German Studies News!

2012-01-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

Laura, Ryan, Erik, Mark, and David, we admire your global vision and wish you

the best for the very rewarding year ahead!

Each year, CSB and SJU German majors and minors are selected for research projects and teaching positions in Austrian and German Gymnasien, or schools. Over the past 15 years some 50 CSB/SJU students have participated in these prestigious programs following their graduation. The Fulbright Program especially appreciates applicants who are interested in the study and use of German in their plans for the future, either in teaching or in other careers. For more information about how to apply before next year's October 15th (Germany) and February 1st (Austria) deadlines, see the Fulbright Webpage and Application Form.

German Faculty Continues Work on Creating New Courses and Activities

2012-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

New Goals Include More Cooperation with Other CSB/SJU Departments; Continued Rise in Number of Majors and Minors; Excellence in Our Programs Abroad; and Stronger Relationships with Minnesota High School Teachers

Dear Friends,
German Departments across the nation are strengthening their curricula with new courses aimed at engaging a broader variety of students, intensifying student learning about culture, and forming partnerships with professors from a variety of departments in the humanities, arts, and sciences. Even in the process of developing new courses and extracurricular events for our department these past two years, we have seen an astonishing rise in numbers of majors and minors in German, a trend we hope will continue. Thank you to our colleagues and administrators who have given important support to our curricular developments.

Special thanks to Provost Rita Knuesel, Dave Lyndgaard, Mike Connolly in Student Development and John Taylor in Institutional Advancement for helping make the Fulbright position possible on our campuses this coming year. John, thank you again for your work on our behalf with a local foundation which supports German activities. Thank you Fr. Tom Andert for your superb teaching of German students preparing for a teaching career. Thanks also to Professors Wendy Klepetar and Gregory Schroeder. We appreciate your work with our German students who have completed the German Option in your courses in Management and German History. Thank you Mary Niedenfuer for all the energy you bring to the faculty and students of Modern and Classical Languages as department coordinator! To all of you, we are grateful to be working with colleagues like you who care deeply about students and faculty.

Brooke Kreitinger '01 Completing German PhD Degree at Georgetown University

2012-01-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends at CSB/SJU,
Wonderful to hear from you! I hope this finds you and all in the German Department enjoying a productive, stimulating start to a new semester. I indeed continue to use my German since graduating from St. Ben's/St. John's and hope to keep doing so in a new setting starting next fall!

After a DAAD Grant for a year of research in Germany at the University of Trier, I am back at Georgetown completing my dissertation titled "Practicing the Spatial Imagination of Accelerated Globalization in Contemporary German-language Novels," which I will defend this May. As for my plans upon completion of my PhD, I am applying for positions at colleges/universities throughout the country, so that I will hopefully be able to continue teaching at the college level and researching topics related to German language, literature and culture. And of course, I hope that sooner rather than later I am able to lead a study abroad adventure to a German-speaking region of the world.

All my best, Brooke

Dear Brooke,
We are all so proud of you. I hope you can come and visit sometime. All good things as you complete your PhD work and plan for your future!

John Herbeck '90 Visits Frau Paeske in Salzburg

2012-01-17T04:30:00.000-08:00

Fr. Mark:

     I found Frau Paeske. We spent a few hours together in her dining room and she is just as giddy and friendly as always. We shared laughs and also a couple of tears. Herr Paeske died a few years ago, and her daughter Birgitte died just a couple of years ago from some type of brain/head issue, maybe cancer.
     She currently has one student, from a former yugoslav republic.   She pulled out her photo album, and I wrote in it for the third time. The last time I had visited was in the spring of 2001.
     She has built up quite the legacy and I feel rather compelled to do something while she is still around, and maybe connect those who have stayed with her/them. She wants visits and is still sharp as a tack. I am hoping to visit her again, but don't know when I can make it back.   I am trying to connect with her other daughter and son-in-law via email.
     I have some insights and ideas about the Salzburg Progam and would love to come to St. John's and catch up with you, and continue to be an ambassador for German language and study abroad programs! For me it all started with you, Fr. Mark, and so thank you for that! I copied Mike Koalska on this message.

All the best,
John Herbeck
SJU '90

Kristine Bornus to Attend Summer Session in Trier, Germany, through a Georgetown University Program

2012-01-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Kristine on being accepted to this presitigous summer program.

What a great way to move ahead in German Studies! We are proud of you.

Summer Term in Germany through Georgetown University

Andrea Terhaar '02, German and Art History Double Major, Lives in Belgium, Tells of Her Adventures Abroad.

2012-01-10T09:20:00.000-08:00

Hope you and the German department are well! It's so nice to hear from you, I think often of my wonderful German and Art History professors at CSBSJU. I definitely have used my German major in a variety of capacities since graduating in 2002:
   2002-03 - I spent a year teaching in Vienna Austria with the Fulbright program - did much traveling in the meanwhile, and really came into fluency over the course of the year.
   Although I was a German and Art History major at CSBSJU, my experience teaching abroad revealed my love for teaching in general, so I went back the the UMN (mpls campus) for my Masters of Education in English. I taught at the secondary level in the Centennial District (Lino Lakes) for almost seven years - primarily English (which evidently German language studies have often come up when reading Shakespeare, etc). During my tenure there, and due to my German major, I was given the opportunity to teach one semester of German as a fill in for a teacher who had to suddenly leave the district. It was a wonderful semester of beginning Deutsch! Lots of fun, grammar, culture, role plays throughout the class.
   Last spring 2011, my husband and I moved to Brussels, Belgium and I am now teaching in one of the European Schools here, as an English and Ethics teacher to all the kids of EU consulates. I am using my German daily in a number of ways - directly with students and fellow colleagues, in translating Dutch (quite similar to German), traveling to Germany, and also in my every day research/reading/pleasure. I am now learning French, since it is the primary language in Brussels, however feel so at home when I am able to use my German, to me, such a wonderful and familiar language. I'm very happy to have been a German major and continue to read, speak and enjoy using it!
   Please give my regards to the German department faculty and students. Please feel free to pass on the link to our blog! http://andreajohnbelgium.com/

Alles Gute im neuen Jahr,
Andrea (Terhaar) Krueger
arterhaar@yahoo.com

Robert Mevissen Enters Georgetown MA and PhD Studies in German and Modern European History

2012-01-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

Hello all!
     I'm sorry that it's been a while since most of you have heard from me! Since graduation from CSB/SJU, life hasn't slowed down very much for me, which is just fine but hardly leaves room for my correspondence career. Most of you probably know that I just spend the last two years living, studying and working in Vienna- after meeting friends, exploring the city, playing in a first rate orchestra and finally feeling as though I could get used to this "European lifestyle," I realized that if my career plan had taken a definitive Austrophilic turn and I hoped to get back there sometime (professor of history at the University of Vienna?), I should probably continue my education and make myself slightly more valuable (those Austrians seem to love their "Magister" title, and most of my students agreed that "Bachelor Bertl" didn't sound so impressive on a CV).
     Thanks in part to a very supportive group of people, I sent in my applications to graduate schools last fall- I applied to a lot of Midwest universities to pursue PhD studies and a few DC-based schools for MAs. Fortunately, my decision was very easy (only my first choice school accepted me into its PhD program), so, I am now in Washington, DC (with my girlfriend Elisabeth- whom I met in Vienna) having just completed my first semester at Georgetown University. My program is a joint "MAGES-PhD" degree, which means that I will receive an MA in German and European Studies and a PhD in Modern European history.
     The MA curriculum focuses entirely on current (or modern historical) European events, such as EU institutions, European Economy, European cultural theory, etc. I've recreated EU Council Summits, written papers dissecting the German response to the Euro crisis and (true to my roots) I've just finished writing my final economics paper on the "Production, Consumption and Marketing of Austrian Wines," which unfortunately did not lead to any "field" research. The PhD curriculum, which I am completing simultaneously, is very heavy in historical theory, which is fascinating and frustratingly difficult to understand (have any of you read "Metahistory" by Hayden White- holy cow!). My fields of study as of now are the Austrian and German Empires in the 19th century, nationalism and European empire-building. And with my newfound knowledge in gender, class and subaltern narrative building, I hope not to silence too many voices in the course of my research.
     Both groups of students with whom I am studying are amazing- the MAGI (our nickname for the MA cohort) are fun, spunky, highly intelligent individuals, who all foresee "State Department" or "CIA" in their future. The PhD crowd is a bit more subdued, perhaps because they realize that they have five years of school in front of them still, but they are also very insightful and endearing personalities. Although the historians stick to themselves, the MAGES department has a lot of contact with the PhD students in the German department here (maybe because we meet up every Thursday to practice our German at "Stammtisch"), and at the beginning of the year, I met Brooke Kreitinger - a former Bennie! Don't worry, dear French professors, I am also maintaining a good level of French, having enrolled in a French language/culture course and practicing with the three other MAGI who also speak French- one of whom is from France. Although the fourteen other students in the program poke fun at us when we speak French in the BMW Center, we've decided that they're just jealous that they peuvent pas parler francais.
     As I said, I am now finishing up the semester! The great news that I wanted to share with you involves my recently-discovered summer plans! At the beginning of November, I applied through the State Department to work at an overseas embassy. I just found out that the US Embassy in Vienna accepted my application, so I will be going back to Austria this summer for ten weeks to work as an intern in the embassy's Economic-Political section (http://austria.usembassy.gov/econ.html). I am massively excited, as that was exactly what I hoped to be doing! After having quickly responded that I was interested in taking the internship, I got another email yesterday from the US Embassy in Berlin, who had also accepted my application. It was very difficult to write back and decline the position.
     In any event, life is good and thanks to all of you who got me here, I feel well-prepared for it!! I hope that the fall semester back at CSB/SJU was a grand success. I would love to hear from each of you and find out what is going on, so once you have the time, please write!! If anyone mentions that there is snow on the ground, I might become insanely jealous, as DC seems to be experiencing a resurgence of warm weather (like "shorts, t-shirt and umbrella" weather). I'm excited to return home to my family in Minnesota in a few weeks, once all my final papers are written...

I hope you are all well!! Take care!

Gratefully yours,

Robert

ps. I've also attached a recent photo of my in front of a bus that I saw in DC last week, which made me happy! Also, don't mind the scruffy look- it's "no-shave November" and it was my first time ever participating...

Prof Mark Thamert Presents at Denver Conference

2011-12-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

Summary of the Presentation Given at the November 2011 American Association of Teachers of German National Conference in Denver:

         Grooveshark, Goethe, Good Poems, Good Music
     The greatest of German poems have always enjoyed a rich history of interpretations, or Rezeptionsgeschichte. Some of the m,ost provocative poems have garnered hundreds of interpretations from their first date of publication to the present. Each of these interpretations reveals something of the intellectual interests of the age and literary milieu in which it was written.
     What are often overlooked are the astonishing musical interpretations of these poems. Goethe's "Erlkönig," for example, elicited over 150 different musical settings since its first publication, a good many of them now available for listening on the web.
     When teaching upper-division German seminars, I ask students to work through a particular poem thoroughly, by comparing it to poems with a similar theme, by memorizing and performing parts or the entire poem, and then by listening to contrasting musical renditions of the poem. For example, on the theme of Geister we will work through classic poems like Goethe's "Erlkönig," "Der Zauberlehrling," and "Der Totentanz." Herder's "Erlkönigs Tochter" provides a fascinating foil for Goethe's "Erlkönig." We explore the theme of Geister further by working through Heine's "Mein Wagen rollet langsam," and "Die Lorelei" along with Brentano's "Lore Lay." Also included are Eichendorff's "Waldgespräch" and Droste-Hülshoff's "Der Knabe im Moor."
     There are about twenty other themes which provide for productive comparisons and assignments. Let me give you an example of three of them:

Wanderleider

Eichendorff, "Wem Gott will rechte Gunst erweisen"
Goethe, "Wanderers Nachtlied I," "Wanderers Nachtlied II"

Abend

Eichendorff, "Im Abendrot," "Wiegenlied," "Mondnacht," "Zwielicht"
Goethe, "An den Mond"

Liebe

Goethe, "Mailied"
Heine, "Im wunderschönen Monat Mai"
Mörike, "Frühling," "Im Frühling"
Rilke, "Vorfrühling"
Uhland, "Der Frühlingsglaube"

What follows are YouTube and Vimeo clips of Goethe's "Erlkönig" as well as Heine's "Die Lorelei." There are also dozens of performances one can listen to on the web site called Grooveshark, at no charge. A teacher or student can also go to Apple's iTunes store to download the very finest performances for 99 cents per track. In the poetry courses I teach, I assign willing students the task of composing their own version of the poems we cover and putting those on YouTube or Vimeo. Here are some sample clips of "Erlkönig" and "Die Lorelei."

