German (GERM)
Chair: Professor Sigrun D. Leonhard
Professors: Julie A. Klassen, Sigrun D. Leonhard, John Roger Paas, Anne C. Ulmer
Adjunct Instructor: Nadja Krämer
Requirements for a German Major:
Sixty-six credits including 206, Conversation and Composition or 207, Advanced German Conversation and Composition, Literary and Cultural Studies 245 (normally taken during the junior year) and the integrative exercise. Courses 101, 102, 103, 204, and 205 do not count toward the major. Additionally, at least six credits are required in literature outside the major, read in the original language or in translation. Majors are encouraged to take other related courses in fields such as history, philosophy, religion, classics, and art or music history, in order to gain further perspectives on their literary studies.
A special major involving German and another discipline may sometimes be arranged upon consultation with the department chair. Participation by such students in a Carleton or other approved foreign study program is highly recommended.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Foreign Language and Literature or Area Studies:In order to receive the Certificate of Advanced Study in German students must fulfill the general requirements (refer to Academic regulations) in the following course distribution: six courses beyond 103, of which at least three will be taught in the target language, and two of those three courses may be advanced language courses (205, 206 or 207). Courses remaining may be from the German section or from a list of approved courses offered by other departments (philosophy, history, linguistics, music, etc.)
Language Houses: Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language by living in the Language House. The Associate is a native speaker, and students organize and participate in numerous cultural activities in the language houses.
Elementary and Intermediate Language Courses:
Language courses 101, 102, 103 and 204 are a sequential series of courses designed to prepare the student to satisfy the College language requirement and/or to pursue advanced work in the language, literature and culture of German-speaking countries. Courses 101, 102 and 103 meet five days a week and 204 meets three days a week. Admission to these courses is determined either by appropriate CEEB or placement test scores, or by completion of the previous course in the sequence with a C- grade or better.
German Courses
GERM 100. The Image in the Mirror: Searching for the Self Many writers have used fiction as a means of coming to terms with themselves and their identities at various points in their lives. This has been particularly true throughout this century in German speaking countries, largely because of the impact of the two world wars. We will read (in translation) a number of twentieth-century works by German, Swiss and Austrian writers, focusing on the quest for self-awareness. We will include such authors as Hermann, Hesse, Max Frisch, Rainer Maria Rilke, Barbara Frischmuth, Günter Grass, among others. 6 credits cr., S/CR/NC, AL, Fall—A. Ulmer
GERM 101. Elementary German This course stresses a firm understanding of the basic structural patterns of the German language through reading, writing, speaking, and listening drills. For students with no previous knowledge of German or for those whose test scores indicate that this is the appropriate level of placement. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—Staff
GERM 102. Elementary German Further study of the basic structural patterns of the German language. Prerequisite: German 101, or appropriate placement score. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—Staff
GERM 103. Intermediate German Completion of the study of basic structural patterns of the German language, and the reading and discussion of a longer literary work. Prerequisite: German 102. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—Staff
GERM 204. Intermediate German Critical reading and discussion of selected German plays and short stories. Prerequisite: German 103, or appropriate placement score. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—Staff
GERM 205. Nuremberg Program: Composition and Conversation The goal of this course is to help students improve their ability to communicate in German. Attention will be given to all four basic linguistic skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—R. Paas
GERM 206. Composition and Conversation : Projects in German Culture Short texts, films, video clips and other cultural materials will serve as a diving board to launch us into discussions of contemporary German culture. The course has a multimedia component. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—S. Leonhard
GERM 207. Young Adult Literature The best current German-language literature for teen-aged readers treats serious topics with wit and sensitivity. We will read and discuss books on sexuality, gender identity, politics, peer pressure, the generation gap, drugs, and other topics. These texts, many of which have won prizes, are linguistically accessible and written with flair. Readings and class discussions will be in German. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—-- A. Ulmer
