von Dassanowsky translation premiers

An English translation of an Austrian playwright’s work by Robert von Dassanowsky, professor, Department of Languages and Cultures and Department of Visual and Performing Arts, was presented in a staged dramatic reading Dec. 1 at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York Theater.

von Dassanowsky and Dean Gregor Thuswaldner, North Park University, translated Austrian playwright Felix Mitterer ‘s stage work “Jägerstätter,” a drama on the life of an Austrian farmer executed by the Nazis for refusing to fight for the Third Reich. The Dec. 1 presentation was its American premiere.

Dassanowsky and Thuswaldner participated in a post-performance audience discussion with other experts. They received a Translation Grant Award from the Austrian Cultural Forum for the translation, which was published in 2015 by the University of New Orleans Press.