German A. Beginning German
Catalog Number: 4294
Lisa Parkes and Members of the Department
Full course (indivisible). M. through Th., sections at 9, 10, or 11. EXAM GROUP: 2, 11
An introduction to German language and culture designed for students with little or no knowledge of the language. Encompasses all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Class sessions emphasize the development of oral proficiency. Instruction is supplemented by literary and non-literary texts, videos, and Internet activities.
Note: The first half of this course may not be taken as a half course for credit toward the AB degree; there are no exceptions to this rule. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
German Ax (formerly German S). German for Reading Knowledge
Catalog Number: 7177
Charles P. Lutcavage
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). M., W., 4-5:30. EXAM GROUP: 9
Development of reading proficiency for students with little or no knowledge of German. Emphasizes translation of academic German prose into English.
Note: Not open to auditors.
German Bab. Beginning German (Intensive)
Catalog Number: 8629
Lisa Parkes and Members of the Department
Full course (fall term; repeated spring term). Fall: M. through F., 9 and an additional hour to be arranged. Spring: M. through F., 9 or 12 and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 2, 11
A complete first-year course in one term for students with no knowledge of German. Provides an introduction to German language and culture encompassing all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Class sessions emphasize the development of oral proficiency. Instruction is supplemented by literary and non-literary texts, videos, and Internet activities.
Note: May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
German Ca (formerly German Da). Intermediate German: Speaking, Listening Comprehension, Reading, and Writing
Catalog Number: 5779
Lisa Parkes and Members of the Department
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., sections at 9 or 11 and an additional hour to be arranged. . EXAM GROUP: 2
Aims at enhancing students’ proficiency in all four skills, with special emphasis on speaking/discussion. The course also offers a thorough grammar review. Course materials consist of literary and non-literary texts and films that address a broad range of cultural topics.
Note: Conducted in German. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
German Cb (formerly German Db). Intermediate German: Speaking, Listening Comprehension, Reading, and Writing
Catalog Number: 2608
Lisa Parkes and Members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Fall term: M., W., F., at 9 and an additional hour to be arranged. Spring term: M., Tu., W., Th., at 9 or 12. EXAM GROUP: Fall: 2; Spring: 2, 11
Continuation of German Ca. Discussion materials include literary and non-literary texts and film. Emphasis on speaking proficiency and on strengthening writing skills. Course includes a review of selected grammatical structures and exercises in vocabulary building.
Note: Conducted in German. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: German Ca or permission of the instructor.
German Dab. Intermediate German (Intensive): Speaking, Listening Comprehension, Reading, and Writing
Catalog Number: 1351
Lisa Parkes and Members of the Department
Full course (spring term). M., W., F., at 12, Tu., Th., 1-3. EXAM GROUP: 5
A complete second-year course in one term for students with a basic knowledge of German. Focuses on enhancing students’ proficiency in all four skill areas with special emphasis on speaking/discussion. Extensive vocabulary-building exercises, a thorough grammar review, and an introduction to various cultural topics of the German-speaking countries through the use of literary and non-literary texts, Internet, multimedia resources, and film.
Note: Conducted in German. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: German A, German Bab, a score of 450 or above on the Harvard placement test, or permission of the instructor.
German 61. Advanced Grammar and Reading
Catalog Number: 5179
Peter J. Burgard
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 8:30-10 or 10-11:30. EXAM GROUP: 10, 11
Advanced instruction in German through systematic study of the rules of grammar, their nuances, and their exceptions. Application of this knowledge through grammatical analyses and readings of short selections from sophisticated texts (e.g., Goethe, Kant, Kleist, Heine, Marx, Nietzsche, Kafka, Mann) prepares students for courses and academic work requiring advanced German reading comprehension. Further application through writing exercises.
Note: Conducted in German. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: German C, equivalent preparation, or permission of the instructor.
German 62. Advanced Conversation and Composition
Catalog Number: 2201
Markus Wilczek
Half course (spring term). T., Th., 10-11:30. . EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Through composition and conversation workshops, the course advances the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of students. Readings and screenings include works by Rainald Goetz, Christian Kracht, Florian Illies, Feridun Zaimoglu, René Pollesch, Thomas Meinecke, Christoph Schlingensief, and Sibylle Berg. This course explores the potential of "pop" to move beyond apolitical consumerism and to engage critically with issues such as intercultural and gender relations, cyber-reality, globalism,terrorism, xenophobia, and, last not least, the apocalypse.
Note: Readings and discussions in German.
Prerequisite: German 61, equivalent preparation, or permission of the instructor.