GERM 216. Studies in German Cinema: Current Issues in Contemporary Film Cross-listed with MEDA 156. This course will be an introduction to Austrian and German film from the 1970s to the present. We will watch one or two films a week, and focus class discussions on such issues as the Third Reich and its impact on contemporary Germany (Fassbinder, Syberberg, Sanders-Brahms), the American dream in German culture (Wenders, Herzog), minorities in Germany (Fassbinder, Ottinger), literature into film (Schlöndorff), the role of women (Fassbinder, Sanders-Brahms, Ottinger, Dörrie) and other topics. We will discuss different genres, the notion of auteur cinema, and film in its double role of reflection and co-creator of ideology. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 220. Border Crossings: Postmodern Perspectives on French and German Cinema Cross-listed with MEDA 238,FREN 238,FRST 220. In this course, we will explore the responses of French and German filmmakers to the challenges facing Europe as it redefined itself throughout the twentieth century. Taking Foucault's and Derrida's theories about the center and the margin as a starting point, we will examine such issues as national identity, marginalization, shifting gender roles and technological change. Filmmakers to be discussed will be Jean-Luc Godard, Jean Renoir, Agnes Varda, Fritz Lang, Rainer W. Fassbinder and Helma Sanders-Brahms. 6 credits cr., AL, Winter—D. Strand, S. Leonhard
GERM 221. Nuremberg Program: The Two Unifications of Germany Germany's initial unification after the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 and its reunification following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 ushered in major political and economic changes. This course examines those changes in comparative perspective and looks at the economic challenges for Germany as part of a unified Europe. Taught in English. 4 credits cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall—M. Paas
GERM 230. From Gutenberg to Gates: History and Practice of the Book Cross-listed with LCST 231. Gutenberg's invention of printing with movable type has had a far-reaching impact on the political, social, and intellectual development in the Western World. A similarly profound revolution is taking place today with the use of computers. This course will focus on the major developments in printing since 1450 against the relevant historical and social background. In addition to lectures and discussions there will be a regular "lab," in which students will gain first-hand knowledge of such techniques as woodcutting, engraving, etching, lithography, bookbinding, and papermaking. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 231. Damsels, Dwarfs, and Dragons: Medieval German Literature Cross-listed with LCST 231. Around the year 1200 German poets wrote some of the most lasting works in the Western literary tradition. It was a time of courtly love and Arthurian romances, and themes vary widely from love and honor to revenge and murder. In this course attention will be focused on the poetry of Walther von der Vogelweide and on two major epics: The Nibelungenlied and Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan and Isolde. In translation. 3 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 233. Cultures in Conflict: The Reception of Shakespeare in Germany Cross-listed with LCST 233. Shakespeare was rediscovered in the eighteenth century and rapidly became an icon in the struggle between conflicting social and literary tastes. Although this cultural battle was fought primarily between the French and the English, German writers such as Goethe, Herder, and Lessing were also key participants. This course will focus on the German contribution to Shakespeare reception and will place it within the broader context of the cultural debate in eighteenth century Europe. In translation. 3 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 235. Dream and Reality: Vienna 1900/2000 This course will examine the beginnings of Modernism in Austrian culture, music, theater, philosophy, art and architecture, focusing on literature within its wider context. We will look at such thinkers and artists as Freud, Schnitzler, Hofmannsthal, Hermann Bahr, Karl Kraus, Robert Musil and Peter Altenberg, as well as the great musicians, architects (Adolf Loos, Otto Wagner) and painters (Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele) of the period. We will focus primarily on the period from around 1890-1920, but will also look at present-day Vienna at the turn of the Millennium. This course will involve multi-media approaches to the material. In translation. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 236. Rebels, Revolutionaries, and Misfits This course focuses on several German literary figures from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries who either were outsiders during their lifetimes or who actively fought against the establishment. The authors to be studied include Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann, Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich von Kleist, and Georg Büchner. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 237. Contemporary Women Writers in the German Speaking Countries in Translation Cross-listed with WMST 238. In this course, we will read and discuss works by Austrian, German and Swiss writers from the 1960s to the present, including Ingeborg Bachmann, Sigrid Damm, Barbara Frischmuth, Marlen Haushofer, Monika Maron, Christa Reinig, Gabriele Wohmann and Christa Wolf. We will also view some films by women and analyze them in the context of the women's movement. Topics include (self) concepts of women, the use of myth, the relationship with the Nazi past and the concern for the environment. We will interpret these works using various theoretical approaches, with the construction of gender as a focal point throughout the course. There is an option to read the works in the original, and to set up a weekly discussion in German. 6 credits cr., AL,RAD, Spring—S. Leonhard
