UPenn-Germanics

Catriona MacLeod, Undergraduate Chair
898-7334
733 Williams Hall
cmacleod@sas.upenn.edu

Graduate Chair
Liliane Weissberg
747 Williams Hall
(215) 898-3343
lweissbe@sas.upenn.edu

Acting Department Chair
Frank Trommler
734 Williams Hall
(215) 898-3091
trommler@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

Kathryn Hellerstein, Yiddish
898-7103
748 Williams Hall
khellers@mail.sas.upenn.edu

Kim-Eric Williams, Swedish
898-7107
751 Williams Hall
wkimeric@sas.upenn.edu

Major in German: Choose from a wide variety of courses in language, applied language, culture, literature, and history. You can be confident that you will leave our program fluent in the language and at ease in the cultures and traditions of the German speaking countries
Major in German Studies: This versatile program offers you fluency in the language, culture, and literature, in addition to enabling you to select five courses related to your German interests in other School of Arts and Science departments. An efficient way to double major and to prepare for graduate school or an international career.
Double Major in German and Your Major of Choice: You are already in the Wharton School, International Relations, Computer Science, History, or Political Science. If you want to make yourself really competitive, then consider adding German as a double major. This could be just the edge you need.
Minor in German: You have satisfied your language requirement, but elect to keep up your German with some advanced language courses. To obtain a minor only requires 6 credits beyond GRMN 104 and most of your courses satisfy other college requirements.
Certificate in German Language Study: Students can receive a Certificate by completing 3 courses taught in German in addition to passing proficiency. Students must receive a minimum of a B+ average in the three courses, and may not take the courses on a pass/fail basis.
Most of these options can readily be combined with Penn’s study abroad programs in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. Do not forget these programs afford you Penn credit for the courses that you take. You will satisfy courses in your major, double major or minor as you become more fluent in the Germanic language via total immersion in two of Europe’s most exciting cities.

GRMN 101 Elementary German I
001 MTWRF 12-1 Staff
Introduction to the basic elements of spoken and written German, with a particular emphasis placed on the acquisition of communication skills. Readings and discussion will focus on cultural differences.

GRMN 102 Elementary German II
001 MTWRF 11-12 Staff
002 MTWRF 12-1 Staff
003 MTWRF 1-2 Staff
A continuation of GRMN 101. The student’s expression and comprehension are enhanced through the study of literature and social themes.

GRMN 103 Intermediate German I
001 MTRF 12-1 Staff
Modern German texts of moderate difficulty, an integrated grammar view, targeted study of vocabulary, and wide-ranging activities and projects to advance the student’s command of the language with regard to reading, writing, and speaking skills.

GRMN 104 Intermediate German II
001 MTRF 11-12 Staff
002 MTRF 12-1 Staff
003 MTRF 1-2 Staff
Literary and non-literary texts of moderate difficulty. Continued practice in active communication. This course is designed to further develop and refine integrative skills of reading, writing, and speaking in German, as well as to prepare students for the Proficiency Examination in German and for advanced-level German courses.

GRMN 107 Accelerated Intermediate German
001 MWF 10-11 Schnader
TR 10:30-12
An intensive two credit course in which two semesters of elementary German (GRMN 101 & 102) are completed in one. Introduction to the basic elements of spoken and written German, with emphasis placed on the acquisition of communication skills. Readings and discussions focus on cultural differences. Expression and comprehension are then expanded through the study of literature and social themes.

GRMN 180 German in Residence
301 TBA Schnader
This is a 1/2 credit course for students living in the Modern Language House.

GRMN 215 Conversation and Composition
Prereq. 104 or equiv.
001 MWF 12-1 Schnader
Emphasizes conversational and writing skills in German. Contemporary topics of interest will be selected for discussions, debates, presentations, and role-playing situations. WWW exercises. Active role in critiquing one another’s writing exercises.