Erlkönig (Schubert): Anne Sofie von Otter singing Schubert’s Erlkönig. (3:56)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdhRYMY6IEc ; Erlkönig - Franz Schubert: Male Vocalist with paintings of the Erlkönig legend in video. (4:03)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuG7Y6wiPL8;

Beethoven - WoO.131 ‘completed’ version of Erkönig http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyZXjRCWpl0; Rammstein feat. Thordred –Erlkönig: modern rock version with spoken poem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrH8yq_O79I; Dalai Lama - Rammstein Lyrics and English Translation: Rammstein’s Modern interpretation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_HFjxwTDJU;

Der Erkönig : animated reading of Erlkönig http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCK1hAnqDH4;

Der Erlkönig : Animated interpretation of Erkönig by a German Animated Film school http://vimeo.com/8075849; erlkönig – elfking : Black-white animation with English subtitles

http://vimeo.com/3131239 ; Erlkonig: Portuguese film school product, staged, modern thought to poem. http://vimeo.com/16861395

___________________

Richard Tauber Sings die Lorelei 1939: Silcher version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJweIV8OqT8&feature=related; Joan Sutherland - Die Loreley (Ich weiss nicht) 1960 live recital: Liszt version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11ITR2nMJHM&feature=related; Die Lorelei - Erich Kunz – 1939: a capella version from Erich Kunz with lyrics on screen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_uxCtoJDrY; "Die Lorelei" von Heinrich Heine (Poetry reading): includes English subtitles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwFZ5gpuBHE; Lorelei – Scorpions : Modern rock rendition of the legend of Lorelei by Scorpions in English; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcis6NHUCIQ; The Pogues – Lorelei: Light rock version of legend of Lorelei in English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfPlBBx0KIY

Conclusion. Teaching great German poetry becomes an even richer experience when students and teacher can compare and contrast brilliant musical performances of the greatest German poems. Students learn about Rezeptionsgeschichte by exploring questions like, "Why is this 20th century rendition so different from the version written in 1820? What was happening in Europe during these times? If you were to compose a song using this poem, how would your music differ from the music we have listened to?"

For a full list of 250 German poems I have grouped by theme for this course, please contact me at mthamert@csbsju.edu .

Brittany Boll Takes Position in New Prague as German Teacher; Nick Elsen and Brittany to Wed Next Summer

2011-12-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

Hey Pater Mark its Brittany and Nick. Brittany is teaching German at New Prague High School. They have an incredibly strong German program with a ton of German club students. She is enjoying it a lot! Nick is working with adults with disabilities, managing the education program. We will be getting married on August 18th and our ceremony will be at the Gorecki center.

Advice for current German students: having a language degree truly opens a lot of doors in the working world. Combining a language degree with another can be a dynamic duo. Also studying abroad is so important to have on your resume. It shows that you are a global citizen and can bring a unique experience to their business. Hope all is well with you Pater Mark!

The Nürnberg Tradition of Gingerbread Houses Comes to CSB/SJU -- Weihnachten 2011

2011-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

On December 5th, 2011 the CSB/SJU German Club brought some German Christmas Spirit to campus. With the help of Paula Doebel, a local Gingerbread connoisseur, around 25 students assembled and decorated Gingerbread houses to what some considered the perfection of a master. Students enjoyed the change from their studious atmosphere and brought out their creative sides to craft houses to their liking.

Building houses from the foundation up can prove difficult, but the students met the challenge with gusto and ultimately overwhelming success. With the roofs attached and sturdy, the artwork flowed from the icing bags. The end result showed a wide variety of houses, some with candy-shingled roofs, trees made of pretzels, snowed in porches, backyard swing sets, functioning chimneys, and cobblestone pathways.

The event focused on the creation of Lebkuchen in Nuremberg, Germany and how it has evolved to gingerbread houses. Paula explained how one would make gingerbread from scratch and how best to bake it for not only houses, but gingerbread men and other holiday treats.

Students loved their accomplishments and thoroughly enjoyed showing them off to friends and surely bragged about them to their families.

The German Club would like to Thank Paula for her expert work on this event, and all those who came and put together houses fit for the Christmas table centerpiece.

CNN and Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living Index Name 7 of the Top 10 Cities in the World are in Germany, Austria and Switzerland!

2011-11-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

(CNN) – The city of Freud, Klimt and the famed Spanish riding school is top of the pops when it comes to the world’s best cities to live in, according to a new survey.

For the third successive year, Vienna was ranked number one as European cities claimed more than half of the top 25 positions in Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living index, which awards points for a range of criteria, including political and economic stability, culture, health and sanitation, quality of schools, public services and housing.

Zurich in neighboring Switzerland came in second, while New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, was third in the list of 221 cities worldwide.

Top 10 (quality of life):

1. Vienna (Austria)

2. Zurich (Switzerland)

3. Auckland (New Zealand)

4. Munich (Germany)

5. Dusseldorf (Germany)

6. Vancouver (Canada)

7. Frankfurt (Germany)

8. Geneva (Switzerland)

9. Bern (Switzerland)

10. Copenhagen (Denmark)

Matt Beck '09 Teaches in Germany and in China

2011-11-25T04:30:00.000-08:00

Hallo Freunde!

Since graduating from CSB/SJU with a degree in German, my life as taken a few interesting turns. Last year, I worked for the Fulbright program in Germany as an English teaching assistant. While there, I decided to spend one more year abroad before beginning to teach in the United States. One of my friends from college was teaching in China and suggested that I apply to his program.

I did so, and I received a teaching position at Zhanjiang Normal University in Zhanjiang, China. Unfortunately, there was a problem processing my visa which led to me being unable to teach at the university level. Without another employment option but still wanting to spend some more time abroad, I decided to begin studying Chinese at the same university where I would have taught.

Studying Chinese here has been quite an experience. For starters, there are only two students in my classes: myself and another one of my college friends who is in the same situation as I am. Also, I'm almost a complete beginner in Chinese, only having met with a tutor a few times in Germany. I have fourteen classes a week here covering all aspects of the Chinese language: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar. So far, the most challenging part has been reading and writing characters. Since each character represents a syllable, a person needs to know a few thousand to be able to read well. To date, I've been able to learn a few hundred. I'm starting to see some patterns, though, and the process of memorizing characters and how to write them correctly is constantly getting easier.

Aside from learning Chinese, I've also found part time jobs at a couple of English tutoring schools. These schools, independent companies that offer weekend classes for interested students, are quite common here. My students range in age from elementary school to high school. Teaching so many different levels is difficult, but rewarding and engaging. It makes me miss full-time teaching, and I hope to get a university position (as well as a matching visa) next semester.

German continues to play a large role in my life. In my free time, I've been keeping my language skills fresh by reading German literature and keeping in touch with my German speaking friends. Also, I've recently been rereading some of the works that we covered in my German romanticism course. Those who know me well know that my study of German led to a passion for the complexities of Turkish immigration to Germany as well as Turkish culture. I had the opportunity to travel to Istanbul when I was working in Germany, and I've been spending quite a bit of time lately reading Turkish novels by Elif Shafak and Orhan Pamuk.

Choosing to study German doesn't necessarily mean that you'll need to find a job in Germany or one that requires language skills. It does, however, open doors to a wide variety of careers and interests. As a freshman at CSB/SJU, I never imagined that I would graduate from college interested in Turkish culture or that I would one day be studying Chinese in China, but my choice to study Germany led to these interests and adventures. Personally, I'm planning on keeping German in my future, and I would like to come back to the United States next year and teach it.

Liebe Grüße aus China!
Matt Beck

Student Handbook

2011-11-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

2011 – 2012 HANDBOOK FOR GERMAN STUDIES STUDENTS

Congratulations on your wise choice of German Studies! There are so 90-98 million speakers of German world-wide and the odds are you may have some German ancestry. More than 15% of Americans (some 42.8 million) do. German is the most widely spoken first language in the European Union! (Yes, even more than English!) 7.7% of internet pages are written in German (which is second only to English of the European languages.)

German is a great choice for so many reasons! It is the world's second largest importer (China edged ahead in 2009) and has the fourth largest economy in the world. Switzerland has the highest standard of living. German business is strong. Countries where German is spoken are located in the center of Europe and their banks fund the European Union. Over 780,000 jobs in the U.S. are with German companies and Germany has taken the lead in environ-mentalism by committing to all renewable energy production.

German-speaking countries have a history of innovation and discovery. Germany exports more high-tech products than any country except the U.S and two thirds of the world's international trade fairs take place in Germany. German-speaking lands provide governmental subsidies that lead to cutting edge developments in both the sciences and the arts. Did you know that more than 8 out of every 10 books published in the world is published in German?

And if you already have another major, German makes a great supporting major or minor. German's rich cultural heritage is vital to so many other fields of study. Familiarity with German language and culture gives Government and Business majors insight into the most significant political and financial systems in Europe and the European Union. The foundations of music theory and classical and contemporary music stem from great German thinkers and composers. Philosophy. psychology, sociology and political theory are dominated by thinkers such as Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Hegel, Heidegger and the Frankfurt School. From the Middle ages to current times, German drama, painting, and literature have been influential in the arts world-wide and German scientists are the source of the bicycle, the light bulb, the chip card electromagnetic theory, chemotherapy, the mp3 and of course the theory of relativity.

YOU CAN GET A JOB WITH YOUR GERMAN STUDIES DEGREE!

There are great jobs available for students with degrees in German Studies! Our graduates have been phenomenally successful in a wide variety of professions. Our students have gone on to prestigious graduate schools in a variety of areas including German Studies, Library Science, Arabic Studies and English as a Second Language. They are teaching in high schools and universities around the U.S and the world. Stefan Maikula now works in a Swiss Bank, Will Rogers works for a medical firm in Germany, Bryan Schnese helped found a German immersion school in the Twin Cities, Brooke Kreitinger is at the University of Trier writing her dissertaion for Georgetown University. Lonny Johnson is Executive Director for the Fulbright Commission of Austria, Teresa Walch is a Docent teaching about the former prison camp in Dachau, These are just a few of our many successful graduates. Studying German teaches strong flexible thinking skills that are useful in all professions.

Here is what some of our students say:

"I never knew what I was going to do with a German major, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made ... Now I work for a medical device manufacturer and supervise all of our business development in Central Europe." Will Rogers

"I hope some of you consider applying for the Fulbright Teaching position in Austria your senior year! I have been teaching English lessons in a couple of small towns here in Austria for a year and a half now, and it has been a great experience for me." Sam Lauer

"It is actually pretty amazing how this whole opportunity came about for me. I quit my job, packed up my things, and two weeks later I was in Germany! It was amazing how everything worked out for me!" Kate Hartmann (who is working in a Waldorf school in Hof, Germany.)

MEET THE FACULTY:

Father Mark Thamert: In my teaching of German Language and Culture, it is important to me that students engage as actively in the classroom as possible – in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The use of new technologies such as PowerPoints, teaching videos, the tablet pc, music and other audio files for mp3 players and iPods – can involve students in a variety of language modalities both inside the classroom and at home. What I want most is that students develop not only new knowledge and skills with regard to language, culture and literature, but also a keen life-long passion for all things German. My recent research interests include some of the greatest of German poems and the music these poems have inspired. At national conferences I give talks regularly on technology, poetry and music in German culture. During my teaching career I have lead 25 study abroad programs, mostly to Austria and Germany, but also to Italy, Nepal, India and Tibet.

Wendy Sterba: German culture is so awe-inspiring! My goal in teaching is to help students discover for themselves how truly amazing the German arts, sciences, history, philosophy, music, literature, customs and language really are. My classes always feature a variety of media and try to help students think critically about not only German culture, but also about how the marvelous ideas that developed in German lands are echoed in or play roles in our own cultures. My areas of special interest are film, medieval times and the fascinating period before the Second World War known as the Weimar Republic. My presentations at conferences center on such things as cinema and vampires, prostitutes or the way technology is presented on screen. I really look forward to working with you and accompanying you on your exploration of all things German.

Anna Lisa Ohm, PhD: Hallo! I received my M.A. in Colorado, my home state, Ph.D. in Santa Barbara, California, and came here in 1988. I love teaching all levels and I love doing research. My scholarly introduction to and translation of The Life of High Countess Gritta von Ratsinourhouse was published (University of Nebraska Press, 1999). I am finishing the first draft of a monograph on Swiss-German writer Johanna Heusser Spyri. I directed our study abroad program in beautiful Salzburg four times. Prior to graduate school, I was in Peace Corps/Bolivia and Tunisia (ESL), developing interest in Islam in Europe and Goethe’s response to Hafiz’s poetry. I teach summer ESL courses and taught short-term three times in Okinawa. I am a former director of Gender Studies, former MCL chair, and my most recent contribution to our faculty journal was an article on my study abroad group’s preparation for the 2010 Oberammergau Passion Play. Stop by my office anytime!

Andreas Kiryakakis: I received my PhD in German Studies at the University of Texas in 1980. Prior to joining the CSB/SJU German faculty I was a Fulbright scholar at the Univer-sity of Tübingen and a visiting lecturer at the University of Minnesota and Carleton College. Although I consider myself a Hermann Hesse scholar I thoroughly enjoy teaching German Romanticism, 19^th Century Literature, Philoso-phy, and Psychology. Furthermore I delight in reading and reflecting on metaphysical impli-cation of quantum physics, and the origins of evil. My publications include works on Her-mann Hesse, Heinrich Kleist, Günter Kunert, Science Fiction, Poetry and translations of modern German writers. Currently I am on the Advisory board of the scholarly journal: Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Moral Issues and the Board of the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations. In my spare time I enjoy the outdoors and remodeling

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN GERMAN STUDIES

The German Studies curriculum is a carefully crafted program that balances education in literary, cultural and language areas. Students take 38 credits to fulfill the major distributed across the areas of time period, genre or type of art or writing, and theme. This allows students an historical, structural and personal connection to the field of German Studies. Students must take either German 324 or German 325 as a foundation of German cultural development. (This course is also required of Education Majors focusing on German Studies.) In addition, German Studies Majors take one class in a period course (Germ 330-339) in order to achieve a deeper understanding of a particular time and place; one course in a genre (Germ 340-349) to become comfortable with a particular kind of cultural work, such as the novel, poetry, or film; and one course in a theme (Germ 355-357) to acquire the skills for examining culture in terms of a topic. In addition, students participate in a Capstone experience. Currently this involves a Senior Project that is the revisiting and revising of a paper or project first undertaken in a prior German class. The Senior Project is meant to be an exploration of the advanced techniques of scholarship or creativity in German Studies and is a way for majors to celebrate and demonstrate the progress made in German Studies. It involves. (See THE SENIOR PROJECT below)

Major in German Studies (38 credits)

Required Courses:

212; 311; 312; 324 or 325; five additional upper-division courses with distribution across theme, genre and period; 399 or 398

Major in German Studies/Secondary Education

(38 credits)

Required Courses:

Same as concentration in German Studies, but must include 324 or 325.

