BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / German Translation of the Great Game

**Posted by Maggi13** May 30, 2013 7:04 pm

So, I have made the mistake of buying the German DVD because it supposedly has the English version on it as well.
Actually, when you watch it in english, the writing on the screen is still in GERMAN! which is not mentioned anywhere in the description and in my opinion is so important to the show.

Anyway, I just watched the scene in Minsk in german, and I cannot believe it! Mark chose the location because they still have the death penalty by hanging there.
And what have they done in the translation??! - They bloody changed it to execution by shooting.

Any of you watched the German version completely? How was it?

**Posted by Harriet** May 30, 2013 7:16 pm

I did, and I don't care too much about the details as I watch both anyway...

**Posted by SusiGo** May 30, 2013 7:18 pm

I have the same DVD and it's really annoying that the on-screen text is in German. But I bought it so that my family can watch it with me so I have to put up with it. They dubbing isn't that bad. Of course some things get los as is always the case with a translation but it could be worse. Did you ever hear Sherlock's Italian voice?

**Posted by Maggi13** May 30, 2013 7:24 pm

I understand what you are saying about the family, I also bought the DVD so that they can enjoy it.

How is his italian voice? I can't say I have heard it. French might also be some fun, they already talk really fast so the deductions are probably at the speed of light

**Posted by Mary Me** May 30, 2013 7:33 pm

Yeah, the thing is that they changed the content of some scenes, for example, as Maggi mentioned, during the scene in Minsk. It's a difference between Sherlock correcting his grammar and Sherlock telling him that he will get shot in Russia, which's not even true. They could have handled that better.

**Posted by SusiGo** May 30, 2013 8:04 pm

There's a video on YT with the lab scene in ASiP in Italian, French, Russian and one or two other languages.

**Posted by Maggi13** May 30, 2013 8:39 pm

SusiGo wrote:
There's a video on YT with the lab scene in ASiP in Italian, French, Russian and one or two other languages.

On my way..

Ok, maybe I am too tired to find it now. Try again tomorrow.

Also what throws me of is the "siezen" vs. "duzen". That is a german technicallity which is always trouble in the tranlations. Sherlock and John talk in such a formal way in the german series, you never have to think about this when you watch the original.

Last edited by Maggi13 (May 30, 2013 8:57 pm)

**Posted by zeratul** January 12, 2014 9:38 pm

OMG, glad that I figured this out, as I was thinking about buying the german version to have both languages, well I think it is good to have the texts in german in the german version, but with the english version there need to be the english texts...
Well I preordered the 1-3 box at amazon.co.uk and now I try to handle the waiting time, as I want to rewatch the first two seasons, as I forgot most of it and also want to watch it in english.

**Posted by sherlocked4ever** January 13, 2014 11:20 am

When I first watched the series on DVD, I had that annoying German words, too. I mean ... it's not the end of the world, but it was annoying because I watched it in English and thought, 'What da hell?!'

**Posted by zeratul** January 13, 2014 11:24 am

Well I will get the UK-version and who doesn't understand and wants to watch with me has "Pech gehabt"