Catalogue 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
German Studies Department
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Chair: Elliott Schreiber;
Associate Professors: Jeffrey Schneider, Elliott Schreiber, Silke von der Emde;
Visiting Assistant Professor: Lioba Gerhardi;
Adjunct Instructor: Eric Trump.
Advisers: The department.
All courses are conducted in German except for GERM 235 , and GERM 265 .
Major
Correlate Sequence in German
Students majoring in other programs may complement their study by electing a correlate sequence in German. Course selection should be made in consultation with the department. German: I. Introductory
German: II. Intermediate
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GERM 210 - Intermediate German I: Identity in Contemporary Germany Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Low-intermediate language study through short texts and research topics on questions of national identity in contemporary Germany. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing oral and written expression. The course uses an online educational environment and may involve an exchange with learners at another college. Elliott Schreiber.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 106 , GERM 109 or the equivalent.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 211 - Intermediate German II: Space in Weimar Germany Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Intermediate language study through texts and research topics on questions of space in Weimar Germany at the time of the “Roaring Twenties.” Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing oral and written expression. The course uses an online educational environment and may involve an exchange with learners at another college. Silke von der Emde.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 210 or the equivalent.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 220 - Turning a Phrase: Writing with Style in German
0.5 unit(s)
Achieving eloquent style in German requires more than knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical correctness. In this course students learn how to take their written German to the next level by focusing on stylistic conventions at the level of the sentence, paragraph and essay while developing their own voice in the language. In addition to studying examples of published writing on a range of contemporary issues, the course combines an individualized review of German grammar with short writing assignments. The course offers strong preparation for writing assignments at German universities or upper-level German classes at Vassar.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 221 - Compelling Speech: German Conversational Skills
0.5 unit(s)
In this course, students deepen their oral proficiency in the language by studying various forms of spoken German on t.v. series, talk shows and other media and then honing their speaking skills in a variety of different contexts, such as classroom oral reports (Referate), debates, and interviews. In addition to improving pronunciation, instruction emphasizes conversational conventions for expressing opinions, persuading, and leading discussions. The course offers strong preparation for studying abroad or upper-level courses at Vassar.
One 2-hour period.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 230 - Contemporary German Culture and Media Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Advanced intermediate language study through an examination of contemporary German culture and the role played by different media such as newspapers, television, radio, film, and the Internet. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary, reviewing grammar, as well as oral and written expression. The course may involve an exchange with native speakers of German. Silke von der Emde.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 211 or the equivalent.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 235 - Introduction to German Cultural Studies
1 unit(s)
Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud are three of the most influential thinkers of the modern era. We associate their names with different, even antagonistic agendas ranging from political systems (socialism and communism), entire disciplines (psychoanalysis), and even the death of God. Yet all three were pivotal in developing a “hermeneutics of suspicion,” in which “reality” turned out to be hiding darker and more powerful forces: economic motives, unconscious desires, or the will to power. In conjunction with their radical critiques of religion and morality, we concentrate primarily on the strong aesthetic dimension of their thought: Marx’s vision of a socialist future in which our sensual or aesthetic powers come to full fruition; Nietzsche’s theory of the primacy of music, and his aesthetic justification of reality; Freud’s use of art as a cognitive model of psychic processes, and his psychoanalytic interpretation of the function of art. We explore the cultural milieus in which their ideas originated, and we examine the influences their theories have had in modern culture and thought. We also investigate the ways in which twentieth-century writers, thinkers, and film-makers continued to develop, but also at times to question, their theories. All readings and discussions are in English.
Open to all classes.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 239 - Introduction to German Cultural Studies for Majors
1 unit(s)
Students in this course attend the same seminar meetings as in GERM 235 but do the readings in the original, attend a separate discussion class, and take separate exams.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 230 or the equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 240 - A Culture of Play: An Introduction to German Theater
1 unit(s)
Since the eighteenth century, drama and theater have held a vaunted place within Germany’s language literary and cultural production. This course offers an introduction to that tradition through the study of specific authors, texts, and theories. Students have the opportunity to hone their speaking skills through performance activities, such as mounting scenes or an entire production. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing written expression. Authors may include Brecht, Büchner, Dürrenmatt, Handke, Hauptmann, Jelinek, Loher, and Weiss. Eric Trump.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 211 or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 260 - Developments in German Literature Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2019/20b: The German Gothic. This course is an introduction to the history of the German literature, art, and cinema of the occult and the uncanny. Among the high points we consider are the revival of Gothic themes in Romantic literature, such as the novellas of E.T.A. Hoffmann; their flourishing in Realist tales such as Annette von Droste-Hülshoff’s The Jew’s Beech Tree; their pervasiveness in German Expressionist films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; and the fascination that these themes continue to exercise in contemporary novels such as Patrick Süskind’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. We study the historical contexts in which the modern German fascination with the Gothic arose and developed, and also consider seminal theories such as Sigmund Freud’s famous essay on the uncanny. In addition to several short critical essays, students write their own Gothic narratives. Readings, discussion, and composition in German. Elliott Schreiber. Elliott Schreiber.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 230 or GERM 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 265 - German Film in English Translation Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as FILM 265 ) Topic for 2019/20b: Nazi Cinema: Propaganda, War, and Mass Entertainment. During the twelve years of Nazi rule in Germany, film played an essential role in propagating the regime’s ideological and aesthetic norms. Keenly aware of cinema’s powerful influence on the public, the Nazi regime quickly seized control of the industry to utilize film’s potential as a manipulative tool. The course covers the whole spectrum of film production: From notorious propaganda, such as Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will, to a more subtle promotion of ideology in mass entertainment films and musicals, featuring a number of non-German female stars. We also examine the film-historic frame around Nazi Cinema: Forebodings of authoritarian and fascist structures in Weimar Cinema, and the legacy of Nazism in post-war German film. Lioba Gerhardi.