C. Requirements for a Minor

(20 credits)

Required Courses:

212; 311; 312; 324 or 325; one additional upper-division 4-credit course

Courses (GERM)

111 Elementary German I. (4)

Basic elements of German. Practice in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing, including work with pronunciation, grammar, and culture. Designed for students with no prior study of German.

112 Elementary German II. (4)

Continuation of basic German with emphasis on acquiring communicative skills, both narrative and descriptive, in a variety of practical situations. Upon completion of this course, students are eligible for study abroad in Salzburg.

211 Intermediate German. (4)

Review and continued study of German structures, with an emphasis on the development of reading skills and the discussion of ideas. Satisfactory completion of this course fulfills the core foreign language proficiency requirement and prepares students for 212 (HML).

212 Introduction to German Culture. (4)

Study and analysis of cultural texts in German emphasizing contemporary issues. This course is required for students who wish to earn a major or minor in German. 212 fulfills a common curriculum HM requirement.

271 Individual Learning Project. (1-4)

Supervised reading or research at the lower-division level. Permission of department chair required. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.

311 German Conversation and Composition I. (4)

An exploration of the cultures of German speaking countries, with an emphasis on the development of discussion skills in response to written texts and a variety of

312 German Conversation and Composition II. (4)

Discovery and analysis of German culture, with special emphasis on developing writing skills in response to written texts and a variety of other media

324 Survey Pre-1850. (4) (324 or 325 are required for Secondary Education)

A survey of some of the key figures and periods of German art, literature, music, and public life in German-speaking countries that have made significant cultural contributions to world civilization up to the early 19th century, focusing on literary and cultural trends and movements of the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Baroque, and the Age of Goethe. Selected readings will include courtly epic, lyric poetry, drama, prose texts and narratives from some principal authors. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered alternate years.

325 Survey 1850 Until Present. (4) (324 or 325 are required for Secondary Education)

A survey of various periods of German art, literature, music, public life and people that have made significant cultural contributions to world civilization from the early 19th century to the present. The major purpose is to analyze the interrelationship between the major social/political developments of German-speaking Europe, and their cultural manifestations. Selected readings will include lyric poetry, essays, novellas, drama, and prose texts and narratives from some principal authors. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered alternate years

330 German Lands in Cultural Transition: The Light and Dark of the Middle Ages (Period) (2-4)

Before the Common Era, Germanic tribes moved into central Europe and greatly altered the culture of the continent. This course explores the origins and effects of the united European Empire myth. It also looks at ways in which religions and feudal structures impacted the culture, actions and art of a variety of Europe. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every three years. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content varies. Qualifies as a course in Period.

333 The Age of Goethe (Period) (2-4)

Goethe's genius challenged inherited literary forms, created new ones, and developed the expressiveness of the German language so profoundly that the effects are still felt today. Born to the upper middle class, but employed at court, Goethe recognized attempts by men and women to cross barriers--literary, cultural, national, gender, and spiritual. As a founder of German Classicism (along with Schiller), Goethe's cosmopolitan spirit and enthusiasm impacted Romantic thought and generations to come. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every third year. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Period.

337 The Fragile Phoenix; German Identity in the Early 20th Century (Period) (2-4)

The Weimer period is a time of tremendous creativity in art, architecture, literature, music and politics, when German-speaking lands find themselves caught between theories of democratic freedom and the slide into fascism. This period, punctuated by a new excitement with freedom and decadence, encompasses a rise and strengthening as hints at the after-effects of Hitler's Third Reich. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every third year. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if con-tent differs. Qualifies as a course in Period.

342 The German Lyric (Genre) (2-4)

Poetry expresses more emotion and content in fewer words than any other kind of literature. German lyric across the ages conveys the essence of the culture and gives readers texts that will have both personal and cultural meanings throughout their lives. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every third year. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Period.

345 Novels, Novellen, Stories and Tales (Genre)

(2-4)

An exploration of the world of storytelling in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This course investigates the phenomenon of narrative, its elements, techniques, and forms; its relation to other modes of discourse; its power and influence in cultures past and present. A variety of interpretive strategies include such activities as classroom story-telling, Nacherzählungen, interpretive presen-tations, skits and group discussions. Prerequi-sites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enroll-ment in 311 or 312. Offered every third year. Can be repeated with instructor's permission if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Genre.

349 The Romantic Quest in the Arts and Sciences: Nightingales, Posthorns and the Night Side of Nature. (Theme) (4)

Romanticism began as a protest of German writers and scholars against the limits of the Enlightenment with its over-emphasis on reason. The Romantics strove to stretch beyond reason to embrace the irrational, the feared and the misunderstood. Seeking the unknown is still considered romantic today and thus is a force that ranges beyond any specific period of time. Nature, emotions and the infinite take on a central position. The mysterious, the miraculous and searching find expression in the works of these writers, musicians, artists, philosophers and scientists. Offered every three years. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Theme.

350 Eavesdropping on Germany: Current Debates and Issues Topics (Theme) (2-4)

A course based on today's explosive debates and issues in German-speaking countries using up-to-date materials from the internet, German radio, television, film, and news-papers. This is a course for researching and debating controversies and listening to provocative news. Prerequisites: 212; 311; 312 or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every 3 years. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Theme

355 Seminar in a Specific Period Topic (Period) (2-4)

This course varies in the cultural period explored, but focuses on an especially significant or influential time in German history. The course will provide a framework for the understanding of the particular period in terms of philosophy, literature, music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and socio-political make-up and may focus on a topic such as: The Age of Luther; Fin de Siècle; or The Late Twentieth Century: War to Postwar, Wall to Post Wall. See semester class catalog for futher details. Prerequisites: 212; 311; 312 or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered as needed. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Period.

356 Seminar in a Particular Genre Topic. (2-4)

A more intensive exploration of a specific genre. The course may focus on a genre such as: The Novelle From Its Beginnings into Modernity; The Drama as Multivalent Text; The Essay as Medium for Social Change; New German Cinema and Political Revolt. See semester class catalog for further details. Prerequisite: 212; 311; 312 or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered as needed. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Genre.

357 Seminar in a Particular Theme (Theme) (2-4)

A more intensive exploration of a specific theme or linguistic topic. The course may focus on a topic such as: The Holocaust, Its Origins and Effects; The Persistent Problem of Imported Labor; The Discourse of Evil in Ger-man Language Culture; Linguistic Style in Essays and Feuilleton; Marx, Freud and Nietzsche in the Modern World. See semester class catalog for further details. Prerequisite: 212; 311; 312 or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered as needed. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content differs. Qualifies as a course in Theme.

371 Individual Learning Project. (1-4)

Supervised reading or research at the upper-division level. Permission of department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 credits within the department required. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.

398 Honors Senior Essay, Research, or Creative Project. (4)

Required for graduation with "Distinction in German." Prerequisite: HONR 396 and approval of the department chair and director of the Honors Thesis program. For further information see HONR 398.

399 Senior Project. (2)

All majors must present a senior project in a public forum. In consultation with a faculty advisor students choose a project appropriate to their previous course of study and/or their individual goals

Major in elementary education with specialty in German

K-8 Licensure in World Languages and Cultures - German

GERM 212 Introduction to Literature (4)

GERM 311 German Conversation and Composition I (4)

GERM 312 German Conversation and Composition II (4)

Plus 8 credits of upper-division GERM electives

EDUC 356 World Language Pedagogy K-8 (4) (Fall Only)

Oral Proficiency Inventory required in German (see MCCL Department Chair)

Study Abroad in target language -- strongly recommended

Minor in secondary education for German

German

GERM 212 Introduction to Literature (4)

GERM 311 German Conversation and Composition I (4)

GERM 312 German Conversation and Composition II (4)

GERM 324 or 325 Survey in German History, Culture and Civilization (4)

GERM 399 Senior Project (2)

Plus, 20 additional upper-division GERM credits

Written and oral proficiency in German is required before student teaching.

All German majors are urged to study abroad in Germany/Austria

A NOTE ON GERMAN CLASS ROTATIONS:

Here is a typical rotation of German courses for the period of four years in order to help you plan your future schedule. Changes may be made in course offerings due to student interest or unforeseen circumstances, but in general the courses follow the following cycle:

Year 1 Fall:

212 Intro to Lit

312 Composition and Conversation (emphasis on Composition)

342 - The German Lyric (Genre)

Year 1 Spring:

311 Composition and Conversation (emphasis Conversation)

325 - Survey German Culture 1850-Pres

330 - Medieval (German Lands in Transition (Period)

Year 2 Fall:

212 - Intro to Lit

312- Comp and Con (emphasis Comp)

350- Current Debates (Topics)

Year 2 Spring:

311 - Comp and Con (emphasis Conv.)

337 Early 20th Century (Period)

349 Romantic Quest (Topic)

Year 3 Fall:

212 - Intro to Lit

312 - Comp and Con (emph on Comp)

356 - Topic in a Genre - Contemporary Drama (Genre)

Year 3 Spring:

324: Survey of German Lit and Culture - MiddleAges to 1850

345 - Novels, Novellen, Stories (Genre)

Year 4 Fall:

212 - Intro to Lit

311 - Comp and Conv (emph on Conv)

356 Seminar on Genre: Film in the 20th Century (Genre)

Year 4 Spring:

312 Comp and Conv (emph on Comp)

333: Age of Goethe (Period)

357 Seminar in Topics Discourse on Evil (Topic)

THE SENIOR PROJECT:

All Majors in German Studies are required to do a Senior Project in order to have the opportunity to experience research or advanced work in the field of German Studies. Students generally take a paper or topic from a prior upper division course, develop a strong thesis, do research on the topic and expand the paper into a well-thought out research

paper. Some students may choose to focus their projects on translation or creative projects with appropriate department approval. Students are assisted in the research process by a 1 credit Project Methods course (Germ 399) in the Fall and a follow-up of the course in the Spring when the project is perfected under the direction of a faculty member assigned by the Program Head to the project. The completion of Senior Projects is celebrated at Scholarship and Creativity Day when the student gives an oral presentation on the project. Past projects have been on everything from the meaning of the bridge motif in the works of Franz Kafka, to the significance of the title in Lyric poetry, from the role of the Paratrooper in the Second World War to the philosophical implications of the art of Hundertwasser. Detailed Information follows.

Senior Project Guidelines

Introduction

The MCL Senior Project is the capstone experience for students majoring in Classics, French, or German Studies. By researching, writing, and presenting a senior project in their senior year, students focus on their academic interests, gain perspective in their major(s), develop scholarly skills, demonstrate creativity and independent effort, and integrate their learning experiences. The project requires not only a commitment to independent work, but a close working relationship with faculty members as well, particularly with the faculty mentor supervising the student’s project. Such sustained interaction contributes greatly to the quality and success of the experience.

While faculty mentors are responsible for guiding the senior projects, the students are responsible for scheduling meetings with their mentors and establishing deadlines for completion of the project in stages. Students are also responsible for selecting a topic, writing a proposal, submitting an initial thesis statement and bibliography, researching in various sources (library, online, interviews, or other valid sources), requesting materials through ILL (inter-library loan), and writing and revising their final project and the oral presentation in consultation with the faculty mentor. Students must meet every week or two with their mentor, following the established schedule as closely as possible

Honors Thesis and MCL Senior Project

Students can choose to sign up for either GERM 399 Senior Project. (2 credits) or GERM 398 Honors Senior Essay, Research or Creative Project. (4 credits), however, since the Honors Senior Essay, Research, or Creative Project (Senior Project) is written in English, students majoring in French or German must demonstrate convincingly, in both the content of the Senior Project and the bibliography, that their language ability allows them unique access to sources in the target language that they have used to develop and argue their Senior Project. For this reason, in addition to presenting their Honors Senior Project in English, they present their Senior Project, or a significant aspect thereof, in their major language (French or German) at the MCL senior project presentation day. Students who complete an Honors Thesis in another department that does not relate to their MCL major (Classics, French, or German) must complete a senior project in MCL.

Getting Started

Students must (1) choose a topic for the senior project to be written and presented in the target language (French or German) or English for Classics; and (2) indicate to the language program head their first and second choices for a faculty mentor for their project. May graduates must indicate their choices to the language program head by mid-November, December graduates in early September. Although students’ choices are taken into consideration, the language program head assigns a student’s project to a faculty mentor, preferably the one most familiar with the student’s topic area. Faculty mentors may also consult with their colleagues regarding the development of a project in order to guide students in the most productive way possible.

Choosing the Topic

Students may begin their senior project based on a paper(s) or term paper(s) they wrote in their upper-division major courses. They are encouraged to choose a paper whose topic truly interests them and on which they would like to pursue further research and/or analysis or expand in a related direction of scholarship. For example, students may discover an interest in a 19th-century writer or a work in 20th-century literature, or they may analyze a modern adaptation or parody of an older work. They may draw, as well, on the knowledge they have gained in another major for an interdisciplinary senior project. Language and art history majors may research artists in a particular era and place, such as Paris in the 1970s. Language and music majors may compose music in the style of a particular national composer, such as Schoenberg, and present a discussion along with their compositions. Language majors in education may present a teaching unit with lesson plans and worksheets for a high school class. A language and history major may research a specific local topic, such as the history and construction of nearby churches in communities founded predominantly by a particular ethnic group. A language and English major may produce a literary translation of a se-lection of short stories or poems with analytical commentary on the works and their value to a wider audience. A language and English major with aspirations to be a writer may create an original work and an analysis thereof as an integral part of the project. MCL Senior Project Timetable

While the senior project may assume a variety of formats, the result must meet the goals of the senior project as a capstone experience. In all cases, the grammar and syntax in written portions must be correct and the style appropriate to high academic standards.

