Topics in German Literature and Culture

Course Number: 82-425

This repeatable course explores the culture of the German-speaking nations through a thematic or conceptual focus. Students critically analyze authentic documents, for example, historical, biographical, and literary texts, as well as film and works of the visual arts while improving and expanding their language skills.

FALL 2024 The Peaceful Revolution in East Germany 35 Years Later

This repeatable course explores the culture of the German-speaking nations through a thematic or conceptual focus. Students critically analyze authentic documents, for example, historical, biographical, and literary texts, as well as film and works of the visual arts while improving and expanding their language skills. Fall 2024:The Peaceful Revolution in East Germany 35 Years Later: The fall of 2024 marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the peaceful revolution in East Germany. This occurred in the autumn of 1989, most prominently in Leipzig on October 9, when a massive demonstration occurred that helped to break the back of the communist government.

This course, conducted in German, will look at the year 1989 in East Germany, along with the events that led to the revolution and the collapse of the communist party and government. One of the goals of the class will be to create a video archive (in German!) of the revolution and people's experiences of it, and to this end students who wish to travel to Leipzig during fall break will have the opportunity to do so with substantial subsidies from the Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics made possible through a generous and greatly appreciated grant from the Max Kade Foundation.

Students will still have to pay about $500 for the trip, and they will get round-trip air fare plus accommodations in Leipzig. The trip to Leipzig requires fluency in German and approval of the instructor. Students who choose to travel to Leipzig and do video work there will receive an additional three units for the course. However whether or not students choose to travel to Leipzig, the epicenter of the East German revolution, all students, including those staying in the U.S. during fall break, will work in groups to create final group video projects that will ultimately be mounted publicly in the university's Askwith Kenner Global Languages and Cultures room.

VIEW the Schedule of Classes for more details

Units: 9