GRMN 220 Business German: Micro
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 219 or equivalent
Pending: Distribution I: Society; FLAC
001 MWF 11-12 Shields
This course is designed to enhance your speaking, reading and writing skills, in addition to helping you build a strong foundation in business vocabulary. Course objectives include acquiring skills in cross cultural communication, teamwork, business management, and creating a business plan. German grammar will be covered on a need be basis. This course will prepare you to perform and contribute while in a German-speaking business environment.

GRMN 216 Introduction to Literature
Gen Req III: Arts & Letters
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 104 or the equivalent
301 MWF 10-11 Frei
Required for the major, also carries credit for the minor in German. Develops students' basic skills of literary interpretation. Exposure to various reading techniques (e.g. close reading, reading for plot, etc.) and to literary terminology and its application. Readings will include selections from prose, drama and lyric poetry.

GRMN 221 Advanced Grammar and Stylistics
001 TR 9-10:30 Brevart
This course is designed to help the student develop a more sophisticated writing style in German. This is achieved by means of the study and discussion of the fine points of German syntax (e.g. correct usage of tenses, punctuation, experimentation with word order, etc.), by a variety of exercises in finding synonyms, similes, analogies, and rhetorical strategies, and by exposure to numerous idioms. Emphasis is also placed on determining the appropriate usage of language in a specific situation. The ultimate objective of this course is therefore to encourage an active and imaginative use of the German language. Students should be prepared to undertake an active role in critiquing one another's writing.

GRMN 325 Politics of the Past: Telling Early Modern Tales to Modern Readers
All classese are conducted in German
TR 12-1:30 Wiggin
In this class we will focus on how literary hi/stories are (re)written, and to what ends. Over the course of the semester, texts from the seventeenth century will be paired alongside a “rewrite” from the twentieth. Paired readings may include: Martin Opitz (Buch von der deutschen Poeterey) and Günther Grass (Das Treffen in Telgt), Grimmelshausen (Coursache) and Bertold Brecht (Mutter Courage) and Abraham à Sancta Clara (Predigten) and Barbara Frischmuth (Die Klosterschule). In our discussions, we will explore a series of related questions: How does the older text resonate within the new? How does the newer text comment on the old? What are the politics of such dialogues with the distant past?

GRMN 376 From Bayreuth to Techno: Culture and Culture Politics in Germany
Distribution I: May be counted as a Distributional course in Society.
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 215 or equivalent.
001 TR 3-4:30 Roth
This course surveys a number of different cultural events like the music festival in Bayreuth and the “Love Parade” in Berlin as well as controversies in the cultural arena such as the wrapping of the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Walser-Bubis-Debate in the 1990s. Based on these examples as well as the Olympic Games in Munich 1972, the Culture City of Europe Weimar 1999, and the World Exposition Expo 2000 in Hanover, we will discuss political (national identity, foreign policy, crisis prevention) and economic (boosterism) aspects of cultural events. Differences in art and culture between the U.S. and Germany will be addressed.

GRMN 395 Senior Colloquium
301 TBA Wiggin
This course is intended for students completing thier senior thesis for the German Major.

GRMN 399 Independent Study
000 TBA Staff
Permission needed from the Department to enroll in Independent Study.

GRMN 499 Independent Study
000 TBA Staff
Permission needed from the Department to enroll in Independent Study.

GRMN 246 Heroes, Minstrel, Knights
All readings and lectures in English
General Requirement III: Arts & Letters
001 TR 10:30-12 Brevart
In this course we will read medieval works of international literary importance, such as the Arthurian novels of Hartman von Aue Erec and Iwein, the German Song of the Nibelungs and the Old French Song of Roland as examples of heroic literature, and the tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde by Gottfried von Strasburg. We will also read two Spielmannsepen which have as their central theme the international motif of the bridal quest, namely Sankt Oswald and König Rother, and compare these works with the Nibelungenlied and Tristan, which themselves also involve the bridal quest as one of their principal structural elements. There is, however, a major and critical distinction between the traditional happy ending of the bridal quest epics and that of The Nibelungs and of Tristan and Isolde, for those two German works culminate in the total destruction and disintegration of entire peoples and values, or with the utter misery of the ideal couple. With our readings of the love poems of the French Troubadours and those of their German counterparts, the Minnesänger, our final genre of medieval literature, we will not only discuss the ubiquitous and timeless love theme in all its variations, but also the socio-political implications of such poetry.