Assignment of the Faculty Mentor

The choice of the faculty mentor is made by the program head by early December of the student’s senior year for May graduates and by mid-September for December graduates. Student pre-ferences, the topic, and the number of projects assigned to each faculty member affect the decision.

Expectations of the Faculty Mentor and of the Student

Faculty members who agree to supervise a senior project have the following four expectations of the students: (1) that they be genuinely committed to the research or creative project, which should fit into their course of study, their interests, and/or their post-graduate plans; (2) that they have an adequate general preparation in the topic area; (3) that they have well-defined and obtainable objectives for the project; and (4) that they meet all scheduled deadlines.

Faculty members who agree to be a senior project mentor commit themselves to assist students in accomplishing the following: (1) undertaking an adequate literature search and developing a bibliography; (2) focusing the topic; (3) achieving a working outline, clear organization, appropriate style, and correct use of the target language; and (4) preparing the final draft by reading the paper carefully, critically, and in time for students to make final revisions and, if necessary, advising the students on the oral presentation.

Timelines for Spring and Fall Graduates

Early in the fall semester, May graduates choose a topic for their senior project and begin research, constantly re-evaluating their thesis. Experience suggests that the most important strategy is to START EARLY! If the project is to be of maximum learning value, exhibit refined research skills, and be a challenging but pleasant research experience, early preparation must be sustained at a steady, comfortable pace.

During fall registration for spring courses, students graduating in May must register for FREN 399, GERM 399, GREK 399, or LATN 399 (1 credit). December graduates register for 399 during spring registration for fall courses.

Senior Project Proposal

By the last class day of fall semester, May graduates must submit electronically to the language program head and to their faculty mentor a one- or two-page proposal describing their project (December graduates, mid- to late September). If approved, the faculty mentor signs the proposal, which must be word-processed and double-spaced, and may be written in English. At this same time, students establish a schedule for completion of the work during the semester and seek the agreement of their faculty mentor.

The Project

Normally, students meet with their faculty mentor every week or two in order to submit their writing, obtain feedback, and discuss the progress of the project. Students are responsible for scheduling meetings and meeting deadlines.

150-word Abstract

On or before March 1 (mid-November for December graduates), students write a 150-word descrip-tion in English of their senior project. Students will review the abstract several times in consultation with their faculty mentor. Once it is finalized, students submit the 150-word abstract electronically to the MCL department coordinator for publication in the senior project presentation program. The de-partment coordinator sends the abstract to all faculty members and majors in the student’s program.

Writing the 150-word Abstract

• The title of the senior project and the faculty mentor’s name must be included.

• The project usually needs a main title and a subtitle. The topic appears in the main title; a strong indication of the thesis should be evident in the subtitle.

• Make every word count; limit the abstract to 150 words or less.

Here is an example of a former student’s abstract:

The Role of Poetry for Jewish Women in Nazi Concentration Camps:

Bearing Witness and Affirming Agency

Melissa Hendrickx (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, faculty mentor, 2009)

Poetry became a survival mechanism for many Jewish women living in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. By examining their poetry in its original German, we discover that women used poetry to express powerful emotions, bear witness to the horrors of the Holocaust, affirm their humanity, question their religious identity, transcend suffering, and deal with painful memories. Studying prisoners’ poetry provides us unprecedented access to events of the Holocaust and a better understanding of the role literature plays in traumatic situations.

Timeline

The student and the faculty mentor agree on a deadline in the first week of March for a complete first draft (mid-November for December graduates).

The final draft must be submitted electronically to the faculty mentor by the end of the first week in April (December 1 for December graduates).

The final copy of the senior project, with all revisions, must be submitted electronically to the faculty mentor on or before the last day of finals week. In regard to documentation (footnotes, bibliography), the general guide should be the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, but any other system agreed upon by the faculty mentor and the student is acceptable. The faculty mentor then submits a copy of the final senior project electronically to the MCL department coordinator to keep in the MCL files.

Presentation

Students are required to prepare a 10-20 minute oral presentation in the target language for French and German, in English for Classics, at an MCL senior project presentation program or at an all-campus scholarship day. Usually, concurrent sessions are scheduled by language program. All faculty members in the language program are present, as well as classmates, friends, and family members. The presentation is followed by a 5-10 minute question-and-answer period in which first the faculty members, and then others ask questions, giving student presenters an opportunity to discuss their project. In addition to summarizing the content of their project, students might also explain how they came to the project, how it evolved, what difficulties they encountered, and what they learned along the way.

After the presentations are completed, the faculty members in each language program meet to discuss the evaluation. The senior project is graded H/S/U (honors, satisfactory, unsatisfactory), on the basis of the development of the project, the final written draft, and the oral presentation.

Presentation Schedule

Mid- to late April for spring graduates (first or second week in December for fall graduates). Presentations may be followed by a department reception

MCL Senior Project Checklist

FOR MAY GRADUATES (checklist for December Graduates follows!)

MCL Senior Project Checklist

FOR DECEMBER GRADUATES

SALZBURG AND STUDY ABROAD:

When you set up your four-year plan, include study abroad in Salzburg, Austria, during the fall semester of your junior year. You can advance your German skills while completing courses for credit in German and in the Common Curriculum (Ethics, Fine Arts, Intercultural, and Experiential Learning), as well as take a course in Austrian/European comparative politics. Your courses are held at the University of Salzburg, located in the historical Old Town (Altstadt) or nearby. Students usually live in an international dorm, where you meet both Austrian and international students.

Within the Baroque city of Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, you can visit well-preserved fortresses, cathedrals, churches, monasteries, coffee houses, and museums, and attend concerts, plays, and dance performances. You are well-located for field trips to nearby biking, hiking and skiing areas, mountain peaks, mountain villages, monasteries, former concentration camps, open-air museums, and national parks, as well as a short train ride from historical cities with fabulous offerings (Munich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest). If you have any questions whatsoever, contact any faculty member of the German Studies Program or the Office of Education Abroad. Check out the Austria Program brochure online at the following link.

http://www.csbsju.edu/Documents/Office%20for%20Education%20Abroad/Program%20Brochures/2011-2012%20brochures/AustriaBrochure2011-2012.pdf

For students who wish to study abroad in Germany and who have an independent spirit there are also programs, internships and research opportunities with D.A.A.D. Scholarship deadlines are at the end of January.

http://www.daad.org/page/undergrad/index.v3page;jsessionid=10mnp7irk75ia

WHAT COMES NEXT?

After you graduate, you may want to consider applying for a teaching or research scholarship. Our students have been phenomenally successful in the Austria Fulbright program, Options include teaching abroad or research fellowships throughout Austria. Fulbright also runs scholarship programs in Germany and Switzerland. U.S Student scholarship programs for graduating seniors allow students to assist in the teaching of English abroad or pursue a research interest (Deadline is mid-October).

http://fulbright.state.gov/grants/student-program/u-s-citizen.html

Why take German at CSB/SJU?

2011-11-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

Picture yourself studying German on our two beautiful campuses -- Saint Ben's and Saint John's -- and at our two campuses in Europe, Salzburg and Ingolstadt! The architecture, woods and lakes of Saint Ben's and Saint John's reflect the parts of Bavaria where our founders came from.

Program Highlights -- You Can:
• Study abroad and do an internship in Germany or Austria
• Become friends with teaching assistants from Germany who live at CSB and SJU!
• Join the German Club – and make life-long friends who also love to travel and learn about languages and cultures

Often students taking German at Saint Ben's and Saint John's plan their four-year schedule to include a major or minor in German as well as a major or minor in another subject like music, physics, chemistry, economics, psychology, French, education, art, or political science. Actually, any combination is possible and desirable in our increasingly global world.

German is also a popular major or minor for pre-med, pre-law and pre-engineering students. Give yourself an edge in the global economy and in global research by becoming immersed in a culture that lies at the heart of Europe.

Class offerings include: German History, Culture, and Civilization, German Conversation and Composition, Literature from the 19th and 20th century, The Age of Goethe, German Poetry.

Our CSB/SJU students heading into the salt mines near Salzburg

Study German, see the World. Fall Term your Sophomore or Junior Year
join your friends to study in Salzburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Besides becoming fluent in spoken German, you will learn about the cultures surrounding German and Austria by seeing them first-hand! Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s are ranked number one in the country for the number of students who student abroad!

The architecture of Salzburg is stunning!

Live in Salzburg, the city of Mozart's music, majestic mountains,
and many architectural masterpieces.

Picture yourself hiking in the Austrian Alps

Take classes at the world famous University of Salzburg including political science, art history, philosophy, senior seminar, and of course German!. Join your friends on excursions to destinations in Austria and Germany to enhance your knowledge of history, art and architecture, and cultural differences within German-speaking lands.

The main street of Salzburg -- beautiful!

Picture yourself taking advantage of cultural events, folk festivals, art museums, skiing in the Alps, soccer matches and world-class concerts!

In Salzburg you will be living and studying in the very center of Europe, within easy reach of cities like Munich, Nuremberg, Prague, Rome, Berlin, Budapest, Paris, Venice and Athens

For more information about our program in German, please Google us at CSBSJU German or email us at mthamert@csbsju.edu

Study with enthusiastic professors who love European culture, music, philosophy, film studies, politics, gender studies, literature, art, architecture and taking students abroad. Pictured here are professors Wendy Sterba, Lisa Ohm, Andreas Kiryakakis and Mark Thamert. We are here to help you get the most out of your four-year plan.

Take more German.

See where it takes You.

German Minor:

212, 311, 312, plus four more courses

German Major:

212, 311, 312, plus eight more courses

The beauty of our campuses in Minnesota and Austria is astonishing!

Professor Lisa Ohm to Give Talk about the Life and Oevre of the Author of H e i d i

2011-10-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

On November 14, 2011, German Studies Professor, Dr. Lisa Ohm, will be giving a talk in the Collegial Conversation Series titled, "How to Write about the Life, Genius, and Considerable Oeuvre of Johanna Heusser Spyri (1827-1901), Who, Being Shy and Retiring, Burned Her Documents, and Whose Good Name Has Been Buried Under Unauthorized Sequels, Knock-Offs, Films, Animated Films, Manga, and Online Porno Sites Referencing Her Universally Beloved Heidi."

Professor Lisa Ohm comments about her research interests, "The nearly forgotten German-Swiss writer Johanna Heusser Spyri wrote forty-nine novels and stories, about half of which were translated into English in the early twentieth century and shelved in the juvenile sections of libraries, but no other work has been as phenomenally successful as Heidi. The thesis in my book on Spyri and her works is that her Double Bildungsroman Heidi, like her other works, is communal and social, speaking to the urban-rural conflict in the nineteenth century and echoed in today’s global conflicts. I examine Spyri’s works and the unauthorized sequels, and suggest that Spyri herself may have intended to write a sequel to Heidi with her novel Sina published in 1884, three years after Heidi’s appearance. Today’s youngsters may know Heidi only through one or more of the two dozen Heidi films or television series, including the animated series by Japanese producer/director Isao Takahata, which further popularized the children’s classic, bringing a Disney-like line of commercial products in tow. Spyri research also got a boost with a 2001 conference in Switzerland on the one-hundredth anniversary of her death. With my book, I hope to promote further research on Spyri and her works, especially here in the United States."

Faculty and guests are encouraged to join Lisa and other colleagues at 5:00 p.m. for a social and then dinner at 6:45 following Lisa’s presentation. Please contact Shirley Kelly via email or by phone at ext. 3147 by November 3 to make a reservation for dinner.

Teresa Walch Featured as Noted Alumna Volunteer in CSB/SJU Career Resource Center Website

2011-10-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Students and Faculty,

After graduating in German Studies and history last spring, I decided to volunteer at the Church of Reconciliation, Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

I hope to go to graduate school for German history, but I first wanted to return abroad (I studied abroad in Salzburg in 2008) to improve my German and to further familiarize myself with my intended themes of study. I found out about ARSP while looking for volunteer programs during my senior year and decided to apply.

If you are considering volunteering right after college, consider whether you want to volunteer in the States or to go abroad and think about what type of work you want to do. Choose something you're passionate about or something that is meaningful to you, that you can whole-heartedly put all your effort into. If you choose something you do not enjoy, simply to use as a 'resume builder', a year of volunteering, especially if you're abroad, could be a long time to spend away from home.

My days are divided working at various sites throughout the city of Dachau. Currently, I work a couple of days per week at the Church of Reconciliation on the site of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site to converse with and answer questions for visitors. In addition, as I learn more about the memorial site and its history, I will soon start conducting tours of the site, mostly for visiting German school groups. I also work with a project called the Book of Remembrance, where we conduct research to compile biographies of former prisoners' lives. Finally, I work at a student center, where I help prepare for visiting school groups, who come to Dachau to engage in 1-3 day seminars, where they discuss themes relating to the National Socialist era in Germany.

The most rewarding part of my experience so far has been the opportunity to meet and get to know people not only from Germany, but also from all over the world. My co-volunteers in Germany (there are 18 of us at various sites in Germany) come from Israel, Russia, Ireland, USA, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany. I find it fascinating to converse with them and hear their opinions and ideas on important world issues. I'm always astounded by the fact that even though we come from very different places, we are still very similar in many ways. The most challenging experience has been forming a new 'normal' here in Germany. However, the occasional language struggles aside, the challenges of getting settled here are not much different than they would be when relocating anywhere after college.

