hrs confidence:

Master and Commander

Explanation:
isf you want to keep the (unintentional?) pun.

Nancy Arrowsmith
Local time: 16:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 474

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

no longer in charge!

Explanation:
He is no longer in control of things

Ellen Zittinger
Local time: 15:06
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in pair: 287

6 hrs confidence:

no longer in charge!

Explanation:
He is no longer in control of things

Ellen Zittinger
Local time: 15:06
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in pair: 287

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

master of things

Explanation:
I am very confident that this is direct allusion to the term
'Herr der Dinge', an adage coined by Max Stirner (pseudonym of Johann Kaspar Schmidt (1806-1856).) Influenced by Hegel, contemporay of Feuerbach.

The character talking here is a German count. The German nobility was known to be very educated and well versed in philosphical concepts, and Nietzsche was certainly very much en vogue in those times. We can safely assume that both Max Stirner and Feuerbach were also being discussed amongt the "Adligen".

Thn standard English translation of this quote is "master of things"

"But a man who wishes to be active as spirit is drawn to quite other tasks than he was able to set himself formerly: to tasks which really give something to do to the spirit and not to mere sense or acuteness, which exerts itself only to become ***master of things***. The spirit busies itself solely about the spiritual, and seeks out the "traces of mind" in everything; to the believing spirit "everything comes from God," and interests him only to the extent that it reveals this origin; to the philosophic spirit everything appears with the stamp of reason, and interests him only so far as he is able to discover in it reason, i. e., spiritual content."

Reference: http://www.blancmange.net/tmh/teaho/theego1.html

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 15:06
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in pair: 7773

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Richard Benham: Well done! I thought you were joking, but your argument has convinced me. Though I still have a soft spot for "Lord of the Things", if only because I don't like Tolkien (because of his philosophy of translation). (Education is its own reward, Johanna!)

56 mins

-> My, my... it's quite gratifying to put years of study to practical use at last ;))

agree

Gareth McMillan: Don't think we need such a big explanation for something which should have been obvious to us all. Dead right, IMHO. Two things- less God please, and less Gazza (reminds me of strip). I don't do either.ADD: Not quite, but let's not go into that here!

2 hrs

-> context is everything, isn't it

neutral

Roddy Stegemann: Hegel was a student of Feuerbach, not exactly his contemporary. The historical though progression was Feuerbach => Hegel => Marx. It was Feuerbach who gave Hegel the notion to stand Hegel on his head. At least this is how I remember it.

11 hrs

-> I wrote 'Stirner was influenced by Hegel' - nothing about Marx. FYI:http://www.nonserviam.com/egoistarchive/stirner/articles/gor...

19 hrs confidence:

master of his own fate

Explanation:
The count had dedicated his entire life to what would soon be taken from him. He was just as much a slave to his land and culture, as he was the master of his own estate. He could not flee, because his assets were physical and his biological and cultural roots implanted. Surrendering his estate to the Russians meant giving up his past, present, and future. He was about to be cast out by those whom he despised and made to walk among those over whom he had ruled for so long -- impoverished and a beggar. The humiliation would be devastating, and his pride was sacred.

The allusion to Max Stirn is probably correct, so if the text is to be used in a historical or literary context, the phrase "Master of Things" should be retained as Johanna suggests. Otherwise the term "Master of Things" rings highly melodramatic and just plain stupid to the modern ear.

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 15:06
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 285

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English translation: lord of all he surveys

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