First Secretary Gierek, President Carter, and the president’s Polish interpreter

What is it about?

During President Carter's visit to Warsaw in 1977, his interpreter allegedly made serious mistakes. American journalists learned of these mistakes from their Polish colleagues and gloated over what they perceived to be erotic overtones in the Polish version of the president's remarks.

Featured Image

Photo by Lāsma Artmane on Unsplash

Photo by Lāsma Artmane on Unsplash

Why is it important?

I was able to obtain an archived audio recording of the entire episode from the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, which helped clarify the reasons for the exaggerated criticism of the interpreter's performance. The episode is a good testimony to the role of diplomatic interpreters, whose moment of glory comes only when they make a mistake, real or imagined.