Since I worked at the Career Resource Center for three years in college, I was fortunate to have already been familiar with its great resources for seniors worrying about life after graduation. I especially scoured the CRC website's volunteer pages, where it has some great information about life as a volunteer and links to many programs. I attended a volunteer panel during the fall of my senior year, where former CSB/SJU alums came to talk about their volunteer experiences after graduation. I also attended the CSB/SJU Volunteer Fair, which is a great way to learn about some options and speak directly with people from various organizations. Finally, I simply conducted Google searches, using various, and related key words.

My favorite part of volunteering? This part of Germany is great to be in a place where I can utilize what I learned from both my History and German majors. The opportunity to live abroad and get to know this country, its society, and its history and to experience first-hand many of the things I studied in college, is truly rewarding.

If you're interested in learning more about ARSP, go to: http://www.asf-ev.de/en/ . There are opportunities not only for those interested in history, but also for those interested in the social work and political arenas as well. (At least a basic level of German is required.)

Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland!
Theresa Walch

Ursula Mahlendorf Enthralls 350 Students, Faculty and Friends

2011-10-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

Speaking of her pre-teen and teenage years as a Nazi Youth, Ursula Mahlendorf told gripping stories of brainwashing experiences, moments of sheer luck and the decision to write about these events in the spirit of Vergangenheitsbewältigung -- coming to terms with one's past.

"Seeing someone on the other side who went through the manipulations of Nazi propaganda, I realized it could easily have happened to me as well," remarked sophomore German student, Austin Eighan.

An extra conference room at the Gorecki Center had to be opened up minutes before the talk began to accommodate the surprising number of students and faculty who came to the event.

"We were not brought up to think critically about political issues or to resist Nazi ideology. We knew so little," said Mahlendorf. "It was only the very well-educated and those who had witnessed some of the attrocities in Poland and elsewhere who knew enough to be able to organize any kind of resistance."

A special thanks to Professor Lisa Ohm for organizing this event and the reading group leading up to it. This is one of the most thought-provoking events the German Studies Program has witnessed in years.

Oktoberfest 2011 -- Ein großer Erfolg! A Grand Success

2011-10-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Oktoberfest in Collegeville! Crowds of CSB/SJU German students and their friends came to Br. Willi's Pub on October 22 to celebrate Bavarian Oktoberfest.

This year two new items were added to the singing and dancing activities -- beautiful t-shirts in the Bavarian blue and white colors -- and Krüge heben contests. At the signal given by German Club President, Chris Pignato, the bravest students hoisted at arm's length two-liter mugs filled with water to see who had the greatest stamina. The winner reached the crowd's goal of 4 minutes. All participants were rewarded with a large Bavarian style pretzel.

Prost allerseits! And a huge thank you to club officers and volunteers Megan Boll, Chris Seiler, Austin Eighan, Chris Pignato, Mario Seidel, Kevin Murphy, Yuan Huang, Wendy Buermann, Kolby Kulas, Brady Dietman, Jeremy Hicks, Chistine Krawiecki, Jeremy Wahl, Kristine Bornus, Sarah Spaulding, Nicole Johnson, Megan Priebe, Kristin Hultgren, Steve Pignato, and Kirby Wagner.

German Major Nick Kroll Lands a Great Job in Germany

2011-10-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Nick Kroll, class of 2011, has just received a position as a Sales Director for Interventional Cardiology Products. The position covers Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and assists in cases in other European cities. Mentioning the valuable experiences provided by our study abroad program in Salzburg, Nick says, “It’s what got my foot in the door.” The Salzburg Program allowed him to be “comfortable in many different situations, including extended conversations in German with native Germans and Austrians.” Nick welcomes any questions from students and alumnae/i about the process by which he received this job offer. Feel free to contact him at nick.kroll.mn@gmail.com.
Note from the German Studies Faculty -- Good luck Nick. We are proud of you!

Saint John's Prep Celebrates 45 years exchange with Stiftsgymnasium Melk, Austria

2011-07-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

Professor Emmy Sack

On July 7, 2011, 140 alumni and teachers of the Melk Study Abroad Program gathered at Saint John's to celebrate 45 years of student exchange. Herr Emmy Sack (pictured above), who teaches for the CSB/SJU German Program, was one of the founding teachers of the program in Austria. Over 400 prep students, CSB/SJU college freshman, and Austrian students have participated in the exchange program since 1966. In attendance were seven Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Melk, thought of as the most famous example of Baroque architecture in the world. Over the years, many of the graduates of this program attended CSB/SJU and completed a German major or minor here.

Melk Abbey and the Danube River

The interior of the Melk Abbey Church

Ursula Mahlendorf to Speak on her Book, The Shame of Survival: Working Through a Nazi Childhood

2011-07-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

Stories of Serving and Surviving the Nazis

A presentation by and dialogue with Ursula Mahlendorf

7:00 pm -- Monday, October 17, 2011

Gorecki 204A

Dear CSB/SJU Students, Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

This fall we have the honor of hosting Ursula Mahlendorf, professor emerita of German at UC Santa Barbara. Here are some comments about her memoir of her childhood, The Shame of Survival:

“The Shame of Survival is a compelling memoir of a girl’s experiences growing up in Nazi Germany that analyzes the lifelong implications of Nazi indoctrination on a sensitive, thoughtful young woman. It shows how a reluctant, shy, frightened, and naïve BDM member becomes swept up in Nazi ideology and documents the lifelong psychic ramifications of living with that legacy: feelings of guilt and shame, a need to work through these experiences and to take responsibility for and mourn the past. Focusing on both class and gender, Mahlendorf’s memoir offers a unique and valuable perspective on a growing body of emergent belated narratives on Nazi Germany by German émigré academics.” —Anna Kuhn, University of California, Davis

“Ursula Mahlendorf’s The Shame of Survival is a beautifully written autobiographical account of a former BDM (League of German Girls) leader who was a loyal supporter of the Nazi regime until its demise, when she suffered a major crisis in her entire belief system. Such eloquent, thoughtful accounts of a German girl’s experience during World War II have been rare, and Mahlendorf’s incisive gender analysis provides a firsthand look at how women and girls were cynically co-opted by the Nazis. Mahlendorf contextualizes her experiences within the larger frame of German military aggression and the Holocaust, focusing not only on the brutal consequences of unquestioningly following the Nazis, but also on how her traumatic postwar expulsion from the East caused her to reevaluate everything she had been taught during the Third Reich.” —Erin McGlothlin, Washington University in St. Louis

“As a young teen, she was a bystander; if she had been old enough, would she have been a perpetrator? It is that dual perspective that gives this memoir its power: the immediacy of her memoirs; the shame, remorse, and uncertainty of remembering. . . . The personal experience is haunting about then and now: how you can develop a shell of toughness and numbness and not know what is happening at Bergen-Belsen, only fifty miles away from where you live.” —Hazel Rochman, Booklist

“This is a brave, honest account of a young girl’s experience in Nazi Germany, and especially of how women and girls were exploited. There are many layers of story and meaning in this courageous and painful memoir.” —Jewish Book World
____________________________

Ursula Mahlendorf earned her Ph.D. in German Literature from Brown University in 1958 and spent the rest of her professional life teaching in the German Department and Women’s Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she retired as Professor Emerita of German, Slavic, and Semitic Studies. She also served as Associate Dean of the College of Letters and Science there. She was honored with a teaching award by the UCSB Alumni Association in 1981. She drew on her own experience as well as research in teaching undergraduate and graduate students about how Germans and German writers deal with their Nazi past.

We hope you can join us. October 17 at 7 pm, Gorecki 204A.

Teresa Walch to Volunteer at KZ Gedenkstaette Dachau

2011-07-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

Dear German Studies Students and Faculty at CSB/SJU!

During my senior year of college, I was thining of ways to improve my spoken German even more after college and I came across the website of Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (https://www.asf-ev.de/de/startseite.html), an organization founded in Germany in the 1950s to remember and atone, to what extent it can, for the crimes of Germany's Nazi past. It places volunteers in Germany and many partner countries, including the United States. Volunteers work at places such as human rights organizations, homes for Jewish elderly, and in Germany's case, at former concentration camps and memorial sites. I applied for the position in January, interviewed in February, and in March, I was notified that I was accepted and placed at the KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau (http://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/information.html) and will work with a team at the Evangelische Versöhnungskirche (http://www.versoehnungskirche-dachau.de/index.php) on site. I will help lead tours through the camp, work in the archives, and help with a touring exhibit called "Namen Statt Nummern." In addition, I will help to organize the annual international youth gathering that takes place at Dachau. I think the mission of ASF and the work it conducts is outstanding, and I am very excited to contribute.

Greetings to all.

Maybe I will see you in Germany!

Teresa Walch

German Faculty Members Review 2010-2011 Accomplishments.

2011-07-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Each summer, German faculty members take a look at the accomplishments of the past year. Based on this review, we formulate student learning goals and program goals for the year ahead.

1. Accomplishments 2010-2011 in German Studies

• German Studies Enrollments have risen by 4% over the last two years.

• Assessment of Listening and Reading. We now have longitudinal data for four semesters using the MLPA / CARLA Assessment for Listening and Reading. In the listening test, all but two of 36 students reached ACTFL levels of intermediate low, medium or high for spring term 2011. In the reading tests, 17 of 35 students reached intermediate low, medium or high, consistent with scores in past semesters. The ACTFL correlations were determined by a “modified Angoff method,” reports Ursula Lenz, Coordinator of Minnesota Language Proficiency Assessments at the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition at the University of Minnesota. Lenz urged us to decide what modalities we want to emphasize in our program and create our own cut scores for the listening and reading tests.

• Fulbright Grant. We received the Poehler Grant for the 6th time in support of Fulbright TA/Scholar 2011-2012. We are grateful to John Taylor for his annual work on this grant application.

• Faculty Scholarship

o Wendy – Presented papers at two conferences: “The Photograph as Gendered Arbiter of Truth in Contemporary Film,” International Conference on the Image, Los Angeles, Dec 3-5, 2010; and “Cybernetic Systems and Electronic Culture in Hollywood Dystopias,” Film in the Post-Media Age, International Cinema and Media Studies Conference in Transylvania, Oct 22-23, 2010. Wendy also reports two publications -- “Cybernetic Systems and Electronic Culture in Contemporary Hollywood Dystopias,” Acta: Film and Media Studies, 2011; and “The Photograph as Gendered Arbiter of Truth in Contemporary Detective Films,” in The International Journal of the Image, 2011.

o Lisa – wrote an article for Headwaters on the Passion Play in Oberammergau, which she attended with the 2010 Salzburg group. During her sabbatical term in the spring, Lisa completed four chapters on her book on Johanna Spyri. She has sent these chapters out to readers. She intends to complete five additional chapters by the end of this summer. She also presented aspects of her work for the Studium group at CSB.

o Andreas -- Completed an article which focused on the analysis of a poem by Günter Kunert. The analysis was read by Mr. Kunert and given a positive response.

o Mark – Wrote a paper that was accepted for the national ACTFL convention in Denver, November 18-20, 2011 – “Rilke, Goethe, Heine; Schubert, Schumann and Loewe: An Analysis of major German poems and musical compositions based on them.” Mark is working on three chapters of a monograph: Classic German poems about 1) ghosts, 2) God and the gods, and 3) autumn and evening. For this project, Mark did research during fall and spring semesters with SJU senior Joe Carr.

• Contributions at the State Level:

o CSB/SJU hosted a luncheon and program for the top winners of the Minnesota Association of Teachers of German oral proficiency tests at the high school level, April 2011.

o Mark and Lisa were chosen to be MN chairs for AATG testing April 2012: on-campus oral testing of 30-40 on Minnesota’s top high school German students.

o The German faculty organized and put on the Minnesota DeutschFest in May 2010, and will sponsor the event again in April 2012 for more than 300-500 high school students and teachers of German. The evaluations from teacher participants for the 2010 event were extraordinarily high.

o Andreas is on the Board of the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations, which includes World Language and Culture /German (Grades K-12). Andreas is also on the Content Advisory Committee for the World Language and Culture /German (Grades K-12) as well as well as on the Test Materials Review Board. Andreas is also on the Advisory Board of the Journal: Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Moral Issues.

• Campus Events Open to All Students and Faculty (On the whole, we experienced about a 4-fold increase in attendance at German Club sponsored events over past years):

o German Club film nights -- audiences of 60, 40, 30, and 40 (in the past we had 5-10 people at each film)

o German Club Oktober Fest (October) attended by 250 students and faculty

o German Club Faschings Fest (February) attended by 300 students and faculty

o German cooking events for ten groups of 6-20 students

• Intensive German Language Studies Abroad. To improve the fluency of our student, with the Office of Education Abroad we instituted a new two-week intensive German course in September for our Salzburg students.

• Eichstaett Visit: During the May 2011 Benedictine Tour, Charles Bobertz and Scott Johnson visited the Catholic University of Eichstaett and spoke informally with the new president of the university about the possibility of shifting our Salzburg program to Eichstaett (north of Munich about 1 hour).

• Technological Innovations. Wendy did some classroom research on the effectiveness of Moodle based tests compared with traditional handwritten tests. The Moodle control groups performed better overall, partly because of the instant feedback feature. Mark created about 100 hours of self-teaching grammar units to correspond with the first year text, Kontakte, by using voice and image features of Camtasia software and the classroom Tablet PC. The student response was very positive. During spring term, Mark also created audio files for eight chapters the intermediate/advanced grammar text, German in Review.