Readings and discussions are in English, and all films have English subtitles.
Open to all classes.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 269 - German Film for Majors
1 unit(s)
Students in this course attend the same seminar meetings as in GERM 265 but do readings in German, attend a separate discussions class, and take separate exams.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 230 , GERM 239 or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 270 - Aesthetic Forms, Texts, and Genres
1 unit(s)
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 275 - Spiel: Exploring the Wonderful World of German Board Games Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Particularly with the international blockbuster Settlers of Catan, contemporary German board games have revitalized the analog gaming industry. Since the Second World War, they have set themselves apart from counterparts in the U.S. by emphasizing strategy and social skills while de-emphasizing war games and the early elimination of players. Through this Intensive, students study the history of German parlor games and board games, including such milestones as Reisewitz’s Kriegsspiel (1812), which was used to train Prussian officers in military strategy. This game set the stage for wargames in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (including the popular board game Risk), a tradition with which contemporary German board games intentionally break. Our exploration of the history of the development of board games over approximately the last two centuries is guided by a variety of questions: What function do they play in society for both children and adults? How do they reflect or undermine societal values? What accounts for the popularity of particular games, whether nationally or internationally? What constitutes a well-designed game? What relationship do analog games today have with the digital environment? To help investigate these questions, we travel to Germany over October Break to conduct research at one of the largest analog game archives in the world, the Deutsches Spielearchiv in Nuremberg, and then at the largest convention of analog games in the world, the Internationale Spieltage in Essen. This study trip forms the basis for several projects in the second half of the semester, including an analysis of a game, the creation and testing of a game, and the compilation of a collection of games for use by the Vassar community. Elliott Schreiber.
Prerequisite(s): Student is expected to have completed the equivalent of one year of Beginning German, and to be at least a Sophomore in Fall 2019.
One 2-hour period.
Course Format: INT -
GERM 290 - Community-Engaged Learning
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Course Format: INT -
GERM 297 - Readings In German
0.5 unit(s)
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: OTH -
GERM 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Permission required.
Course Format: OTH
German: III. Advanced
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GERM 300 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
1 to 2 unit(s)
The department.
Open only to majors.Permission required.
Course Format: INT -
GERM 301 - Senior Seminar Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2019/20a: Excessive Speech: Language, Violence, and the Question of Style. Nietzsche once claimed that it was his ambition to “say in ten sentences what everyone else says in a whole book—what everyone else does not say in a whole book.” In contrast to Nietzsche’s explosive brevity, however, many authors are famous for exploiting German’s grammatical flexibility to produce excessively long and convoluted sentences. This course explores the question of style in the German literary tradition as a response to changing political concerns about the relationship between language and violence—as well as more existential and epistemological concerns about language’s ability to represent reality. Topics may include Nietzsche’s critique of language, the so-called “language crisis” (Sprachkrise) of the Romantic period, and the implications for writing literature in the language in which the Holocaust was carried out. Authors may include Ingeborg Bachmann, Thomas Bernhard, Anne Duden, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Elfriede Jelinek, Heinrich von Kleist, Viktor Klemperer, and Dada and Expressionist poets. In addition to reading and interpreting texts, students also have the opportunity to explore the creative dimensions of writing in German. Jeffrey Schneider.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 260 or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 302 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
The department.
Open only to majors.
Permission required.
Yearlong course 302-GERM 303 .
Course Format: INT -
GERM 303 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
The department.
Open only to majors.
Permission required.
Yearlong course GERM 302 -303.
Course Format: INT -
GERM 355 - Advanced Seminar Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): GERM 260 or GERM 270 , or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 374 - Senior Colloquium Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Until this point in their education, seniors and other advanced students of German language, literature, and culture have taken courses and seminars carefully designed by faculty with specialized knowledge of the topics. For this intensive, students collaborate to develop a semester-long course of study that reflects and deepens their own knowledge and scholarly interest in a particular author, movement, period, or issue. Following pre-registration, students meet with the instructor to identify a list of common readings that form the basis for weekly discussions the first half of the semester. During the second half of the semester, students work individually with the instructor to pursue an extended research paper related to the topic. While papers develop an original argument vis-à-vis the scholarly literature on their topic, they also offer students an opportunity to refine their academic writing style in German through a couple of workshops developed in collaboration with the instructor. Toward the end of the semester all students present their papers colloquium-style. The final version of the papers may then be published in an online departmental journal as part of a special issue devoted to this topic and edited by the participating students. Jeffrey Schneider.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 301 or the equivalent.
One 2-hour period.
Course Format: INT -
GERM 375 - Advanced Topics in German Cultural Studies
1 unit(s)
Not offered in 2019/20.
Course Format: CLS -
GERM 399 - Senior Independent Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Course Format: OTH
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