Wem die Stunde schlägt

Ernest Hemingway's novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is set during the Spanish Civil War. The main character, Robert Jordan, is an American professor who volunteers to fight on the Republican side. He is assigned to a guerrilla group to destroy a bridge in order to slow down the advance of the opposing army.

During the preparations, he meets guerrillas of different characters. The leader Pablo has lost faith in the fight and fears the consequences of the action, while his partner Pilar shows determination and becomes the moral support of the group. A special place is occupied by María, a young girl who survived the violence of the Nationalists. A strong love relationship develops between her and Jordan, which brings hope amidst the horrors of war.

As the task nears completion, tension grows. Despite disagreements and great dangers, the group manages to destroy the bridge, but with heavy losses. Jordan is seriously wounded in the process and decides to stay and hold off the enemy so that his comrades, especially María, can escape. His sacrifice symbolizes loyalty, courage and responsibility towards others.

Through the fates of his characters, Hemingway shows the futility of war, but also the importance of love, friendship, and solidarity. The German translation faithfully conveys the author's concise and impressive style and retains the emotional power of the original.

Paul Baudisch was the German translator who first translated the novel into German in 1941 for the publisher Bermann-Fischer in Stockholm. This translation remained the standard German text for decades and was used in numerous subsequent editions, including those of the Deutscher Bücherbund book club. It was not until 2022 that a completely new translation by translator Werner Schmitz was published.