Welcome to German 488! This course is designed to familiarize you with two of the most pivotal decades in German 20th century literature/culture from 1918-1945. We will first set the stage for the course by looking at German immigrant history during this time period in Bloomington-Normal and also at poetic reactions before and during World War I. We will then delve into the political, cultural, and social turmoil that was Weimar Germany and explore one of the most experimental and innovative decades for Germany. The course will then examine National Socialist Germany via the German cultural production both inside (Nazi film) and outside of the country. We will look at the personal impact of dictatorship via a variety of voices that include exile author Anna Seghers, concentration camp poetry, and Rubble author Wolfgang Borchert.

- To continue read, write, speak, listen and think in German inside and outside of class when interacting with me or your classmates or completing your class assignments. By this time you should be at the Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High language level. This course focuses on acquiring advanced speaking and writing skills. Once this syllabus is clear, here we go!

- To introduce you to the texts listed above and their corresponding authors and historical periods. Topics covered include: German-American immigration, Dada Poetry, Brecht's Epic Theater, New Subjectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit), the New Woman, Nazi Popular and Propaganda Cinema, Concentration camp Poetry, Exile Literature, Rubble Literature (Trümmerliteratur).

- To prepare you to be a better reader of texts and writers and to help you create well-conceived academic papers. You should draw on the knowledge of genre and reading strategies learned in German 301 and in other upper-division German classes you might have had. In addition, we will be focusing on vocabulary building both to help you with reading and to aid your ability to speak in class at a higher level.

Course Promise:

In order to improve your speaking ability, you must speak. One of the joys of learning a foreign language comes from the mistakes made during practice. You learn from your mistakes just as you learn from the mistakes of others. No matter how long you study German, there is always a mistake that you will make, always something new that you can learn.

For you to participate in this course I need for you to promise two things:

1) I will jump over the proverbial cliff and speak as much German as I possibly can. I realize that I will make mistakes, but know that I cannot improve my speaking unless I speak. I will not worry about whether I sound intelligent or not.

2) I promise to respect and trust my other classmates and the professor and not to laugh at them, but rather with them, when mistakes are made. Learning a foreign language should be fun. This classroom will be a safe haven in which we all can learn from each other.

I expect each of you to attend class (attendance includes participation), and complete all of the assigned homework, discussion or reading by the date due. If you are unable to complete any of the assignments or cannot come to class on any given day, you must notify me ahead of time (by e-mail [sfritzsc@iwu.edu], phone [556-3290], MCLL [556-3044], or written notes in my mailbox in the MCLL office in Buck Hall or outside of my office - Buck 023. Make-up work will only be allowed in the case of illness, family emergency, or university-excused absences. I expect you to arrange this with me in advance. You may be required to provide proof of your reason of absence. You are responsible for coordinating with me to make up any such work, including exams, which you have missed. Unexcused absences will result in a grade reduction.

I also expect you to respect the unique background, skills, strengths and weaknesses of each student in the class and help to create a respectful atmosphere where all students feel comfortable contributing to and sharing with the group. If you feel that you have effectively contributed to the class that day, make sure that you encourage others to participate as well. Respect for diversity is important in creating a successful classroom, and in learning about a foreign culture.

Oral Expression (50%)

Class participation 20%

Partner Presentations 20%

Each student will complete two 10-15 minute presentations. An assignment sheet will provide further information. Students normally work in pairs. Each student must speak for an equal amount of time to provide me with a gradable language sample. Students who present in pairs must present for 15-20 minutes. Presentations will also be graded on quality of preparation and effort devoted to presentation style and content as well as comprehensibility. Also make sure that you look dress professionally for your presentation. You do not need to wear a suit, but do not come dressed in jeans either.

Museum project presentation 5%

This project will be done in teams. After our class visit to the McLean Country Museum, you will work with a German-language newspaper from the archive and report on it to the class. You will also translate several advertisements in the paper for the museum. More information will be provided.

Book review 5%

Each student will select one book that deals with either Weimar or National Socialist Germany and report to the class on it. This assignment enhances students knowledge of the sources available to them in Ames. See list of recommended books at the end of the syllabus.

Written Expression (50%)

Informal Writing Assignments 15%

After each reading/viewing assignment, there will be a response sheet for you to fill out in your course reader. This response sheet is designed to improve your vocabulary knowledge, your understanding of the reading/viewing and to produce questions for discussion in class. Occasionally reading questions will be provided for the reading assignment. These are to be used as a guide and do not need to be answered specifically. Look them over after your initial response writing to see if they help you in any way. If you are doing a presentation for that day, you are not responsible for completing the response sheet. On occasion, I will also assign informal reading/writing assignments. These will be small exercises designed to enhance your understanding of the reading and to prepare for in-class discussion. Such assignments will come particularly in the study of the films. Informal writing assignments will be graded according to the following criteria: completion of assignment, demonstration of material preparation, demonstration of thought put into exercise, comprehensibility. Your writing assignments will be collected as noted on the course schedule.

Essays 35%

You will be asked to prepare two essays in two drafts in the middle and at the end of the semester. You are expected to come to my office to discuss these essays. These essays will be based on the readings/viewings for that period and will assess your knowledge of the class content. The first will be in German and will consist of a close reading of what of the assigned texts. The second will be a research paper in English on a topic of your choice during the latter half of the semester. German essays will be evaluated according to the following criteria: use of new vocabulary from class, experimentation with more complex sentence styles and phrases, grammar, comprehensibility, quality of analysis. All citations follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. If you do not know this style, see the brochure in the library foyer or in the writing center.

A-F Grading

A= Exceptional performance, far above expected performance average.

B= Very good, still above expected performance average (which meets basic course requirements)

C= Good, performance meets basic course requirements

D= Acceptable but below performance average, some basic course requirements are not met.

F= Not acceptable, minimal basic course requirements are not met.

I= Only given in exceptional cases

S= (S/N) grading, given when student attains at least a C on the A-F scale.

Be aware that your work for this course should conform to University policies concerning scholastic honesty. Scholastic dishonesty will result in an "F" for the assignment and/or an "F" for the course. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing (misrepresenting as one's own anything done by another), submitting the same or substantially similar papers (or creative work) for more than one course without prior consent of all instructors concerned, sabotaging another's work, and unauthorized collaboration (such as substantial rewriting of an essay by another) on assignments or exams.

Students with Disabilities

All students both able-bodied and disabled are welcome in this course. If you have a disability that is recognized by the Illinois Wesleyan University Office of Disability Services, please feel free to contact me with their letter of introduction as early as possible. We can then agree on reasonable accommodations in accordance with those requirements outlined with your advisor and Disability Services to enable your success in this course.