GERM 1001 Elementary German (4 Credits)

DU’s first-year German courses introduce learners to the German language and German- speaking cultures while teaching the skills to be a life-long second language learner. German 1001 is the first course in this series. The teaching style is communicative, focusing on using the language to interact with others in everyday situations. Additionally, we discuss (in English) topics that both the U.S. and German culture have in common such as immigration, health care, and education. This course will help you achieve basic proficiency in German across all three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. Our goal is that by the end of the first-year German sequence, you will produce language at the Novice High level and be able to comprehend language at the Intermediate Low level. We will use as much German as possible in class. Mistakes and misunderstandings will happen often and are an important part of the learning process. Our goal is communication, not perfection. To support our goal of communication, our textbook uses a flipped classroom concept. Pre-class work will be assigned so that when we are together, we can move more quickly and focus our energy on interaction and creation. This course uses a performance assessment model to give students feedback and assign grades.

GERM 1002 Elementary German (4 Credits)

DU’s first-year German courses introduce learners to the German language and German- speaking cultures while teaching the skills to be a life-long second language learner. German 1002 is the second course in this series. The teaching style is communicative, focusing on using the language to interact with others in everyday situations. Additionally, we discuss (in English) topics that both the U.S. and German culture have in common such as immigration, health care, and education. This course will help you achieve basic proficiency in German across all three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. Our goal is that by the end of the first-year German sequence, you will produce language at the Novice High level and be able to comprehend language at the Intermediate Low level. We will use as much German as possible in class. Mistakes and misunderstandings will happen often and are an important part of the learning process. Our goal is communication, not perfection. To support our goal of communication, our textbook uses a flipped classroom concept. Pre-class work will be assigned so that when we are together, we can move more quickly and focus our energy on interaction and creation. This course uses a performance assessment model to give students feedback and assign grades. Prerequisite: GERM 1001 or equivalent.

GERM 1003 Elementary German (4 Credits)

DU’s first-year German courses introduce learners to the German language and German- speaking cultures while teaching the skills to be a life-long second language learner. German 1003 is the third course in this series. The teaching style is communicative, focusing on using the language to interact with others in everyday situations. Additionally, we discuss (in English) topics that both the U.S. and German culture have in common such as immigration, health care, and education. This course will help you achieve basic proficiency in German across all three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. Our goal is that by the end of the first-year German sequence, you will produce language at the Novice High level and be able to comprehend language at the Intermediate Low level. We will use as much German as possible in class. Mistakes and misunderstandings will happen often and are an important part of the learning process. Our goal is communication, not perfection. To support our goal of communication, our textbook uses a flipped classroom concept. Pre-class work will be assigned so that when we are together, we can move more quickly and focus our energy on interaction and creation. This course uses a performance assessment model to give students feedback and assign grades. Pre-requisite: German 1002 or equivalent.

GERM 1022 German Cinema: An Introduction to German Culture, History, and Politics through Film (4 Credits)

This course is taught in English. It is an invitation to German film-making since the end of the First World War. In this class we will explore 20th-century German identity, culture, history, and politics through film analysis and readings. Studying the most famous and influential films in the history of German cinema, we will explore numerous topics (including “The Golden Twenties”, nationalsocialistic propaganda, post-WWII German nation states, terrorism, reunification, multiculturalism, education and youth, the arts, gender, and class) and investigate how a popular culture medium like film can capture the political, social, and economic atmosphere in society at different times in German history. This courses fulfills the Analytical Inquiry-Society and Culture requirement.

GERM 1416 German Civilization: History, Politics, and Culture (4 Credits)

This course is an introduction to intellectual and cultural currents in German civilization from the Enlightenment to the present, emphasizing the arts in the context of history and philosophy from the late 18th century to around the mid-20th century. Readings include excerpts from such thinkers as Kant, Fichte, Marx, Nietzsche, Weber, as well as poetry and short fictional works by Heine, Jünger, Remarque, Borchert, and others. The readings are supplemented by films that students are expected to have watched at the beginning of each week. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

GERM 1417 Recasting German Identity: Germany since the End of the Cold War (4 Credits)

Recasting German Identity: Germany since the end of the Cold War examines how Germany, a once divided nation in the heart of Europe held responsible for two World Wars, has wrestled to overcome forty years of division between a capitalist West- and communist East Germany. Our class will examine both the pains and gains of 30+ years of unity in the ‘Berlin Republic’. We will analyze the so-called “normalization” of Germany’s contemporary internal and international affairs. At the center of our class are various political, historical, but mostly cultural developments (& intellectual debates) that have reshaped German identity in profound ways given the country’s exceptionally violent 20th century history. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

GERM 1988 Study Abroad Resident Credit (0-18 Credits)

GERM 2001 Intermediate German (4 Credits)

Continuation of German 1003. Taught in German. In this course, you will strengthen your communicative skills, intercultural competencies, and knowledge of German-speaking cultural history. Discussing a variety of shorter texts and visual arts, you will learn more advanced grammatical structures, expand our lexical repertoire, practice intercultural comparison, and develop an appreciation for diversity. Prerequisites: GERM 1003 or placement exam.