German 65. Wirtschaftsdeutsch
Catalog Number: 2678
Charles P. Lutcavage
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 5
Communication, reading, and writing skills for a business environment. Attention to grammar and specialized vocabulary, as well as cultural and political issues relevant to conducting business in German-speaking countries. Writing practice includes business correspondence and job applications. Supplemented by articles from the German-language press, the Internet, and videos.
Note: Conducted in German. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: German Cb, equivalent preparation, or permission of the instructor.
German 66 (formerly German 68). Deutschland und Europa
Catalog Number: 6537
Charles P. Lutcavage
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 11 and 12. EXAM GROUP: 5
An advanced language course focusing on current events in Germany and the European Union.
Readings, discussions, and projects based on a variety of contemporary political, social, economic, and cultural topics. Materials from various sources, including the German-language press, the Internet, videos, and television news.
Note: Conducted in German. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: German 61, German 62, German 65, or permission of the instructor.
German 71 (formerly German 50a). German Literature from Goethe to Nietzsche
Catalog Number: 3213
Markus Wilczek
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Through close readings of central texts from the Age of Goethe to the late 19th century, this course introduces students to key concepts of literary analysis. Readings include Goethe, Schiller, Kleist, Hoffmann, Büchner, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Keller, Fontane, Hauptmann, and Nietzsche.
Note: Readings and discussions in German. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts A.
Prerequisite: Equivalent preparation or permission of the instructor.
German 72 (formerly German 50b). German Literature from Kafka to Jelinek
Catalog Number: 5412
Oliver Simons
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
The course focuses on central texts in 20th-century German literature. Key authors are read in pairs: for example, Arthur Schnitzler and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Alfred Döblin and Franz Kafka, Paul Celan and Ingeborg Bachmann. The course provides an historical overview, sharpens German reading skills, and introduces basic concepts in literary analysis.
Note: Readings and discussions in German. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts A.
Prerequisite: Equivalent preparation or permission of the instructor. German 71 is not a prerequisite for 72.
*German 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 1059
Markus Wilczek and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Advanced reading in topics not covered in regular courses.
Note: Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies is required.
*German 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 3286
Markus Wilczek and members of the Department
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Open to concentrators writing an honors thesis under faculty supervision. Students are expected to enroll for the entire year. Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies is required.
German 123. Fear and Pity: German Tragedies from the 18th to the 20th Century
Catalog Number: 4720
Oliver Simons
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Tragedies aim to stimulate the spectator’s passion and sympathy. How precisely do they achieve that goal? Through close readings, the course contextualizes the tragedies of such authors as Lessing, Goethe, Kleist, Büchner, Hebbel, Wedekind, and Hofmannsthal within major literary movements and the theoretical reflections of Nietzsche and Benjamin.
Note: Readings and discussions in German.
German 142. Writing to the Point: Short Forms - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 96052
Markus Wilczek
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This course examines ‘brevity’ in aphoristic writings, fragments, and short prose pieces from the Enlightenment to the twentieth century. Readings include Lichtenberg, Goethe, Friedrich Schlegel, Novalis, Nietzsche, Robert Walser, Benn, and Adorno.
Note: Readings and discussions in German.
[German 147. Nietzsche]
Catalog Number: 6994
Peter J. Burgard
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Readings and discussions of Nietzsche’s major works (in translation), including The Birth of Tragedy, Untimely Meditations, Human, All Too Human, The Gay Science, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, The Genealogy of Morals, Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, and Ecce Homo.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. No knowledge of German required. All readings and discussions in English.
[German 151. Franz Kafka: Modernity and Its Discontents]
Catalog Number: 0169
Judith Ryan
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Close readings of Kafka’s novels and stories. Kafka’s development of his characteristic narrative modes, the relation of his works to the cultural context in which they originated, the function of humor and parody in his works, and the challenges his texts pose for readers.
Note: Expected to be given in 2011–12. No knowledge of German required. Readings and discussions in English; German concentrators read texts in the original language. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts A.
[German 162. Gender Theory and Narrative Fiction]
Catalog Number: 4774
Oliver Simons
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Focusing on such topics as the representation of femininity, the (im)possibility of feminine writing, and literature and the body, the course examines the gender theories of Irigaray, Cixous, Kristeva, Butler, Felman, and others and applies them to 18th- and 19th-century German writers, including Fontane, Musil, Bachmann, and Jelinek.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Readings and discussions in English; German concentrators read texts in the original language.
German 166. Storytelling and Enchantment: The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 29423
Maria Tatar
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Investigates the folk tales collected by the Brothers Grimm and the literary fairy tales and novellas of Hans Christian Andersen. We will consider the origins of the tales, analyze their staying power, and explore their global reach.
Note: Readings and discussion in English, with occasional extra sessions for those with a reading knowledge of German and/or Danish. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts A.
