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wirklicher Geheimer Rat

English translation: High Privy Councillor

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Wirklicher Geheimer Rat
English translation:High Privy Councillor
Entered by: Trudy Peters

21:55 Aug 28, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Genealogy / family tree
German term or phrase: wirklicher Geheimer Rat
Family tree from the Austro-Hungarian empire:

Sohn Seiner Exzellenz ABC, k. und k. **wirklicher** Geheimer Rat und Feldmarschall-Leutnant.

Does this have a meaning I'm not aware of, or does it mean that he really was a Geheimer Rat (as opposed to ???)
Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 02:04
High Privy Councillor or leave title in German
Explanation:
When it's the title of an individual, it has to be Councillor rather than Council.
Several English Web sites translate it literally as "real" or "effective" Privy Councillor, but I would reject these. The English site below leaves the title in German, which is also my inclination. But I would add "High Privy Councillor" in brackets or explain the significance of the title in a footnote.
Selected response from:

Ann C Sherwin
Local time: 02:04
Grading comment
Thank you very much Ann and briethe!! Too bad I can't split points.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3High Privy Council
Brie Vernier
4 +1High Privy Councillor or leave title in German
Ann C Sherwin


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
High Privy Councillor or leave title in German


Explanation:
When it's the title of an individual, it has to be Councillor rather than Council.
Several English Web sites translate it literally as "real" or "effective" Privy Councillor, but I would reject these. The English site below leaves the title in German, which is also my inclination. But I would add "High Privy Councillor" in brackets or explain the significance of the title in a footnote.


    Reference: http://nobelprize.org/medicine/articles/behring/
Ann C Sherwin
Local time: 02:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Thank you very much Ann and briethe!! Too bad I can't split points.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rebecca Garber
13 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
High Privy Council


Explanation:
Die Mitglieder des Geheimen Ratskollegiums hatten den Titel "Geheimer Rat" oder auch "Geheimrat". Später wurde der Titel "Wirklicher Geheimer Rat" als Auszeichnung an höchste Beamte verliehen. Derselbe ist in der Regel mit dem Prädikat Exzellenz verbunden. Im übrigen war Geheimer Rat der Titel der obersten Beamten, namentlicher Ministerialdirektoren, der vortragenden Räte in den Ministerien, der ersten Räte in den Kollegien etc.

http://lexikon.freenet.de/Geheimer_Rat

see also http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichtakademischer_Titel


and then, for an English example

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02381b.htm

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Note added at 17 mins (2005-08-28 22:12:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Although this site suggests Effective Privy Council:

http://habitant.org/tools/eskey.htm


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 58 mins (2005-08-29 00:53:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course Ann is right about the person vs. body distinction, which I overlooked in the given context

Brie Vernier
Germany
Local time: 08:04
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nicole Schnell
0 min
  -> Danke, Nicole
agree  Teresa Reinhardt
34 mins
  -> Thanks ; )
agree  Wolf Brosius (X)
6 hrs
  -> Danke, Wolf
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