News
On our news pages we report on various topics, including language and translation, and show you important steps in the history of our translation office.
Merry Christmas!
December is here and Christmas is just around the corner! We would like to thank our colleagues and customers for the pleasant cooperation and the trust you have placed in us.
We wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, success and above all good health for 2026.
We look forward to the challenges and exciting projects in the new year!
Your Schweitzer Sprachendienst Team
November 2025: ‘Talking about the Torgau Castle Chapel’
Since February 2024, the Torgau Castle Chapel has been listed as an individual application on the German Tentative List for World Heritage. In January 2025, the international conference ‘Talking about the Torgau Castle Chapel’ took place at Hartenfels Castle in Torgau. The conference speeches were published in October 2025.
Schweitzer Sprachendienst was entrusted with the translation and editing of all essays and presentations in the conference proceedings, as well as with the linguistic review of the application forms.
It was an interesting and instructive period of intensive work on this complex topic and its historical, religious and art-historical significance.
We wish everyone involved every success in their application for World Heritage status for the Torgau Castle Chapel as a prototype of Protestant church architecture!
Your SSD-Team
October 2025: Happy Halloween!
Why is Halloween celebrated on 31 October?
Once upon a time, the Celts drove away evil spirits on 31 October (Samhain). They celebrated their harvest, the beginning of the cold season and the start of a new calendar year. The Celts believed that on Samhain, the dead would search for the living who were destined to die in the coming year. To scare away evil spirits, people dressed up in scary costumes and haunted the streets at night. These customs date back to ancient Celtic, i.e. pagan traditions, especially in Ireland, which became mixed with Christian customs. They were celebrated on the evening before All Saints’ Day, ‘All Hallows Eve’, or – linguistically shortened – Halloween. In the past, people tried to appease the spirits with small gifts (‘treats’) in front of their houses to prevent them from doing mischief.
Today, children dressed as little witches, ghosts and monsters roam the neighbourhood asking for sweets. ‘Trick or treat!’ is the battle cry when they go from door to door on the evening of 31 October. Their goal: to demand sweets from the residents.
October 2025: German Unity Day
On 3 October 1990, the two German countries, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), united to form one sovereign state.
This year we celebrate the 35th anniversary of German reunification on German Unity Day, the only national holiday that is not based on the laws of the federal states.
Happy Birthday, Germany, we wish everyone a wonderful holiday!
Your SSD Team
September 2025: SSD attends the
FIT* CONFERENCE IN GENEVA
Advances in AI, in particular in large language models, are revolutionising the fields of translation, interpreting and terminology.
This congress, held in the WIPO building on the shores of Lake Geneva, promises three days filled with presentations, engaging panels and workshops, stimulating discussions, and great networking opportunities on the topic of AI in translation and around the congress theme “Mastering the Machine: Shaping an Intelligent Future.”
Language professionals and computer linguists, decision-makers and industry advocates from various facets of translation, interpreting, and terminology take part and explore ideas and industry trends.
The FIT World Congress offers a unique opportunity to gain insights, share knowledge, and collaborate with other passionate professionals.
SSD’s owner Andreas Schweitzer, translator/terminologist and member of BDÜ and tekom, will be attending the congress in Switzerland and is looking forward to an exciting exchange of knowledge and interesting insights into this topical issue.
SSD has been using AI solutions to support the translation process for over 10 years.
*FIT=Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (International Federation of Translators)
May 2025: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is celebrated every year on 21 May.
UNESCO defines cultural diversity as the various forms of expression of the cultures of groups and societies that are passed on within and between societies.
This day gives us the opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October 2005, such as the right of every state to its own cultural policy, the integration of culture in sustainable development, international co-operation (co-operation, co-productions and preferential treatment for developing countries) as well as unrestricted cultural self-determination and freedom of choice on the basis of human rights.
It highlights not only the richness of the world’s cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.
Happy Easter!
We wish all our customers and colleagues wonderful Easter holidays, with time for family and traditions as well as a busy Easter bunny.
Hyvää pääsiääistä, Felices Pascuas and Frohe Ostern!
Your Schweitzer Sprachendienst Team