2. Opportunities for the Year Ahead.

• Build on Germany’s success in the areas of ecological sustainability.

• Take advantage of three operas by German/Austrian composers to be performed in the Twin Cities: Werther, Silent Night, and Cosi fan tutti.

• Continue to build relations with top High school teachers of German through DeutschFest and AATG testing on our campuses.

• Look more into abroad possibilities in Eichstaett.

• Make the most of the planned reading group on the Holocaust.

• Have a workshop on to share technology ideas based on Moodle, Camtasia, and other modalities.

• Look into accepting courses from philosophy, history, art, music and other departments for fulfilling part of German Studies requirements for the major or minor.

• Look into a shared major with another department, e.g., Major in International Business with a concentration in German. Valparaiso University has such a major.

• Build on German faculty rapport through periodic social gatherings at each other’s homes.

• Integrate better the theme-genre-period organization of our upper division courses.

Mario Seidel Chosen as Fulbright Scholar and TA for CSB/SJU 2011-2012

2011-05-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

“The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

(William A. Ward)

The United States has always captivated and fascinated me. Experiencing its rich culture for a long term would certainly enrich my own horizon. I would love to live in this country and I would love to understand its culture. I am quite familiar with American literature, history and the political system, but I want to know these things beyond what can be found in textbooks and bring these insights into my personal life and also into the classroom.
Getting to know new cultures puts one's own culture into perspective and leads to a better understanding of differences between people, nations and mentalities. I strongly believe in the transformative effect of traveling and getting to know new cultures. Understanding becomes more and more important in a globalized world. I would like to gain this understanding. And I would like to pass it on to my students. I want to find all the ingredients required to inspire students toward excellence.

I have a strong and sincere interest in literature and theater. I read quite a bit and go to the local theater at least once a month. Besides that, I enjoy sports, especially tennis and squash. I try to be outside and in the nature as much as possible and find interest in ecological and biological questions. For the last few years I have also traveled a lot as I am eager to discover foreign cultures.

I lived in Cork, Ireland from September 2007 until July 2008 studying at University College Cork. I backpacked through India for several weeks in May 2010 visiting Mumbai, New-Delhi, Jaipur and Udaipur.

Mario Comes from the beautiful city of Konstanz on the
south -southwestern border of Germany

Dear Mario!

We are delighted that you will be joining us this coming academic year and we congratulate you on your receiving the prestigious Fulbright TA fellowship for scholarship and teaching at CSB/SJU.

Ralph

2011-05-09T08:48:00.001-07:00

2011-04-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

German Major Alumnus Stephan Maikkula writes to Professor Andreas Kiryakakis

2011-04-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Andreas -

How are you? I hope all is well on your end. I now live in San Diego. My wife and I have 3 boys (9, 7 & 5) and i am working in the money management industry.

I work for a Swiss bank (UBS) and cover European stock markets. I really enjoy it and have the chance to travel to Europe a couple times per year. I'm actually going to Germany twice this year.

I hope all is well on your end.

Take care,

Stephan

Soft Bavarian Pretzels Baked at Saint John's for the First Time

2011-03-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

An illustration from the 12th century Hortus deliciarum from Alsace may be the earliest depiction of a pretzel, shown at a banquet with Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus.

There are numerous accounts on the origin of the looped pretzels, as well as the origin of the name; most agree that they have Christian backgrounds and were invented by monks. According to The History of Science and Technology, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, in 610 AD "...an Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, 'pretiola' ("little rewards")". However, no source is cited to back up these details. Another source locates the invention in a monastery in southern France.

Emblem of the Baker's Guild in Germany

Within the Catholic church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. Pretzels made with a simple recipe using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent, when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter. As time passed, pretzels became associated with both Lent and Easter. Pretzels were hidden on Easter morning just as eggs are hidden today, and are particularly associated with Lent, fasting, and prayers before Easter. The classic pretzel's three-hole shape begins to take form.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretzel

Plans are underway to have a pretzel making evening with members of the CSB/SJU German Club.

Apply for a Five Month Stay in Germany (March 1 -- July 31, 2012) to Study Politics

2011-03-01T07:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of the German Embassy,

   We would be very grateful if you could support us in promoting this excellent scholarship opportunity by forwarding the message below to any students and/or recent graduates who might be interested or to any networks available to you that might help spread the word.

   Your help is greatly appreciated! For more information please refer to the information below.

   Thank you and best regards,

Gunnar Christiansen
Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany

676 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 3200

Chicago, IL 60611
_______________________________

Dear Student or Recent Graduate,

Are you interested in politics? Would you like to gain first-hand experience of parliamentary work in Germany? In that case, the International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) invites you to take part in an exciting opportunity.

Every year, IPS enables 120 recent graduates from 28 countries to get to know the German parliamentary system through a five month stay in Germany (March 1 -- July 31, 2012). The Program includes an internship in the office of a Member of the German Bundestag, the German parliament. Combined with a supplementary academic program organized by Berlin's three major universities and the fun of being together with people from other nations, a unique experience awaits you in the exciting German capital.

What the Bundestag expects of you:

* Interest in politics
* Excellent knowledge of German
*University degree (B.A., B.S.)
* U.S. Citizenship
* Born after March 1, 1982

What you can expect:
* Monthly grant of € 450.00
* Free accommodation
* Health, accident, and liability insurance
* Reimbursement of your travel expenses to and from Berlin

   For more information about the admission requirements, the scholarship details, and the application procedure, please visit the following websites:

Bundestag homepage: http://www.bundestag.de/ips
The homepage of the German missions in the United States:
http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__pr/K__Wash/2011/02/17__IPS__Program__PR.html?archive=1978778
Application details may be found online at:
http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/europa_internationales/internat_austausch/ips/index.html

*The application deadline is June 30, 2011*

We look forward to receiving your application!
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Cultural Affairs Department IPS Committee 2300 M Street NW Washington, DC 20037

German Club Gets Organized for Spring Term

2011-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

On a snowy January 31st, more than 20 students gathered to learn about leadership opportunities in the German Club, both for spring term and for the 2011-2012 school year. Students also tried their hand at Austrian Käsespätzle guided by our Fulbright assistant, Ralph Neumayer from Vienna -- and the recipe he received from his mother a few days ago. A special thanks to Club Officers, Benjamin Jude Slabaugh, Justin Bork and Tim Marzik for organizing the evening and gathering info about how students want to support the work of the club. Thanks to Ralph for providing the astonishingly good recipe! And welcome back Salzburg students!

Salzburg Group Returns and Enjoys Kaiserschmarren at a Welcome Back Party

2011-01-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome back Megan, Brady, Jennifer, Aimee, Jeremy, Nicole, Kolby, Sean, Kevin, Daniel, Chris, Megan, Matthew, Jacob, and Katie -- and Lisa and Stuart!

On January 24th, returnees from our semester at Salzburg University enjoyed the traditional Austrian dessert, Kaiserschmarren. It is generally agreed that Kaiserschmarren was first prepared for the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I (1830–1916). There are several stories. One story involves the Emperor and his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria, of the House of Wittelsbach. Obsessed with maintaining a minimal waistline, the Empress Elisabeth directed the royal chef to prepare only light desserts for her, much to the consternation and annoyance of her notoriously austere husband. Upon being presented with the chef’s confection, she found it too rich and refused to eat it. The exasperated Francis Joseph quipped, “Now let me see what "Schmarrn" our chef has cooked up”. It apparently met his approval as he finished his and even his wife’s serving. Thereafter, the dessert was called Kaiserschmarrn across the Empire.

Emmy Sack Joins Faculty to Teach German

2011-01-14T12:44:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving in Salzburg!

2011-01-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

Matt Beck Thriving as Fulbright TA in Nürnberg.

2010-12-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

Hallo Freunde!

As 2010 comes to an end, I'm writing to update you on my last few months. It's been a while since my last update, but I certainly didn't want to fill your email boxes with too many details of my everyday life (For example, teaching German students not to place 'for example' smack dab in the middle of a sentence). Quite a bit has happened in the last few months, so I'll start at the beginning.

At the end of October, my friend Alison, who was studying abroad in London, came to visit me in Nürnberg. This gave me a chance to do a lot of the touristy things that I otherwise wouldn't do. For example, I live a five-minute walk away from Hitler's colosseum and the Nazi rally grounds. Alison and I trotted over there, and after walking around and inside the colosseum, which is architecturally awesome, we visited the Documentation Center, a museum built into the colosseum. What I really liked about it was that it focused on the time leading up to the holocaust, rather than on the holocaust itself. Having known little about this time (about 1919-1939), it was an educational experience.

After a week in Nürnberg (and yes, you can experience Nürnberg in a week), we took a train to visit our friend Andreas in Vienna. Unfortunately, we only had three days to spend there. While Andreas worked during the day, Alison and I explored Vienna ourselves, visiting a couple palaces and walking around the city center. At night and on the weekend, Andreas showed us around other parts of Vienna.

November and December were focused on getting settled in and finding more to do. For some reason, the German Ministry of Education thinks that twelve hours of work a week is enough to keep teaching assistants occupied. It also sounds great on paper (Fulbright: get paid to live in Germany with no responsibilities!), but in reality, it leads to quite a bit of boredom. My resolution: I'm voluntarily working more at the Gymnasium (academic-track school) by teaching more upper-level classes and by helping to revise and evaluate senior theses. I've also been given my own conversation class and am planning a literature class for spring.

This past week, I went to Switzerland to celebrate Christmas with my roommate Filip's family. Although I was only there for a few days, my impressions of Switzerland are pretty positive. People seemed nicer than in Germany, and I love the accent (much softer and more melodic than the Franconian accent). The dialects, however, are a bit difficult for me to understand if I'm not concentrating.

Over the course of the next few months, I have quite a bit planned. On Friday, I'm invited to a Silvester (New Year's) party at the home of one of my colleagues. Next week, I'm going back to Vienna to visit Andreas again. In February, I'm hopefully going skiing in Austria with the 7th grade class. Following that, Fulbright has a week-long, all expenses paid conference in Berlin at a four-star hotel. Win.

In closing, here are some more bullet points about my life here:

* It took me three months for me to get a residency permit. In the end, the worker only needed to enter some data into her computer and print the permit for me.

* I got a library card so that I could read some German books, but I had to bring proof of residency with me.

* I've been apologized to by the manager of a bank and by the alien registration office for inefficiencies that delayed my applications. In addition, being apologized to in your second language is awesome.

*A few inches of snow disables Germany. Streetcars shut down. Trains stop. Department store floors turn into lakes. The snow removal systems that exist are minimal at best.

• On a more positive note:

* After four months of searching, I finally found someone to do an impression of an American speaking German. It was hilarious and educational.

* I've been trying to master the German r, which is pronounced only enough to be difficult for English speakers (in contrast to the American r, which is heavily pronounced.

* I'm improving U.S.-German relations (the real reason I'm here) by establishing a pen pal program.

* With my extra time here, I'm looking into starting a third language. The forerunners: Arabic and Turkish.

* With more friends coming to visit, I should have my tour of Nürnberg perfected by the end of the year.

Best wishes and a happy new year!

Matt

Three Great Upper Div Courses for Spring 2011 -- Take Two!

2010-11-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Dear German Students!
Indulge your appetite for things German this coming semester! Andreas K's survey course will give you a broad view of modern German Culture and Literature -- focusing on some of the most thought-provoking writers of modern times. Wendy Sterba's Medieval course is a perennial favorite and her love of the medieval period complete with knights, royal families, dragons, hermits and love stories will grab your imagination. Mark Thamert's Great Ideas will feature short texts and and many ideas to challenge the way you think about life.

GERM 325: Survey 1850 until Present (4 credits)
This seminar will be a study of German literature and its cultural background from the mid-19th century to the 20th century. Representative literary and cultural texts of German Nobel Prize winners in literature will be read, analyzed and discussed. The course will include literary and cultural trends and movements of Naturalism, Impressionism, Expressionism, and post-World War II contemporary developments. Texts from the following authors will be included: Gerhart Hauptmann, Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, Nelly Sachs, Heinrich Böll, Günter Grass, Elfriede Jelinek, and Herta Müller.     Andreas Kiryakakis

GERM 330: German Lands in Religious Transition: The Light and Dark of the Middle Ages. (2-4 credits)
Before the Common Era, Germanic tribes moved into central Europe and greatly affected the culture of the continent. This course explores the origins and effects of the united European Empire myth. It also looks at the ways in which religions and feudal structures impacted the culture, actions and art of a variety of Europe. Prerequisites: 212; 311 and 312, or concurrent enrollment in 311 or 312. Offered every three years. Can be repeated with permission of instructor if content varies. Qualifies as a course in Period.   Wendy Sterba

GERM 357C: Great Ideas in German Culture (2 credits)
Students and Fr. Mark will gather to decide the best meeting time, wherther evening or during the day. AB mod only.

This 2-credit seminar emphasize developing students' discussion skills and will feature short texts by such significant writers as Hildegard von Bingen; Kafka und Nietzsche; Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Freud und Heine; Karl Marx; Friedrich Engels; Otto von Bismarck; Max Weber; Oswald Spengler; Hitler und Kästner; Albert Schweitzer; Erich Maria Remarque; Karl Jaspers; Albert Schweitzer; Werner von Braun; C. G. Jung; Heine und Kant; Wolfgang von Goethe; Hugo von Hofmannsthal; Ute Frevert; Erica Fischer; and Christa Wolf.   Give it a try! Mark Thamert

The CSB/SJU Salzburg Group is Thriving!

