Mario Benzing (December 7, 1896 in Como – November 29, 1958) was an Italian novelist and translator of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

origins, often forced to sign as Mario Benzi because of the period's fascist Italian laws. Born in Como, Italy, he settled in Milan.

Career

During the First World War, he enlisted in the Italian Army Medical Corps and in Milan he made the acquaintance of Ernest Hemingway. Between the two World Wars he wrote several novels and biographies of historical figures in Italian. These figures included Messalina,

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

and the Queen Christina of Sweden. As a literary translator from English, German and French, he specially devoted his work, often as first Italian translator, to Rudyard Kipling,

Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, ; 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Poles in the United Kingdom#19th century, Polish-British novelist and short story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in t ...

(first Italian translation of ''

The Shadow Line ''The Shadow-Line'' is a short novel based at sea by Joseph Conrad; it is one of his later works, being written from February to December 1915. It was first published in 1916 as a serial in New York's ''Metropolitan Magazine'' (September—Oct ...

'' in 1929), Jack London (first Italian translation of '' The Mutiny of the Elsinore'' in 1928), Arthur Schnitzler, Lewis Carroll,

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

(first Italian translation of '' The Rainbow'' in 1937), P. G. Wodehouse, Edgar Wallace, Hugh Walpole, Edgar Allan Poe, Vicki Baum, H. G. Wells (first Italian translation of ''

The World of William Clissold ''The World of William Clissold'' is a 1926 novel by H. G. Wells published initially in three volumes. The first volume was published in September to coincide with Wells's sixtieth birthday, and the second and third volumes followed at monthly i ...

'' in 1931),

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in ...

, Ehm Welk,

Eduard von Keyserling Johann Heinrich Eduard Nicolaus Graf von Keyserling (May 14, 1855 – September 28, 1918) was a Baltic German fiction writer and dramatist, an exponent of literary impressionism and associated with the historic region of Courland. Biography ...

Jakob Wassermann __NOTOC__ Jakob Wassermann (10 March 1873 – 1 January 1934) was a German writer and novelist. Life Born in Fürth, Wassermann was the son of a shopkeeper and lost his mother at an early age. He showed literary interest early and published v ...

Joseph Hergesheimer Joseph Hergesheimer (February 15, 1880 – April 25, 1954) was an American writer of the early 20th century known for his naturalistic novels of decadent life amongst the very wealthy. Early life Hergesheimer was born on February 15, 1880 Phil ...

, Robert Louis Stevenson, Helen Hunt Jackson, Sigrid Undset,

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...

Guy Boothby Guy Newell Boothby (13 October 1867 – 26 February 1905) was a prolific Australian novelist and writer, noted for sensational fiction in variety magazines around the end of the nineteenth century. He lived mainly in England. He is best known fo ...

, William Le Queux, Sax Rohmer, Rose Macaulay, Richard Marsh, Alice Muriel Williamson and many others, showing a special sensitiveness in translating original poems in Italian verses.

External links

The biography and his translations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benzing, Mario 1896 births 1958 deaths People from Como 20th-century Italian writers 20th-century Italian male writers Translators from English English–Italian translators Italian people of German descent 20th-century Italian translators