[German 170. Before Modernity]
Catalog Number: 3102
Markus Wilczek
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
While both Georg Büchner and Adalbert Stifter have been acknowledged as modernists avant la lettre, their work could hardly be more different. Through a comparison of Büchner’s and Stifter’s treatment of themes such as history, nature, violence, and the body as well as a comparison of their stylistic peculiarities (i.e., caesuras and repetition), this course examines two seemingly irreconcilable traditions in the formulation of modernity.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Readings and discussions in German.
German 181. Heinrich von Kleist or the End of the 18th Century - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 82859
Oliver Simons
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Heinrich von Kleist, one of the most prominent authors around 1800, was a critical reader of his own time; his work marked a turning point in literary history. Through close readings we will analyze the innovative and unique poetic forms of his major works with regard to literary movements of his time, in particular Weimar Classicism and Romanticism.
Note: Conducted in German.
German 182. German Music in Culture and Politics - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 95593
Lisa Caroline Parkes
Half course (spring term). M., W., 4–5:30. EXAM GROUP: 9
Introduction to the relationship between ‘German’ music, history, society and politics from 1800 to present. By analyzing texted (vocal) music, this course revisits important and often controversial moments in German musical history, and traces the lives and afterlives of composers’ works in political and cultural history. Linguistic and musical analysis of various genres, including the Lied, folk song, the choral symphony, opera, cabaret, and modern popular music.
Note: Reading and listening in German and English; discussion in German. An ability to read musical notation is not required.
[German 186. German Poetry: Innovation and Experiment]
Catalog Number: 8548
Judith Ryan
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Explores the interplay between innovation and tradition in German poetry from 1770 to the present. Topics treated include originality and authenticity, difficulty and hermeticism, and poetic responses to crisis. Authors include Goethe, Hölderlin, Heine, Mörike, Rilke, Trakl, Benn, Bobrowski, and Celan.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Readings in German, discussions in English.
[German 187. The Sacred and the Secular in German Poetry]
Catalog Number: 7262
Judith Ryan
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Reaching back to the psalmist David and the mythic figures of Apollo and Orpheus, German lyric poets have invoked the sacred, mourned its disappearance, and expressed skepticism about its relevance to the modern world. The course traces these themes in such poets as Luther, Gerhardt, Novalis, Hölderlin, Brentano, Rilke, Trakl, and Celan.
Note: Expected to be given in 2011–12. Readings in German, discussions in English.
[German 226r. Theories of Literature: Proseminar]
Catalog Number: 1364
Markus Wilczek
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A survey of classical and current contributions to the theory of literature, this course examines the relationship between the practice of reading and the theory of literature, and literature’s place within larger cultural systems.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Readings in German and English, discussions in German.
German 227. Allegories of Modernity: from Benjamin to Agamben - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 31337
Oliver Simons
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This course will study how literary and theoretical texts reflect upon the period around 1900. What is modern? How is modernity defined, constructed and invented in writings by Walter Benjamin, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Sigmund Freud, Theodor W. Adorno, Jean-Francois Lyotard, and Giorgio Agamben?
Note: Readings and discussions in English.
German 234. The Voice: Between Media and Immediacy - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 59637
Markus Wilczek
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Traces the interplay of literary, philosophical, and technological discourses in the cultural history of ‘voice.’ Readings include Hoffmann, Kafka, and Thomas Mann as well as treatises of rhetoric, theories of orality, and approaches from media studies.
Note: Discussions in English, readings in English and German.
[German 244. Readings in German Film Theory]
Catalog Number: 6388
Eric Rentschler
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Film theory, from the formalist perspectives of Arnheim and Eisenstein to critical assessments of cinema’s potential by Balázs, Kracauer, Benjamin, and Adorno. We consider the impact of this classical legacy on recent film and media studies.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Conducted in English. Readings in English; students with German-language proficiency read texts in the original.
German 246. The Ethics of Atheism: Marx, Nietzsche, Freud (Graduate Seminar in General Education) - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 80945
Peter J. Burgard
Half course (fall term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Examines the Western secular tradition through the work of three prominent modern theorists whose critiques of religion - in social and political theory, in moral philosophy, and in pyschoanalysis and anthropology - are motivated by ethical concerns.
Note: The seminar will design and develop a General Education course on these themes for undergraduates. Expected to be omitted in 2010-2011. Readings and discussions in English.
[German 288. German Novels Since Reunification: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 8467
Judith Ryan
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A study of German novels since 1990, viewed within their social and cultural context and against the backdrop of contemporary literary theory. Authors include Beyer, Brussig, Drawert, Hein, Hilbig, Maron, Timm, and Wolf.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. Readings in German, discussions in English.
