Translation Practice Intensive Seminar at EÜK Straelen e. V.
During the Master's programme in Literary Translation, you will complete two intensive seminars on translation practice, led by established professional translators. These seminars typically take place at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium in Straelen.
Here you will find information about the EÜK in Straelen, the seminar schedule, and registration details.
Coordinator and contact: Prof. Dr. Vera Elisabeth Gerling (gerling(at)hhu.de)
You will find the registration form for the upcoming internship dates at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium Nordrhein-Westfalen in Straelen e. V. on this page in mid-April and mid-September.
Please do not register until you have received a notification via email.
Registration information (in German)
Because of extensive renovations, the seminar can still not take please at the EÜK in Straelen but will be held at Haus der Universität or on the HHU campus in Düsseldorf.
Upcoming Dates:
Autumn 2025
- 08–13 September 2025, Katrin Segerer (English/French)
- 08–13 September 2025, Maria Meinel (English/Spanish)
Registration Deadline: 30 July 2024
Registration form to follow.
Three courses make up this module: two Translation Practive intensive seminars (at EÜK Straelen) and one seminar on Literary Translation as a Profession. According to the ideal study plan, the intensive seminars on translation practice should preferably be taken in the 2nd and 3rd semesters.
A prerequisite for registration is a passed exam in a translation module.
The Translation Practice intensive courses are each two self-contained seminars, typically held during a five-day stay at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium Nordrhein-Westfalen in Straelen e. V. Before participating in the seminar, students are provided with information about the schedule and materials for preparation and completion by the responsible lecturers. These seminars are organised by the coordinator, PD Dr. Vera Elisabeth Gerling.
During the first seminar, participants are to complete the requirements for a BN but do not yet have to present an individual project. Participation in the first seminar is not graded.
In the second seminar, in addition to the materials and translations to be prepared, students present an individual project in form of a speculative application to a publisher ("cold calling"). This includes presenting a novel (possibly also poetry or drama) in one of the studied languages that has preferably not yet been translated. For this, a translation sample, a cover letter, and an expert report for a publisher are created, to whom the translation could be offered. Whether this application remains purely an exercise or is actually send after the end of the seminar is up to the students. The question of whether the chosen novel has already been translated can be answered through internet research. Students should refrain from asking publishers if the translation rights have already been granted.
It is also possible, with appropriate justification, to present a new translation for an already translated work.
When searching for suitable novels, the bestseller lists of the respective countries, as well as recommendations from literature bloggers or suggestions from online bookstores, are particularly suitable.
For students studying two foreign languages, it is recommended to do the individual project for a work in a Romance language.
The presentation and the individual project will be graded as part of an AP, which must be registered in advance via the student portal.
Coordinator and contact: Prof. Dr. Vera Elisabeth Gerling (gerling(at)hhu.de)
Previous Translation Practice intensive seminars (since 2020)
2020
03/02–07/02/2020 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Heike Holtsch
10/02–14/02/2020 (English/French), lecturer: Katrin Segerer
17/02–21/02/2020 (English), lecturer: Johanna Wais
At the Europäisches Übersetzerkollegium Straelen e. V.
28/09–02/10/2020 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Heike Holtsch
05/10–09/10/2020 (English/French), lecturer: Katrin Segerer
On campus due to the pandemic.
2021
15/02–19/02/2021 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Johanna Wais
22/02–26/02/2021 (English/French), lecturer: Anja Malich
Due to the pandemic online.
20/09–24/09/2021 (English/French), lecturer: Sonja Finck
27/09–01/10/2021 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Friederike von Criegern
At Haus der Universität due to the pandemic.
2022
07/02–11/02/2022 (English/French), lecturer: Katrin Segerer
04/02/–18/02/2022 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Johanna Wais
At Haus der Universität due to the pandemic.
19/09–24/09/2022 (English/French), lecturer: Andreas Jandl
26/09–30/09/2022 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Karolin Viseneber
At Haus der Universität due to the pandemic.
2023
06/02–10/02/2023 (English/French), lecturer: Katrin Segerer
13/02–17/02/2022 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Friederike von Criegern
At Haus der Universität and Werft01 due to renovations at EÜK Straelen and carneval festivities.
04/09–08/09/2023 (English/French), lecturer: Andreas Jandl
04/09–08/09/2023 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Franziska Muche
On campus due to renovations at EÜK Straelen.
2024
19/02–23/02/2024 (English/French), lecturer: Katrin Segerer
26/02–01/03/2024 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Friederike von Criegern
At Haus der Universität due to renovations at EÜK Straelen.
23/09–27/09/2024 (English/French), lecturer: Sonja Finck
23/09–27/09/2024 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Karolin Viseneber
On Campus and at Haus der Universität due to renovations at EÜK Straelen.
2025
03/02–07/02/2025 (English/Spanish), lecturer: Matthias Strobel
22/02–26/02/2025 (Englisch/French), lecturer: Patricia Klobusiczky
On campus due to renovations at EÜK Straelen.