2010-10-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

CSB/SJU is among the very top German Studies Departments nationwide to send so many students abroad for entire semester. Some students stay on to complete an entire year in Salzburg. Many go on to become Teaching Assistants in Austria and Germany for a year or two after graduation as part of two different Fulbright programs. Thank you Professor Lisa Ohm and Stuart Golschen for your guidance of this remarkable group.

Hallo from Salzburg! Students on the Salzburg Program are absorbing German and culture at a fast pace. We just returned from a field trip to Vienna, where we absorbed the art, architecture, music, and cosmopolitan air of the nation’s capital. The impressive imperial buildings of Vienna remind visitors of the vibrant history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s capital situated in today’s (rather small) Austria. It’s great to have friends in Vienna: Robert Mewissen gave us a delightful tour, and Andreas Raab attended the concert with us. We visited the imperial rooms (20 of the 180!) in Schoenbrunn Palace and attended a concert in the Kursalon. Nearly everyone adventured up the lift + stairs to the top of the cupola in Karlskirche. The restoration of the paintings on the ceiling gives visitors (without a fear of heights) this opportunity to feel like Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel—or a bird! In Salzburg we attended a Mozart opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, which had not been produced often until recently because it deals with a harem in the Islamic world. It was presented by students from the Mozarteum, the name of the University of Salzburg’s world-famous music and theater department. At Kehlsteinkopf (Eagle’s Nest) in Bavaria we had the Baroque sensation of being pulled between the thrilling beauty of the surrounding Alps and the morbid underground bunkers in the Hitler complex. At Salzburg’s Open-Air Museum we saw typical rural homes from two of the five “counties” in Salzburg Land: Flachgau, & Tennengau, the oldest home dating from 1640. Houses from Pinzgau, Pongau, and Lungau were also represented. During a longer break at the end of the month students will be testing their new socio-cultural skills in trips further afield in Europe. Gute Reisen!

Oktoberfest at Brother Willis -- Songs, Dancing, Brats and Bretz'n

2010-10-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

On October 16th, Maren Gotchnik and Phil Roye graced the festival with their authentic costumes.

Over 200 CSB/SJU students attended and learned new dances and sang German songs.

Unsre Schuplatterbuabn.

Our Fulbrighter Ralph Neumayer from Austria did the DJ honors.

Dear German Club students. You can be very proud of all the work you put into making this first Oktoberfest at CSB/SJU such a success. Herzlichen Dank!

A Year-Long Internship in Germany!

2010-10-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a yearlong fellowship to study and intern in Germany, is currently accepting applications from your students. CBYX is open to applicants in all career fields without any prior German language knowledge, and is funded by the US and German governments through a grant provided by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended. More information can be found at www.cbyx.info .

The CBYX program covers the costs of and annually provides 75 participants with:

• 2 months intensive German language training in Cologne, Bremen, or Radolfzell

• Semester of study at a German University or University of Applied Sciences

• 5-month internship with a German company in the participant’s career field

• Homestays with German host families, in shared apartments, and student dorms

• Transatlantic airfare, health insurance, and monthly living expense stipends

• Various seminars in the US and Germany

• Local in-country support throughout the program

CBYX for Young Professionals is open to students in all fields of study, though preference is given to students in vocational, technical, engineering, agricultural, business, and scientific fields. Applicants should have clear career goals and some relevant work experience in their career field, which may include summer, part-time, or internship work. Prior German language knowledge is not required, though it is strongly preferred. Participants must be between the ages of 18-24, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be US citizens or permanent residents.

Please forward this information on to your students and fellow faculty. Should you require informational materials, or would like a CBYX alumnus or alumna to visit your college and give a presentation on the program to your students, please feel free to contact me.

Interested applicants can apply online at www.cbyx.info . The application deadline for the 2011-2012 program is December 1, 2010. We look forward to receiving applications from your students!

Sincerely,

Will Maier
Program Officer, CBYX for Young Professionals
CDS International
440 Park Avenue South, 2nd Fl
New York, NY 10016
wmaier@cdsintl.org

CSB/SJU Students Thriving in Salzburg

2010-09-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Salzburgers! The joy on your faces means you are taking good advantage of all the opportunities Austria has to offer. It will be wonderful to see you when you return to hear about all your adventures! We are proud of your taking advantage of this wonderful program. Alles Gute!

Here is a note from our colleague Professor Lisa Ohm who is directing the group this year with her husband Stuart Goldschen:

Dear Colleagues and Students at CSB/SJU! The city of Salzburg is as beautiful as ever, and friendlier than ever despite the throngs of tourists. The 16 CSB/SJU students are settling in and beginning to feel like they belong here. They like the dorm rooms; only one student's roommate has arrived--from Japan, and speaking some German and no English! We visited the summer palace of Makus Sittikus and enjoyed the water fountains that spray without warning from numerous directions. Typical of Mannerism, said the guide: surprise and contrast. Classes started last Monday. Dr. Spechtler gave a lecture covering some basic background information on religious drama and the Oberammergau Passion Play in particular. When looking at the gospel sources for the play, he stressed that Westerners must read with the pictoral language of the Orient in mind and forget the Western penchant for facts. The weather has been beautiful: a bit of rain, but mostly good days for being outdoors. Students climbed the Gaisberg as a prelude to Untersberg. Sunday we visited the Stift Melk and saw the splendor of the Baroque and were impressed by the "fortress abbey" on the Danube. And this is only the beginning!...Oktoberfest begins this weekend in Muenchen, next weekend is Oberammergau...

Salzburg Gruppe 2010

Megan Boll
Brady Dietman
Jennifer Grier
Aimee Harren
Jeremy Hericks
Nicole Johnson
Kolby Kulas
Sean Lynch
Kevin Murphy
Daniel Parker
Christopher Pignato
Megan Priebe
Matthew Roggenbuck
Jacob Schumacher
Christopher Seiler
Katie Ulrich

German Club Makes Authentic Wienerschnizel!

2010-09-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Robert Mevissen Chosen for a Second Year as Fulbright Scholar and Teacher in Austria

2010-09-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

John Jacobs Joins the German Department from a Semester in Freiburg

2010-09-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Fellow Students and German Profs!

I spent my spring term this past year in Freiburg, where I studied EU politics and traveled to seventeen different countries and visited the EU parliament, World trade organization, the EU Parliament, the United Nations and other political centers. During the term I earned 16 credits through IES (International Education of Students). After the semester was over in May I applied for twelve jobs and ended up working in the Kastaniengarten beer garden! Before attending University of San Diego for my freshman year, I went to school at Saint John's Prep and did my junior year at the Stiftsgymnasium in Melk, Austria. It's great to be back in campus! I look forward to working with the German Club and being part of the German Department!

Liebe Grüsse,
John jacobs

German Grad Will Rogers Thriving in His Medical Sales Position in Germany

2010-08-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Students and Friends of the CSB/SJU German Department,

I never knew what I was going to do with a German major, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made. After college I packed up my car and moved to San Diego where I took the first job I could find, but I was continuously looking for a way to get back to Germany or Austria. I became a German major because of my family history and my love of travel. After the Salzburg program, I knew I had to go for the major. While in San Diego I connected with a friend whose company was looking for a German speaker. The interview went well, so I quit my job and shipped over to Germany immediately.

I have been living in Germany for over 4 years now. I work for a medical device manufacturer and supervise all of our business development in Central Europe. I spend a majority of my time working in Gemany and Austria, but have also spent time working in Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, England, Belgium, Poland, Malaysia, and Turkey. I currently live in Frankfurt, Germany. I'm not throwing out the option of staying here permanently, but regardless I will always want a job that gives me access to travel in Europe.

All of my new friends have been Germans, which has really helped progress my language skills. My German is now better than I ever thought possible. If I would have some advice for students taking German who would like to live in the country after college, the first step is to just get over to Germany. Find an internship or an English teaching position. Once you hit the ground, you can start networking and find a more permanent position. If you want to go for your masters, regardless of your major, a majority of graduate programs in Germany are taught in English and are far less expensive than in the USA. So don't be nervous if your German isn't perfect. You're young, just go for it! Let me know if I can help you further!

All the best in your studies,
Will Rogers

Thanks from the heart ... We couldn't do it without you!

2010-07-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Wonderful Colleagues,

Thank you Lonnie Johnson in Vienna for guiding our Fulbright TA Recipients each year; Dave Lyndgaard, Provost Rita Knuesel, and Dean Joe Desjardins for supporting our new German Studies curriculum and paving the way for Fulbright TA positions at CSB/SJU. Thank you John Taylor for your yearly work with foundations on our behalf; Mike Connolly and Jody Terhaar for finding excellent living quarters for our visiting Fulbright TA/Scholars; professors Greg Schroeder and Charles Bobertz for superb management of our Salzburg Program; Ernie Dietrich, Greg Schroeder and Joe Rogers for helping us create a vision for European and German Studies Abroad; Tom Kroll for your giving our students tours -- in German -- through the SJU wetlands; Stuart Goldschen for your superb photography and moral support; and Mary Niedenfuer for your countless daily contributions as coordinator of our department. We couldn't do it without you!

15 Minnesota High Schools Attend Minnesota DeutschFest at CSB/SJU

2010-07-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

On May 14th three hundred Minnesota high school students arrived at Saint John's for a morning of upbeat competitions and an early afternoon awards ceremony in the abbey church to honor Minnesota high school teachers and students. It was an amazing joint venture between CSB/SJU and Minnesota high schools. THANK YOU to everyone who attended and worked so hard for this year's event. We have set a goal to double the attendance next year!

Michael Risch-Janson '08 and Angela Sigl '08 Return from Fulbright Teaching, Wed in Abbey Church

2010-06-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

An amazing story ....

Michael started in German 111 his Freshman year -- and completed the major in four years!
He double majored in German and Physics.
He was a participant in the Salzburg Program
He took a job as a programmer at Securian Financial in Downtown Saint Paul..
After a year of work in the real world he decided to apply for the Austria teaching Fulbright.
His girlfriend Angela Sigl (CSB grad, 2008) was also awarded a Fulbright teaching position in Wieselburg because the other American teacher didn't show up!
Angela and Michael are being married in the Abbey Church by Fr. Mark Thamert on July 3, 2010.
Congratulations Michael and Angela!

Austrian Ambassador, Christian Prosl, Visits Saint John's University.

2010-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ambassador Christian Prosl is not the first Austrian diplomat to the United States to visit Collegeville, but given his warm reception Tuesday, it likely will not be the last. Prosl was given a guided tour of The Saint John s Bible exhibition at Hill Museum & Manuscript Library on the campus of St. John's University.

One of our board members is the honorary consul general to Austria ... and former instructor here, HMML Development Director Erin Lonergan said about Ron Bosrock and his invitation to Prosl. Matthew Heintzelman, curator of the Austria and Germany Study Center, gave a presentation about HMML's Austrian collection in Collegeville, during the 63-year-old ambassador's visit.

A book is more than just a container for text, Heintzelman said. It is the history of how that book was received, how the book was made, what were the economics of the time.

Prosl, a husband and father from Eisenstadt, Austria, looked at The Saint John s Bible's The Luke Anthology, which featured ink from hand-ground pigments and gold leaf on calfskin vellum.

I heard from my predecessor that there s a wonderful monastery here and wonderful people, and so I came, said Prosl, who arrived in the Twin Cities on a flight from Washington, D.C. The Saint John's Bible is the world's latest handwritten and illustrated Bible, and the first Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in almost 500 years.

The Benedictines have been here for the last 150 years, and what they do is a place of culture ... and they show how (to live) a Christian life, Prosl said of his first visit to St. John's.

HMML began converting Austrian manuscripts to microfilm in 1965 in an effort to preserve books and manuscripts in other countries. The most complete of HMML's collections, it contains more than 30,000 manuscripts and other documents pre-1600 work from almost all the Austrian libraries.

It opened doors for us to more than 70 other manuscript libraries and set the standard for the collaboration that has characterized HMML's mission during our 40 years of work throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said the Rev. Columba Stewart, HMML executive director. Eva Nowotny, a former Austrian ambassador to the United States, visited the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in 2007.

HMML was founded 40 years ago in response to the loss of manuscripts and books during World Wars I and II. Austria is a small country. We know we are not the center of the world, and we have no problems and we don't create problems so basically we have a very good relationship (with the United States), Prosl said of his German-speaking country, which has a population of 8.2 million.

The United States first established diplomatic relations with Austria in 1838, and relations between the two have been continuous since, except in World War I and World War II. He is a very nice person very nice, very nice, Prosl said of President Barack Obama, who the Austrian ambassador described as being genial and welcoming when presented with his credentials.

In a globalist world, there are two major areas that have the same basic values Europe and the United States and therefore we have to understand each other, Prosl said of U.S.-Austrian relations.

German Major Matt Beck Gives Commencement Address

2010-06-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Philipp Roye and Andreas Raab Give Presentation About Germany and Austria at Local High Schools

2010-05-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

Philipp Roye, a first year student from Germany and Andreas Raab, our Fulbright Teaching Assistant from Austria, brought their home countries to a high school classroom in the nearby town of Holdingford. History and geography, customs and traditions, food and clothing, sights, sports, and their home towns were among the topics Philipp and Andreas talked about. Around 30 8th grade students learned about another culture and asked the two presenters many interesting questions. Philipp and Andreas enjoyed their visit and had a great time working with the student group.

Senior Matt Beck Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Grant for Research and Teaching in Germany

2010-05-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Note: Matt will be teaching in two schools in the inner city of Nürnberg, one school on each side of the Pegnitz river. Here Matt talks about his interest in German leading to being granted this wonderful fellowship.