German 290. Experience and Remembrance in W.G. Sebald: Seminar - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 74744
Judith Ryan
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Close study of Sebald’s narrative and poetic works, as well as a selection of his scholarly essays, against the backdrop of recent literary theory.
Note: Readings in German, discussions in English.
*German 301. Foreign Language Teaching Workshop
Catalog Number: 6129
Members of the Department
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged, two hours weekly.
An introduction to the teaching of German. Examines the history of German pedagogy, current methodological trends, research, textbooks, and technology. Emphasis on the practical aspects of teaching German from beginning to advanced levels.
*German 302. Introduction to Methods of Teaching Courses on Literature and Culture
Catalog Number: 4557
Maria Tatar 3645
Half course (spring term). Th. 2-4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
An introduction to teaching courses with an interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter.
Note: By permission of the instructor.
Swedish A. Beginning Swedish Language and Literature
Catalog Number: 7438
Ursula Lindqvist
Full course (indivisible). M., through Th., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 5, 14
A basic course focusing on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. During spring term, the emphasis is on more advanced conversation and an introduction to Sweden’s culture and civilization through selected texts and videos. By year’s end, students will be able to carry on conversations in everyday Swedish.
Note: The first half of this course may not be taken as a half course for credit toward the AB degree. Not open to auditors.
Swedish Ba. Intermediate Swedish
Catalog Number: 3104
Ursula Lindqvist
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 1, and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 6
Review of the essentials of Swedish grammar and development of vocabulary. Readings in modern Swedish literature are selected to encourage class discussion and to improve the student’s speaking and writing skills. Authors include Hjalmar Söderberg, Selma Lagerlöf, and Ingmar Bergman.
Note: Conducted in Swedish. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Swedish A or equivalent.
Swedish Bb. Intermediate Swedish
Catalog Number: 3405
Ursula Lindqvist
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 1, and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 6
Continuation of Swedish Ba. Readings from works in classical and modern Swedish literature and other texts of cultural and social interest. Authors include August Strindberg, Pär Lagerkvist, Carl Michael Bellman, Tomas Tranströmer, and Vilhelm Moberg.
Note: Conducted in Swedish. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Swedish Ba or equivalent.
*Scandinavian 97. Tutorial — Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 1592
Stephen A. Mitchell and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Group or individual tutorial designed to supplement course work and acquaint students with appropriate analytical methods.
Note: Open to concentrators in the Scandinavian option. Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
*Scandinavian 98. Tutorial — Junior Year
Catalog Number: 4255
Stephen A. Mitchell and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Group or individual tutorial designed to supplement course work and to develop analytical techniques.
Note: Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
*Scandinavian 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 5542
Stephen A. Mitchell and members of the Department
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Open to concentrators writing an honors thesis under faculty supervision. Students are expected to enroll for the entire year. Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
[Scandinavian 150 (formerly Scandinavian 80). The Vikings and the Nordic Heroic Tradition]
Catalog Number: 3974
Stephen A. Mitchell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the heroic legacy resulting from the historical events in northern Europe A.D. 800 to A.D. 1100, concentrating on medieval Icelandic poetry and sagas. The course focuses on how these texts present their heroes as warriors, kings, poets, outlaws and adventurers, and reviews how the viking image is received and shaped in later periods. Pre-Christian mythology, the viking raids and the Norse experience in “Vinland” carefully considered.
Note: Expected to be given in 2010–11. All readings and discussions in English.
This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the General Education requirement for Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding or the Core requirement for Literature and Arts A. This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engages substantially with Study of the Past.
Scandinavian 160a. Old Norse Language, Literature, and Culture: The Viking Legacy
Catalog Number: 1139 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Stephen A. Mitchell
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 15
Introduction to the language and literary culture of medieval Scandinavia, emphasizing works treating the Viking Age and their valorization of an heroic ideal. In addition to basic language skills, students acquire familiarity with key critical tools of the field. Readings include scaldic poetry, selections from Egils saga and the Vinland sagas, and various runic monuments.
Note: May be counted toward the Folklore and Mythology 90 requirement.
Scandinavian 160br (formerly Scandinavian 160b). Old Norse Language, Literature, and Culture: Mythology
Catalog Number: 7588 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Stephen A. Mitchell
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Builds on Scandinavian 160a, continuing the language study and cultural survey of the first term, but now considers mythological texts relating to Viking religious life, mainly selections from the prose and poetic Eddas. Special attention is paid to scholarly tools and debates concerned with the interpretation of these cultural monuments.
Note: May be counted toward the Folklore and Mythology 90 requirement.
Prerequisite: Scandinavian 160a or equivalent.
*Scandinavian 191r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 6175
Stephen A. Mitchell
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Advanced readings in topics not covered in regular courses.