Talk:Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg

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Translation from the German + multiple issues

I plan to take on the translation and the various issues noted in this article (unless anyone else is already at work?). Since the German language article is exceptionally long, I think it will be appropriate to abridge it a bit by leaving out some of the less important parts, such as the detail of his early life. In the process of the translation I'll also address the other issues, starting with the intro. Since I'll probably be posting updates as I finish off distinct sections, I would appreciate any feedback (+ or -) along the way.

GHStPaulMN (talk) 17:06, 11 December 2022 (UTC)

The translation from the German updated today should correct the multiple issues flagged in the previous versions of the English language article, particularly the one of improper tone (which curiously seems to have come mostly from the 1922 Encyclopedia Britannica bio of B H). The German article has a good balance of B H's often conflicted views towards the war and is more than adequately sourced. The lead section is my own work. My aim was to make the summary complete enough so that someone who doesn’t want to slog through the whole lengthy article can still get a decent overview of the man and his effects on German policy.

The translation is about one-third shorter than the German language article. I tried to be as careful as I could in what I cut so that the article doesn’t end up reflecting my own interests or biases. What I left out were primarily: minor events or ones that dead-ended; third party comments on B H's actions that came from people too minor to have an English language article about them; redundant comments on B H's actions (there were quite a few); and the section on post-1945 historian's evaluations of B H. Most of the cuts came from the period before he became chancellor. The Reich chancellor section is probably 90%+ complete.

There were only a couple of events referenced in the English and not the German that I kept (e.g. on the Berlin-Baghdad railway). As I always do in translations, I tried to fill in some brief background on people or events that probably aren’t familiar to English-speaking readers, even where there are links. A reader shouldn’t have to go to a link in order to not lose the thread of the narrative (or be overwhelmed with links that have little or nothing to do with the topic..).

Feedback welcomed here or on my talk page.

GHStPaulMN (talk) 19:19, 9 January 2023 (UTC)