German Studies

Full Time Faculty: Rachael Huener, A. Kiarina Kordela (Chair), David Martyn, Linda Schulte-Sasse

Part Time Faculty: Brigitta Abel

German Studies

The German program aims at enabling students to develop full proficiency in speaking, understanding, reading and writing the German language. It also offers an interdisciplinary approach to German literary, intellectual, and cultural history as well as to the intellectual, cultural, economic and political life of the contemporary German-speaking countries. German is the language of many of the greatest and most influential minds of world history-of Luther, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Kant, Hegel, Arendt, Goethe, Freud, Marx and Einstein-and also of the Austrian Adolf Hitler, who sponsored the most tragic episode in two thousand years of German history. German-speaking writers have won eleven Nobel Prizes for literature alone, the latest being Elfriede Jelinek in 2004 and Herta Muller in 2009. To a significant extent, the thoughts and compositions of uncounted giants of the mind and spirit are formulated and recorded in historical, literary, philosophical, musical and scientific works in a way that cannot be adequately understood by anyone who does not know the German language and culture well.

With over a hundred million native speakers, German is the European language to know, since it is the native language of all Germans, Austrians and of 70 percent of the Swiss, and is the second language of many Eastern Europeans. Germany alone has not only the largest population in Europe, it is Europe’s strongest economic, political, and military power and the core of the European Union. “German” companies such as Bertelsmann, Siemens, Bayer, and Daimler-Chrysler are among the largest and strongest international conglomerates today. The German-speaking countries have adopted a pro-active, cosmopolitan approach to the world’s problems. They will be primary players in the new century and millennium. While English is sure to dominate world commerce, knowledge of German will provide a competitive advantage to those who strive to gain commercial preeminence.

German Studies builds a foundation for graduate work in many academic fields that call for a thorough knowledge of German language, culture, and history. It also helps prepare students for employment in teaching, foreign service, the media, business, law, tourism, translation, publishing, and arts administration. The German department also provides offerings in English directed at the broad Macalester community as well as departmental majors. Since 1971, more than 60 Macalester graduates in the field of German have won Fulbright, DAAD or ITT Fellowships for study in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia, a record paralleled by few American colleges of comparable size.

The German House

Students compete for the privilege of living in the Macalester German House, where daily conversation with two resident native German speakers and other students of German both improves oral proficiency in German and develops increased understanding of German-speaking cultures and societies. The German House is also the center of the German studies program’s social activities.

The German Study Abroad Program

Update regarding the Pandemic:

We shall know whether the Spring 2021 Study Abroad Program will take place by October 20. As long as our Study Abroad program cannot take place due to pandemic-related travel limitations, students majoring, or intending to major, in German should consult with the faculty in the department of German Studies regarding available alternatives that will support their exposure to the target language and culture.

Since 1969, Macalester College has maintained a successful study abroad program in Germany and Austria. This program is open to non majors as well as majors. Students with the requisite language skills (completion of Intermediate German II or the equivalent) may be admitted. The program includes:

a two-month term (January and February) of intensive language instruction at the Goethe Institute in Berlin, Germany (4 credits); and
in Vienna, Austria, courses at the Austro-American Institute (4 credits each, March through May): German Drama and Theater (Lived Theater) and Austrian Cultural History (Austria’s Multicultural Tradition). Additionally, students will select two courses at the University of Vienna (March through June) and (optionally) a non-credit bearing internship (June). All courses are taught in German. An on-site Macalester faculty member is director.

Further information on the Macalester German Study Abroad Program is provided by the department and the Center for Study Abroad.

German Native Speaker

Students of German are supported in attaining language skills with the assistance of native speakers, who live in the German House and lead laboratory conversation sessions for courses numbered GERM 101 , GERM 102 , GERM 110 , GERM 203 , and GERM 204 .

General Distribution Requirement

All courses in the German Studies department count toward the general distribution requirement in humanities, except for elementary and intermediate language courses.

General Education Requirements

Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and U.S identities and differences will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester.

Additional information regarding the general distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog.

Policy on German Language Grades

In order to be accepted into the next higher German language course in the sequence, a student must have received a grade of C- or higher in the previous course. For additional information regarding the language requirement, see the college requirements.

Honors Program

The German Studies department participates in the honors program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific project expectations for the department are available from either the department office or the Academic Programs and Advising Office.

Topics Courses

GERM 194 , GERM 294 , GERM 394 , GERM 494

Recent courses: Existentialism; Modernism/Postmodernism; Exile Literature; Literary Case Studies from Goethe to Kafka, Movies of the Third Reich, Film Theory: From Goebbels to Hollywood, and Critical Theory. Many of these courses fulfill the critical theory requirement. May be taught in English or in German. Offered every year. To be announced at registration. (4 credits)

Independent Study

The department offers independent study options in the form of tutorials, independent projects, internships, preceptorships and Honors independent projects. For more information contact the department and review the Curriculum section of the catalog.