Translation of German History Texts in Romanian: Knowledge and Ideology Transfer as a Steppingstone into the Modernity of the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

abstract:Caught between three great Empires, the Romanian Principalities found an opportunity starting in 1770 to draw from the Western written tradition new ways to create and develop an enlightened culture. This openness toward the West manifested itself mainly through secular translations, causing a dramatic shift in the cultural and political life of the Romanian Principalities. Rooted in postcolonial studies and cultural anthropology, this study provides an overview of the translation process and products of historical texts from German into Romanian (1770–1830) using translations as examples of cultural transfer and of the actor–network interaction.