GERM 2002 Intermediate German (4 Credits)

Continuation of German 2001. Taught in German. In this course, you will strengthen your communicative skills, intercultural competencies, and knowledge of German-speaking cultural history. Discussing a variety of shorter texts and visual arts, you will learn more advanced grammatical structures, expand our lexical repertoire, practice intercultural comparison, and develop an appreciation for diversity. Prerequisites: GERM 2001 or placement exam.

GERM 2005 Reading and Conversation (4 Credits)

Continuation of German 2002. Taught in German. This class introduces you to more complex cultural topics, materials, and communicative settings. Reading a variety of texts, you will expand your vocabulary and gain a deeper understanding of German grammar, syntax, and inclusive language. You will also practice various oral communication tasks and scenarios, increasing your confidence and ability to communicate effectively with different audiences. This course prepares you for cultural discussion and literary analysis in our lower-level, content-based seminars. Prerequisites: GERM 2002 or placement exam.

GERM 2100 Conversation and Composition (4 Credits)

Taught in German. In this course, you will refine your writing and speaking skills through a variety of fun speaking and writing prompts. You will discuss sociopolitical, historical, and cultural topics, enhancing your critical and analytical thinking skills, intercultural competence, and appreciation for diversity. This course will help you communicate more freely, accurately, and creatively and produce detailed texts on a wide range of subjects. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2350 German-Speaking Film and Media (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course explores the German-speaking media landscape. Engaging with film and media theory, we will examine the multi-faceted role of media in society and discuss how people choose, consume, and are consumed by media at various times in history and in different political systems. We will analyze selected cultural topics and their representation in German-speaking media (television, news media, digital media, film, etc.) and draw comparisons to their media coverage in other cultures. This course also introduces you to the history of German-speaking cinema, discussing movies from the beginnings of film to the present. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2418 The Memory of Evil. Germany and the Holocaust since 1945 (4 Credits)

The Memory of Evil examines the long and difficult path Germans faced in their (ongoing) efforts to atone for the crimes of the Holocaust, that is, to preserve the memory of evil associated with their national past. Anti-Semitic incidents in Germany receive considerably more international press than such incidents elsewhere. Yet, what generally gathers less attention is the way Germany reacts. Our class will investigate what the Jewish moral philosopher Susan Neiman considers the success story of Germany’s decades-long process of “coming to terms with the past” – Vergangenheitsbewältigung or Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung – a process Neiman believes exemplary and worth replicating by other nations such as the US. We will start in the immediate aftermath of World War II, at a time when Germany lay in ruins, both physically and morally bankrupt. By means of written and visual sources, we will study examples of Germany’s sweeping engagements with its violent past, increasing our awareness of the challenges and rewards that have accompanied this historical reckoning from an initial period of repression after the war to the unsparing cultural revolution of the 1960s and 70s, from the time around Germany’s reunification in 1990 to the construction of the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe that opened in Berlin after much debate in 2005, all the way to the current rise of right-leaning and antisemitic party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the ‘cancel culture’ that has accompanied the most recent conflict between Israel and Gaza.

GERM 2701 Topics in Literature & Culture (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course explores authors, topics and/or movements in the German-speaking world. Topics vary. Repeatable if topic differs. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2800 Advanced German Grammar and Composition (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course offers an in-depth grammar review. We will practice advanced grammatical structures and inclusive language through quizzes, writing assignments, cultural projects, and presentations. This course will help you advance all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), developing a high level of grammatical accuracy and complexity. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2900 Comedy, Humor, Satire In German-Speaking Cultures (4 Credits)

Taught in German. In this course, we will analyze comedy, humor and satire as tools to expose political issues or social injustices and to raise existential, religious, and philosophical questions. We will examine various German, Austrian, and Swiss works (drama, poetry, prose, films, cartoons, paintings, theoretical and autobiographical texts), discussing topics such as ethno-comedy, Jewish humor, satire in the visual arts, famous German-speaking humorists and comedians, escapist humor in the GDR, theories of humor and laughter. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2910 Contemporary Trends and Tensions in the German-Speaking World (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course focuses on sociopolitical, economic, and cultural trends and tensions in contemporary German-speaking societies. Critically analyzing various authentic materials (newspaper articles, literary texts, caricatures, art, talk shows, documentaries, films), we will deepen our cultural knowledge and draw comparisons to other cultures. Topics include gender identities, religions, multiculturalism, poverty, sports, climate, economic trade, health, regional traditions, and topics that students suggest. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2920 (Multi)Cultural Identities and Values in the German-Speaking World (4 Credits)

