Course Offerings
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Fall 2011
GER 110Y Elementary German
An introduction to spoken and written German, and to the culture and history of German-speaking people and countries. Emphasis on grammar and practical vocabulary for use in conversational practice, written exercises, and listening and reading comprehension. By the end of the year, students will be able to read short, edited literary and journalistic texts as a basis for classroom discussion and to compose short written assignments. Students who successfully complete this year-long course and take GER 200 and GER 250 (220) will be eligible for the Junior Year Abroad in Hamburg. {F}10 credits
161 The Cultures of German-Speaking Europe
The purpose of this course is to provide curious students with a practical guide to the culture of German-speaking Europe from Teutonic barbarians to Teutonic rap. The main focus of this course will rest upon the interconnectedness of many diverse areas of German culture through the centuries (literature, art, philosophy, music, domestic culture, popular culture) and their relationship to contemporary life and society. Conducted in English. No previous knowledge of German culture or language required.{L/H}4 credits
200 Intermediate German
A review of basic grammatical concepts and the study of new ones, with emphasis on vocabulary building. An exploration of contemporary German culture through literary and journalistic texts, with regular practice in written and oral expression. Prerequisite: 110y, permission of the instructor, or by placement.{F}4 credits
231 Topics in German Cinema
Topic: Cinema of East Germany. Can there be a national cinema without a nation? Like the German nation itself, German cinema has been characterized by fragmentation, division and a crisis of identity. This course will provide a survey of the cinema of East Germany, 1946-1992- the national cinema of the German Democratic Republic that no longer exists. Weekly screenings will consider key feature films of DEFA, located in the historic Babelsberg studios famous for titles ranging from Metropolis to Inglourious Basterds. Using the cinema of the socialist GDR as our subject matter, we will discuss the relation of “national cinema” to history and memory during the Cold War division of Germany and since unification. Themes to be discussed will also include innovations in documentary and avant-garde alternatives to the studios, parallel developments in technology and other arts, and international entertainment genres. The instructor is founding director of the DEFA Film Library at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst- the only archive and study center outside Europe devoted to the study of film from and related to the former East Germany. No prerequisites; conducted in English.{A}4 credits
German 300 Topics in German Culture and Society
2011-12: Flights of Fantasy, Fits of Madness
An introduction to the study of German literature, designed to develop skills in oral expression and the fundamentals of literary analysis. In this course we will closely read texts both entertaining and startling that deal with the mysteries of the human mind, and with journeys experienced or imagined. Works by the brothers Grimm, Tieck, Kleist, Arnim, Hoffmann, Storm, Droste-Huelshof, Freud, Schnitzler and others will provide the basis for discussions. Prerequisite: GER 250 or by placement.{L/F}4 credits
350 Language and Power
Language as the transmission of politics and culture: a study of the German-language media (newspapers, magazines, internet, television, supplemented by a variety of films and texts to be chosen in accordance with the interests and academic disciplines of students in the class). Active and intense practice of written and oral German through weekly compositions and linguistic exercises, as well as discussions and presentations analyzing the manner in which linguistic nuances reflect cultural and political practices. Conducted in German. Prerequisite: a 300-level course in German, permission of the instructor, or by placement.{F/L}4 credits