GRMN 253 Freud: The Invention of Psychoanalysis
All readings and lectures in English
General Requirement VII: Science Studies
411 TR 1:30-3 Weissberg
Probably no other person of the twentieth century has influenced scientific thought, humanistic scholarship, medical therapy, and popular culture as much as Sigmund Freud. This seminar will try to study his work, its cultural background, and its impact on us today. In the first part of the course, we will learn about Freud's life and the Viennese culture of his time. We will then move to a discussion of seminal texts, such as excerpts from his Interpretation of Dreams, case studies, as well as essays on psychoanalytic practice, human development, neuroses, and culture in general. In the final part of the course, we will discuss the impact of Freud's work. Guest lecturers from the medical field, history of science, psychology, and the humanities will offer insights into the reception of Freud's work, and its consequences for various fields of study and therapy.

GRMN 255 Mann, Hesse, Kafka
Gen Req III: May be counted towards the General Requirement in Arts & Letters.
All readings and discussions in English.
401 TR 12-1:30 Trommler
Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, and Franz Kafka have become classics with their literary exploration of alienation, loss, and recovery of the individual in the modern world. This course offers immersion in some of their crucial novels, accompanied by the viewing of films (Visconti, Welles) and videos that reflect their work. Readings of such works as Kafka's "Metamorphosis" and "The Trial," Mann's "Death in Venice" and "The Magic Mountain," and Hesse's "Demian" and "Steppenwolf" are discussed in the light of Germany's dark history in the twentieth century. The course will provide an in-depth look at the dilemma of the modern artist and the ways in which literary and visual culture can contribute to a deeper understanding of ethical issues that continue to be with us in the twenty-first century.

GRMN 256 The Devil's Pact in Literature, Music and Film
General Req. III: Arts & Letters.
All readings and lectures in English
420 Lec MW 12-1 Richter
421 Rec F 12-1 Staff
422 Rec F 12-1 Staff
423 Red F 12-1 Staff
424 Rec F 12-1 Staff
425 Rec F 11-12 Staff
426 Rec F 11-12 Staff
427 Rec R 1-2 Staff
428 Rec 10-11 Staff
For centuries the pact with the devil has signified humankind's desire to surpass the limits of human knowledge and power. From the reformation chapbook to the rock lyrics of Randy Newman's Faust, from Marlowe and Goethe to key Hollywood films, the legend of the devil's pact continues to be useful for exploring our fascination with forbidden powers.

GRMN 507 Elementary Middle-High German
301 MWF 10-11 Speyer
Designed to familiarize the student with the principal elements of Middle High German grammar and to develop skills in reading and translating a major work of the twelfth century. Limited text interpretation.

GRMN 517 Technology and Foreign Language Teaching
401 T 9-10:30 Frei/McMahon
R 4-5:30
This course focuses on the evaluation, design, and development of multimedia in foreign language teaching and seeks to spotlight intersections of pedagogy and technology. Emphases are on the evaluation and production of effective multimedia-based materials and the pedagogical concerns raised by their implementation. In workshops, you will learn to use video-, image-, and sound-editing software applications. In weekly lectures, you will examine current trends and issues in pedagogically sound applications of technology. We will focus our discussions mainly on the efficacy of Web-based design and development.You will design and produce an instructional project including different media such as text, image/graphics, sound, and video and create an on-line teaching portfolio as your final project.

GRMN 532 German Literature 18th Century to Present
301 TR 10:30-12 Weissberg
A continuation of GRMN 531, this course examines literary developments from the Enlightenment to the present.

GRMN 552 Kant II
401 TR 1:30-3 Guyer
A study of Kant's moral philosophy, political philosophy, and aesthetics, focusing on his GROUNDWORK FOR THE METAPHYSICS OF MORALS, CRITIQUE OF PRACTICAL REASON, METAPHYSICS OF MORALS, and CRITIQUE OF JUDGEMENT.

