GER: German

GER 500. 20th Century German Culture. 3 Credits.

This course offers a cultural history of 20th century Germany including artistic, philosophical, cinematic and literary contributions to Western culture. Emphasis will be given to representative literary works of each era and to themes such as the contribution of women, Jews and minorities to German culture, and questions of political vs. cultural identity.

GER 501. Post-Wall German Literature and Film. 3 Credits.

This course will offer students a cultural history of postwar Germany primarily through the lens of post-wall German literature and film. The class will consist of lectures, screenings of excerpts from German films and discussions of literary texts, articles, assigned films and current events in Germany and Europe.

GER 504. Postwar German Literature and Film. 3 Credits.

Focus on the history culture of the GDR FRG including: the aftermath of WWII, the Holocaust, the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, the Economic Miracle, New German Cinema, terrorism and German reunification.

GER 505. Survey of German Film. 3 Credits.

This course provides an analysis of German culture through 20th and 21st c. German films. Lecture and discussion topics include Expressionism, "New Objectivity," the Weimar Republic, the First and Second World Wars, Nazism, such postwar issues as collective guilt and terrorism, and reunification and Ostalgie; and Austrian Film. Discussions will integrate German history, culture, and literature and cinematic techniques into an analysis of the films. This course is taught in German.
Pre / Co requisites: GER 505 requires a prerequisite of acceptance into the M.A. in Languages and Cultures.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

GER 508. German Society: Dramatic texts: Wilhelmine era to the Present. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the political and social concerns of German society through the lens of dramatic texts.

GER 516. The Novelle. 3 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

GER 518. Contemporary German Literature. 3 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

GER 522. Austrian Literature and Culture. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to the many facets of Austrian literature and culture from 1900 to the present. The texts read in class convey both literary themes as well as contextual insights into Austrian society, culture, and history. Course topics include: an overview over the turbulent history of the country from Fin-de-Siècle Vienna, World War I and the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy, the First Republic, Austro-Fascism, the Anschluss to Hitler¿s Germany, the Holocaust, World War II, to the Second Republic. These important historical contexts are all reflected in a wide range of literary and cultural readings from Austria.
Repeatable for Credit.

GER 525. German Linguistics. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to the many facets of the German language from the times of the Germanic tribes to contemporary dialects. Course topics include: a brief overview of the historical development of Germanic languages, including Dutch, English and the Scandinavian languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish) and distinct dialects such as Swiss German, Austrian dialects, Bavarian, and Yiddish; use of the German language in an international context, in literature, the youth culture, and in contemporary media; an introduction to German phonetics and to recent developments in German such as the decline in the use of the genitive case and variations in vocabulary and grammar between East and West Germans. It will include spoken and written German in countries within and beyond Europe, including the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Eastern Europe and New York City (Yiddish), and Pennsylvania German of the Mennonites and Amish.
Pre / Co requisites: GER 525 requires a prerequisite of admission to the graduate program.
Repeatable for Credit.

GER 526. Communicating the Unspeakable: Holocaust Survivor Narratives. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to the challenges of communicating the Unspeakable in primarily German-language Holocaust Survivor Narratives. Students will learn about the different ways in which Holocaust survivors managed to recount the unspeakable horrors they endured, and students will be able to compare the experiences based on gender as well as on where survivors lived after the Holocaust. Students will also learn that some survivors were not able to give as full a picture as others, as writing was ultimately a coping mechanism for survivors to work through their experiences and educate future generations. What relationship did Holocaust survivors have to their native language, German? Students will also read Holocaust Survivor accounts written in Yiddish in German translation. What are the limits of language? What are the limits of a language like German that is associated with the perpetrator? What are the limits of Yiddish, which as a language has been perpetually threatened by extinction since the end of the Holocaust. These important questions will be underscored by an overview of the historical context of the Holocaust.
Pre / Co requisites: GER 526 requires admission to the M.A. in Languages and Cultures - German Concentration.
Typically offered in Spring.

GER 550. German Literary Genres from the Middle Ages to the Fin-de-Siecle. 3 Credits.

This course examines literary genres of German-speaking Europe from the Middle Ages to the Fin-de-Siecle with an emphasis on the development of literary genres over seven centuries. Representative literary works of each era will be read in their entirety, paying close attention to the development of the German language and its literature, while continuing to be mindful of the contributions of women, Jews, and minorities to German culture, and the question of political vs. cultural identity. (This course is taught in German.)
Pre / Co requisites: GER 550 requires a prerequisite of majors only or department consent.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.