Taught in German. Social roles and groups shape and/or are defined by shared cultural knowledge and history. This course explores historical and contemporary (constructions of) social identities in German-speaking societies. We will analyze the depiction of various social identities in literary, political and theoretical texts, films and other visual media, art and music and relate them to societal norms, expectations, and power hierarchies at the time. Topics include East and West German identities, youth cultures, multiculturalism, race, gender roles and identities, class, education, and topics that students suggest. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 2988 Study Abroad Resident Credit (0-18 Credits)

GERM 3050 Advanced Conversation and Composition (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course focuses on fluency, accuracy, and inclusive language in oral and written communication. Completing numerous writing and speaking projects, you will enhance your language confidence, intercultural competence, and appreciation for diversity. We will discuss complex cultural topics in various communicative settings and experiment with different writing styles, genres, and registers. This course will prepare you for cultural discussion and literary analysis in our upper-level seminars. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3701 Topics Literature & Culture (1-4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course explores authors, topics, and/or movements in the German-speaking world. Topics vary. Repeatable if topic differs. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3910 Nature, Environmentalism and Sustainability in German-Speaking Cultures (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course critically analyzes the reputation and self-perception of German-speaking countries as ‘green leaders’ and models of engaged (local and global) citizenship. We will explore interrelations between three central manifestations of environmental awareness in German-speaking cultures: the long aesthetic tradition of depicting nature (as idyllic refuge, agent, inspiration, scientific object, or powerful threat) in literature, art and film, the history of green politics and contemporary environmental debates, practices and protests. Furthermore, we will search for bridges between the Sciences and the Humanities and compare Western interpretations of the non-human world with non-Western epistemologies, such as Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3920 Border Crossings: Exile, Migration, Travel (4 Credits)

Taught in German. This course explores the importance of border crossings in contemporary and historical German-speaking cultures. Using a variety of cultural materials (images, music, film, political, theoretical and literary texts, travelogues, autobiographies), we will discuss the various reasons, challenges, and opportunities for border-crossers at various times in history and analyze how exile, travel, and migration experiences changed individual and cultural perceptions of Self and ‘Other’. Furthermore, we will examine the impact that German-speaking border-crossers had on the lives, cultures, and lands of native populations. Topics include diasporic and national belonging, asylum, acculturation, integration, settler colonialism, Indianthusiasm, work migration, gender, race, construction of ‘Otherness’. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3930 Rebels and Revolutionaries in the German-Speaking World (4 Credits)

Taught in German. The right to protest is essential in a democracy; protest is a form of political participation that can be a catalyst for social change. This course explores historical and contemporary protest movements in German-speaking cultures. We will analyze diverse cultural materials (political, theoretical, literary and autobiographical texts, movies and documentaries, paintings, songs) to discuss various revolutionary movements and their motivations, ideologies, goals and impact on German-speaking societies at different times in history. Topics include workers’ movements, colonialism, resistance during dictatorships, terrorism, student protests, civil disobedience, climate activism. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3940 Health, (Dis-)Ability and Well-Being in German-Speaking Cultures (4 Credits)

Taught in German. In this course, we will analyze health, (dis-)ability, and well-being as key concepts in cultural identity constructions, not only for the imagination of the nation as a ‘fit body’ (body politic), but also for the definition and exclusion of presumed disposable, disabled/disabling, and worthless ‘Others’. Analyzing various cultural materials, we will discuss the central role that health discourses played in the past (in European colonial ambition, in the establishment of democracies, in Nazi ideology and in socialist propaganda). We will also examine health(care) discussions in contemporary German-speaking cultures, focusing on topics such as healthcare systems, integration, women’s health, refugees, climate, and other current topics that students suggest. Finally, we will compare Western understanding of health with other, non-Western epistemologies, such as Indigenous definitions of well-being. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3950 Religion, Spirituality and Social Justice (4 Credits)

Taught in German. Religion is a central cultural practice. As a unified system of beliefs and practices, religion influences individual, communal and national perceptions, values, behaviors and concepts of belonging. This course explores the histories of various religions in the German-speaking world: Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism), Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Analyzing political, theoretical, literary, autobiographical texts and visual arts, we will discuss topics such as migration and integration, holidays and practices, persecution and resistance, church and state, violence and war, science and ideology, spirituality and social justice, missions and colonialism. Prerequisites: GERM 2005 or placement exam.

GERM 3988 Study Abroad Resident Credit (0-18 Credits)

GERM 3991 Independent Study (1-5 Credits)

GERM 3997 Internship in German (1-4 Credits)

GERM 3998 Distinction in German (1-5 Credits)