GRMN 630 Lessing
301 W 2-4 Richter
This course seeks access to the culture of the Enlightenment through focused attention on a single key player. For many, Lessing embodies the German Enlightenment. His interventions and accomplishments in theater, literature, aesthetics, semiotics, and theology show an Enlightenment mind at work. Special emphasis on the plays (Die Juden, Miss Sara Sampson, Philotas, Minna von Barnhelm, Emilia Galotti, and Nathan der Weise), the Hamburgische Dramaturgie, Laokoon, and the essays on religion and theology.

GRMN 657 Contemporary German Literature
301 H 2-4 Trommler
This course provides a guide to the German literary scene since the 1960s, the discussion about Postmodernism, and the work of some of the most accomplished contemporary German writers. It is conducted in seminar style, requiring two short reports and a seminar paper. Writings of Handke, Strauss, Wolf, Ransmayr, Sebald, Schlink, Hilbig, Grass, and others will be discussed.

GRMN 674 Hermeneutics & Post-Structuralism
401 T 3-6 Birus
Hermeneutics, the “theory of understanding,” is a foundational dimension of the humanities, especially comparative literature. The term hermeneutics is currently used in a confusing variety of ways. Beginning with the founder of modern hermeneutics, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and subsequent proponents (especially Böckh and Dilthey, but also Heidegger and Gadamer), this course will also focus on post-structural critiques of hermeneutics, especially the Gadamer-Derrida debate.

A continuation of GRMN 101. The student’s expression and comprehension are enhanced through the study of literature and social themes.

GRMN 104 Intermediate German II
601 MW 6:30-8:15 Staff
Literary and non-literary texts of moderate difficulty. Continued practice in active communication. This course is designed to further develop and refine integrative skills of reading, writing, and speaking in German, as well as to prepare students for the Proficiency Examination in German and for advanced-level German courses.

GRMN 256 The Devil's Pact in Literature, Music and Film
General Req. III: Arts & Letters.
All readings and lectures in English.
601 M 6-9 Richter
For centuries the pact with the devil has signified humankind's desire to surpass the limits of human knowledge and power. From the reformation chapbook to the rock lyrics of Randy Newman's Faust, from Marlowe and Goethe to key Hollywood films, the legend of the devil's pact continues to be useful for exploring our fascination with forbidden powers.

GRMN 265 Yiddish in Eastern Europe
Distribution III: Arts & Letters
Benjamin Franklin Seminar
All readings and lectures in English
401 TR 10:30-12 Hellerstein

This course presents the major trends in Yiddish literature and culture in Eastern Europe from the mid-19th century through World War II. Divided into four sections - "The Shtetl," "Religious vs. Secular Jews," "Language and Culture," and "Confronting Destruction" - this course will examine how Jews expressed the central aspects of their experience in Eastern Europe through history, literature (fiction, poetry, drama, memoir), film, and song.

GRMN 402 Beginning Yiddish II
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 401 or permission of the instructor.
401 TR 10:30-12 Botwinik

In this course, you can continue to develop basic reading, writing and speaking skills. Discover treasures of Yiddish culture: songs, literature, folklore, and films

GRMN 404 Intermediate Yiddish II
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 403 or permission of the instructor.
401 TR 1:30-3 Hellerstein

DTCH 104 Intermediate Dutch II
Prerequisite: Dutch 103 or equivalent
401 MWF 11-12 Naborn
Continuation of DTCH 103.

DTCH 230 Anne Frank and Holocaust Literature
Cancelled
This course explores the ways in which the Holocaust and the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and Belgium have been reflected in Dutch and Flemish literature.

After a historical overview of the Jewish presence in the Low Countries, the focus shifts to the writings, person and phenomenon of Anne Frank, and concludes with consideration of other Dutch authors who also often gave very personal accounts of life in The Netherlands or Belgium during the Holocaust.

DTCH 399 Independent Study
Permission needed from Department
000 TBA Staff

DTCH 504 Intermediate Dutch II
Prerequisite: Dutch 103 or equivalent
401 MWF 11-12 Naborn

Advising