Il traduttore, questo sconosciuto

The status of the translator, especially in the publishing field, has changed greatly over the last century. Initially an invisible and anonymous figure, today translators have gained status as second authors of the translated works. Their names now appear on the title page of books under the author’s name and title, thus denoting a historical evolution with clear social implications. This paper delves into these changes that have come about gradually after WWII, taking into account, on the one hand, the development of translation studies, and on the other, the appearance of the translator’s name in the paratext (when mentioned), before tracing the various stages of the path towards recognition and awareness of this profession. The examples taken from German literature books translated into Italian prove that the path described has not been linear or smooth. In fact, it is still an evolving reality.