GERM 239. Memoirs of the Twentieth Century The goal of this course is to analyze and to discuss a number of important twentieth century European memoirs, both as records of their time and as a developing literary form. Memoirs dealing with Holocaust experiences will play a central role, but we will also examine gender differences in the (re)construction of history, as well as reflections on the nature of memory, its promises, and limitations. In translation. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 243. Realism and the Rise of Modernism This course will focus on representative works form the major literary movements of the period 1848-1900, such as realism, naturalism and fin de si'cle. Authors include Raabe, Storm, Keller, Fontane, Hauptmann, Hofmannsthal and Rilke. Consideration of the historical/social context will augment a close examination of literary qualities and a multifaceted approach to interpretation. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 244. Nuremberg Program: The German Heritage This course focuses on the historical and cultural development of Germany from the early Middle Ages to the present day. An important component of this course will be weekly tours of Nuremberg and of museums in the city. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—R. Paas
GERM 247. A Critical Look at the Fairy Tale From the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth, fairy tales have played a vital role in German culture and literature. We will read a variety of tales, from the Grimms' originals to Michael Ende and other modern authors, examining them from a variety of critical perspectives. Primary literature will be in German, though some secondary reading may be in English. Class discussions in German. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 248. Romantic Visions of the World This course explores the various phases and goals of German Romanticism. Our discussions will revolve around definitions and origins of Romanticism, the early romanticists' call to poeticize the world, and the fascination with the supernatural. Materials include poetry (some with musical settings), folk and art tales, a play, novellas, paintings and a few theoretical essays. Authors include the brothers Grimm, the Schlegels, Novalis, Tieck, Brentano, Eichendorff and Heine. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 282. The Forest In German Literature, Culture, and Environmental Politics Cross-listed with ENTS 282. A study of the forest as an important natural and symbolic phenomenon for understanding the relationship of humans to nature in German-speaking societies. The examination of various literary texts and documents will treat such issues as the cognitive, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of experiencing nature, alienation through technology, and responses to environmental threats 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 301. German in Review This course is intended as a refresher course for students who have completed the basic language sequence and/or taken part in the German program. Practice in writing and speaking German. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 3 credits cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Fall,Winter—J. Klassen
GERM 347. Methods of Teaching Modern World Languages Cross-listed with FREN 346,EDUC 346,RUSS 346,SPAN 346. Methods of, and curricular materials for, the teaching of modern world languages in the secondary school. Prerequisite: Senior standing, permission of the instructor and Educational Studies 234. 6 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2000-2001.
GERM 350. Two Countries ñ One Nation? Germany and the Cold War The fall of the Berlin Wall and the creation of one German State in 1990 has caused a debate. Does this event reflect a "reunification" of "two countries that belonged together" or, is this a "unification" of two disparate political and cultural units that have evolved since WWII. We will address this question within the context of the debate on German identity and nationalism. We will explore literature, film, theater, social and cultural politics, along with a special emphasis on the phenomenon of the "Grenzgänger" who transcendends the physical and intellectual boundaries between the two German States. Conducted in German. 6 credits cr., AL, Spring—N. Krämer
GERM 351. The Age of Goethe The literary movements of Enlightenment, Storm and Stress, and Classicism as seen through selected works of Goethe, Schiller, Lessing and Herder. Prerequisite: German 204 or the equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—S. Leonhard
GERM 355. Topics in German Drama: Twentieth Century Theatrical Experiments We will read and discuss in German a range of plays which push the limits of theatrical possibilities. Possible playwrights include Georg Kaiser, Bert Brecht, Wolfgang Borchert, Rolf Hochhuth, Peter Handke, Heiner Müller, Thomas Bernhard, and perhaps a twenty-first century writer. Videos of play productions and our own dramatic readings of scenes will help us explore some of the century's theories of acting and staging. 6 credits cr., AL, Winter—J. Klassen
GERM 400. Integrative Exercise Examining an aspect of German literature across eras or genres. 6 credits cr., S/NC, ND, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff