How it startet.Out of the blue - email from Spain:
7. 7. 2011
Greetings from Spain,
I am a native English speaker, fluent in Spanish, who would like to help translate any of the books or articles of Raoul or Annie France into English, if there is a project like this in the works.
Please let me know if there is any way I can help.
I have worked as a journalist and translater as proofreader.
All the best, Ruth Cory
8. 7.
Hi Ruth Cory,
we would highly appreciate the translation of the works of the France's !
BUT ..
please bear in mind that we are a non profit group of enthusiats and have no money at all.
We are all working voluntary for free because we are convinced that the world must know what the France's still have to say.
Please tell me under what conditions you are willing to do translations.
I wonder how did you found the website and what are your interests in France.
Regards
Winfried Kostka
Founder and Operator of
http://www.France-Harrar.de11. 7.
Hi there Winfried.
I am so glad you wrote so soon. First because I was not sure the computer (in the library!) sent you my email!
I assumed from the beginning that if you have a project on Harrar or Francé there is no money. And that is fine
with me. I have known about them for so many years and longed to read their works (my university german is
not up to the task!). Occasionally I searched for them on the internet year after year, hoping to find someone
renewing interest in their work. I found your site by pure chance or maybe help from above! (finally)
Why am I interested? For twenty years I have been working on a reforestation project trying to produce and maintain humus and edaphon
on 18 hectares of land in Catalonia (outside Tarragona).
Who knows more about life in the soil and the importance of its creation and maintenence than these two brilliant scientists?
So now that we have these points clear, please let me know what I can do to help.
All the best,
Ruth Cory
21.7.
Hi Ruth,
YOU ARE SENT FROM HEAVEN !
We desperatly need translaters !
Even more when they know the works of the France's and even more when they are experienced in the APPLICATION of their scientific findings !
Since two years I'm studying their literature.
Since two years I'm searching for their estate und finally now I know ALL the people who own the original Dokuments of the France's, e.g.
Landesmuseum Linz, Austria; Rene Roth, Canada (died Summer 2010, I'm in contact with his daughter) and Pierre France, grandson of Raoul France, Paris.
...
Last not least: tell me some more obout your professionel work
Greetings from Stuttgart
Winfried
22.7.
Hi again,
I was in the local town bar of the village near where we have the reforestation project, on the pay computer and had two minutes left so I saw your email and had to answer. It was a short answer and now I would like to write you a bit more of an answer.
We have been working and living on 18 hectars of land since 1994 and are trying to build humus, to plant a living forest (instead of a soil-sick half dead one) on land that has no soil to speak of. Very bad conditions. We were recommended way back at the beginning to read France or Harrar to find out how to cultivate humus in the right way. Big problem.
I can't read german enough to get through any of the books. Nor could we find copies of them. So I have been soooooo happy to hear about your project.
At last we will be able to contribute to something that not only will help us with our project but will help thousands of other people for years to come.
So send me some pages to edit or help proof read. I am at your disposal, eager to get to work on this.
Tell me more about your group and project.
Look forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Ruth
At least: a native english speaker, fluent in spain, basic understanding of german AND an experienced expert in reforestation !
What do we want more ..