Guidelines for Publishers

Goethe-Institut and The German Book Office are pleased to announce the initiative that supports American publishers’ translations of contemporary German fiction. For the next three years, Goethe-Institut will work in collaboration with the German Book Office to present and fund the best of contemporary German fiction via the German Book Office Rights List. Overseeing the initiative is Mr. Werner Ott, director of the Goethe-Institut Chicago.

Approximately six fiction titles appear on each German Book Office Rights List, which is presented twice yearly. These titles are the season favorites of German literary critics and often represent authors whose works have not yet been translated into English. The books have also been chosen for their interest to an American readership, as evaluated by the Goethe-Institutes in Chicago and New York, and the German Book Office.

Through the German Book Office, interested publishers can request a free 20-page sample translation of any fiction title on the Rights List. The Goethe-Institut will commission a highly qualified translator from its network of award-winning translators of German-to-English.

Titles acquired by American publishers are guaranteed partial funding (approximately 50% of the translation costs). A simple application form must still be submitted to the Goethe-Institut Chicago, where it will be processed immediately for the convenience of the publisher’s production timetable.

Please address correspondence regarding acquired titles and translation funding to:

Werner Ott
Director, Goethe-Institut Chicago
150 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 200
Chicago IL 60601
Tel. +1 312 2630472
Director@chicago.goethe.org