I started taking German as a junior at Pierz Healy High School, where it was the major language of study. Because of block scheduling I was able to take four courses in two years. I came to St. John's somewhat misguidedly to play sports, but I later realized the importance of academics and also the friendships that I have made here. So far, my best experience in German has been studying abroad in Ingolstadt, Germany. I lived with a host family and worked in an after-school program. At this program, I worked with a variety of immigrants who were struggling. My experiences in Germany eventually became the groundwork for my senior thesis, which I am presenting at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Montana. I am most proud of how far I have been able to come in four years - I'm certainly much more aware of the world that I was as a freshman, and I'm much more able to critically think about language, education, and politics.

    I've also found that the German major here is a great chance to foster community. This past fall, my roommates and I had Fr. Mark, Fulbright Teaching Assistant Andreas Raab, and our faculty resident over to make Wienerschnitzel. Events such as this are unique opportunities to get to know professors and other German majors better.
    My senior thesis synthesized many of my interests. Because of my experiences in Ingolstadt, I knew that I wanted to research possible improvements to the situation of immigrants in Germany. I ended up combining aspects of Marxist theory, Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, and theories of second language acquisition. In the future, I see my self completing a Ph. D. or Ed. D. in education, most likely focusing on critical pedagogy or culture and teaching.
    Right now, I'm student teaching to get ready for my career in education. At the beginning of this semester, I taught at St. John's Preparatory School with Emmy Sack. Emmy was a wonderful mentor; in two months, I was able to greatly improve as a teacher. It was also quite strenuous - writing lesson plans for four different courses each day adds up quickly!
     Fulbright is an experience that will certainly help me in my future. Not only will I be able to improve my German, I'll be able to see a different educational system. It'll also give me some time to mature before I begin my career as a teacher.

Matt Beck

Six Seniors Complete Final Presentations with Honors

2010-05-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

Christen, Dan, Jay, Teresa, und Greg -- Wir sind so stolz auf euch!

TERESA M. WALCH Supporting a Myth: The Effect of Vienna’s Post-World War II Monuments on Austrian Identity, 1945-1955. (Mark Thamert, OSB, PhD, Modern and Classical Languages). Although many Austrians participated in the crimes of the third Reich, Austria was labeled as the first victim of German aggression in the Allied Moscow Declaration of 1943. In order to conform to this victim myth, postwar Austrian political elites created and used a distinct, non-German identity to serve their own political agendas. Provincial and locally-sponsored Austrian memorials disputed the official memory that was supported and sustained by politically-sponsored monuments in Vienna during the initial postwar decade. This study delves into Austria’s post-World War II monument culture, specifically focusing on Vienna’s monuments and memorials, and it analyzes Austrian political elites’ utilization of these sites of memory to support the official postwar Austrian identity.

CHRISTEN BECKSTRAND Music as Political Tool: The Role of Music as Propaganda in Nazi Germany (1933-1945). (Dr. Andreas Kiryakakis, Modern and Classical Languages). The Third Reich (1933-1945) drew upon many aspects of German nationalism to solidify its control, including German musical culture, which played an important role in the regime's overall propaganda effort. Exploiting the Germanic musical culture, the Nazi party won “acceptance by creating the proper emotional atmosphere,” wherein the acceptance of the Nazi party and Nazi ideals was simple and natural for the German public (Moller, 44). The Third Reich worked to promote the purity of German culture and the credibility of the Nazi Party by exalting the past Germanic (Aryan) musical greats, censoring new musical material, and excluding Jews from the musical scene. As a musical, emotional, and political movement, the Third Reich successfully infiltrated the German Volk through a popular vein: the love and appreciation for Germany’s composers and the tradition of German dominance in the musical movement.

MATTHEW T. BECK Immigration and the German School System: a Freirean Perspective.   (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages). During the economic boom of the 1950's, Germany welcomed guest workers from other countries to help rebuild its economy. Since then, the children of many of these immigrants have struggled to succeed in school. In order to improve their situation, I suggest that a combination of Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, multicultural education, and collaborative dialog may help immigrant children acquire both the language skills and the cultural knowledge necessary for academic success. In this project I draw upon theories of second language acquisition; works by educational theorists from Germany, America, and Canada; and the experiences of German educators.

GREG SANDQUIST   The Berlin airlift: the start of the US-German relationship. (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages).   From June 1948 until 1949, the city of West Berlin suffered under the hands of the Soviet blockade of all Allied supply lines through the Soviet-occupied zone. The Berlin Airlift in the end was a success, but many Americans and Germans were extremely worried that it would fail in the beginning stages. During the 11 months of the Airlift, the US came to understand its previous enemy as a mutual partner and friend. After 50-60 years of almost being forgotten, interest in the Berlin Airlift exploded in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Anniversaries were being celebrated and the veterans who participated in one of America’s finest hours are passing on, but Americans are also seeking answers in a previous era, the era of the “Greatest Generation,” when the US found solutions instead of being the problem.

JAY M. RANFRANZ   How Far is Too Far? A Comparison of Nazi Eugenic Movements during World War II with Today’s Developments in Modern Eugenics. (Mark Thamert, OSB, Ph.D., Modern and Classical Languages). Scientific breakthroughs in the field of genetics during the 21st century have greatly contributed to the science community and general public, but where could these technological advances lead? With new information about the role of genes in human development, classic eugenicists have turned to genetic engineering to manipulate the human genome in hopes of improving the human race. The problem is that even though the science behind this practice has changed, the ethical dilemmas have remained. Modern eugenicists argue that exterminating “bad” genes from the population will better humanity as a whole. This movement is eerily similar to the Nazi Party’s support of racial hygiene. Modern eugenics is morally indefensible based on its close resemblance to the Nazi eugenic movements of WWII, which has already been accepted as wrong. Science pushes the limits of what ethicists deem morally right or wrong, so the question is, How far is too far?

DAN SALAY   The significance of the word Volk [German People] from the Romantic period to today (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages) The words DEM DEUTSCHE VOLKE [To the German People] stand over the main entrance to the Reichstag building in Berlin. The interpretation of Volk has transformed since the time of the romantics. The placement of these words on the Reichstag in 1916 stirred early debates about the true meaning of Volk for all Germans. The word Volk has undergone changes that carry both positive and negative connotation connected directly to the history of German politics and culture. Beginning in the Romantic period, and following through the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Cold War, and up to today, Volk has gained no universally accepted definition regarding its proper usage for the modern day. Its presence on the Reichstag publically presents the question of its meaning to this day. This unresolved question generates debate and remains a thorn in the side of Germany’s identity and its position in the world.

Carolyn Haupert Takes Job in Germany Starting in September

2010-05-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Dear students taking German! Here is my news ...

I have just accepted an au pair position in Bamberg, Germany starting in September and going through the following August. I will be living with a family and helping with their two children while they help me with my German. I will be taking language classes at the University of Bamberg and oboe lessons with a teacher from Nuremberg. I am looking forward to immersing myself in German language and culture.

I got the job by posting a profile with an online au pair agency. I found the agency on goabroad.com, which I found on the school's career center webpage.

Best of luck in your German studies! I hope German speaking countries will also be part of your plans after college!

Carolyn Haupert

Celebrating the end of a successful year!

2010-05-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

German Students at Saint Ben's and Saint John's

2010-04-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

Take a peek at our wonderful students!

CLICK these LINKS:

http://germanmajors-2010.blogspot.com/2010/03/german-majors-2010.html

http://germanmajors-2010.blogspot.com/2010/03/german-majors-2011.html

Top Minnesota High School Students and Teachers Come to Saint John's for German Awards Banquet

2010-04-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 25, thirty Minnesota high school German students received awards for their superb work in German language and culture studies in German. Top Minnesota German teachers were also recognized at this event. They represent the best of German teaching nationwide:

Dear Teachers: We are deeply grateful for your daily energy and contributions to the success of German Studies in Minnesota! We cannot thank you enough.

Kathy Bauman at Century High School in Rochester
Josh Grossman at John Marshall High School in Rochester
Michael Thompson at Mayo High School in Rochester
Emmy Sack from Saint John's Preparatory in Collegeville
Jutta Crowder at St. Paul Academy
Maureen Curran at Mounds View High School in Arden Hills
Barbara Melbye Janssen at Wayzata High School in Plymouth
Miriam O'Brien at Marshall School in Duluth
Judy Zewers at Coon Rapids High School in Coon Rapids
Laura Welch at Irondale High School in New Brighton
Deborah Winkelman at Northfield High School in Northfield
Rosemarie Hogan at Apple Valley High School in Apple Valley
Gretchen Ortenzio at Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka
Cheryl Wason at Farmington High School in Farmington.

_______________________

Pictured here are colleagues Isolde Mueller and Shawn Jarvis from SCSU who organized the administration of the oral and written national exams, and Lisa Ohm, German Professor and Chair of MCL for Saint Ben's and Saint John's who helped host the event. Thank you all for a most wonderful event!

Justin Bork and Maren Gotchnik Completing Year in Berlin and Osnabruck on Prestigious DAAD Fellowships

2010-04-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

Justin Bork and Maren Gotchnik Completing Year in Berlin and Osnabruck on Prestigious DAAD Fellowships

Here is a message from Marin: Dear Friends in German! From August - September I took German language courses, where I spoke only German and I met so many people from so many countries I never thought I would meet someone from! Fall term I took business-type classes. Currently I am doing an internship in Osnabrück with a company called Felix Schoeller. They produce and print paper. They are a fairly large international company and I am working in the Marketing department. I have been here for almost two months now and it is going quite well. My daily tasks are in English and in German. I have also had sometime to travel a bit, in February I went to Egypt! That was probably the highlight of my year so far! My internship ends in July and I hope to be home around the beginning of August. Looking forward to being back on campus!

Ralph Neumayer from Austria Will Join us Next Year as Fulbright Scholar and Teaching Assistant

2010-04-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

My name is Ralph Neumayer and I am currently in my seventh semester of my studies and teacher training at the University of Vienna. I would describe myself as a self-confident, flexible, dependable, and initiative person with facility as a motivating character. I think I can further describe myself as a communicative person who establishes contacts quickly and likes to communicate with others and pass on my knowledge. Further, I can be characterized as an outgoing character who displays no shyness or fear of public appearances. Thanks to this feature of my personality, I already gained experience as presenter, singer and soloist at numerous school concerts during my high-school days. The absolute highlight (and embarrassment), however, was my participation in the casting show “Starmania”, as a 16-year old.

My passion for music stems from my childhood days when my great-grandmother used to sing with me everyday, while I spent time with her, since my parents were at work. Thus I also decided to attend a high school with a specialization in musical theory and practice. The school’s production and performance of musicals (Hair, Grease, West Side Story, Carmina Burana, etc.) gave us pupils a chance to show our music skills in public. Today, I still enjoy it very much to play my acoustic or electronic guitar and to jam with other friends, whenever I feel exhausted from workday and need to recharge my batteries.

   When I am not studying for university or playing my guitar, I probably can be found near a soccer ground. Since I am the son of a very successful soccer player and Austrian Soccer Cup winner, it is not overly surprising that I am playing soccer myself. In this context, I have to mention, however, that I am not as serious about soccer as my father once was, but regard it more or less as a pleasant leisure time activity. Besides all that, I also like to participate in football drills together with my friends.
   Already during my days in elementary school I discovered a fondness for books. At that time Thomas Brezina was probably most gratified by that fact, since I read more than one hundred of his books between the age of six and twelve and therefore provided him with substantial income during that time span. Even after I had quit reading stories about the “Knickerbocker-Bande”, my passion for books and literature remained and was fostered by my German and English teachers during my high-school days. Therefore selecting a subject to study was also a rather easy decision. However, while I really enjoyed studying English, German did not meet my expectations, since my studies in German consisted of Middle High German grammar and the essential aspects concerning bibliographic citations. For this reason, I changed my second major from German to History after one semester – a decision which I have not repented until today.
    For me studying history is a bit like reading a huge piece of literature which, however, has really happened. I really enjoy to investigate evidence from the perspective of various key players of the past and to reflect about why people thought and acted as they did. In addition my special areas of interest (American history and cultural studies) have even enabled me to establish a connection between my two majors.
   I believe that apart from the qualification, skills and competencies I have acquired during my teacher training, my passion for the United States and my attitude of being absolutely determined to achieve my goal of studying at an American college or university make me a suitable candidate for the position of FLTA. Whenever I read a text passage somehow connected to the United States or whenever I watch a College Football or NFL game on Saturdays or Sundays, I suddenly have an irresistible urge to pack my bags and fly to America. Therefore I hope that my application will be accepted and that this time next year I will find myself as a German teaching assistant in the United States of America.

Ralph Neumayer

German Students and Teachers from Offenburg, a Town on the German-French Border, Visit CSB/SJU

2010-04-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

Students here had a chance to make friends and talk about their lives with their German counterparts.

On Wednesday, April 14th, 14 high school students and two chaperones from the city of Offenburg in Germany spent a day at Saint John’s University. Our Fulbright teaching assistant Andreas Raab from Austria welcomed the group and took care of them throughout their visit. In the morning the students explored Saint John’s arboretum and Tom Kroll, our land manager and arboretum director, offered them a guided tour. Afterwards the group had the chance to attend a German class taught by Prof. Mark Thamert. For our German students here this was a great opportunity to make friends and talk about their lives with their German counterparts. Other highlights of their visit included Saint John’s Abbey Church, Clemens Stadium and the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library. Our German guests were particularly impressed by the magnificent Saint John’s Bible. At the end of their stay everyone agreed that this was a “unique visit to a uniquely beautiful campus”.

Sam Lauer Loves Teaching in Austria as Fulbright Teaching Assistant

2010-04-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Note: Sam enjoyed his first year teaching in Austria, he decided to continue on for a second year. Here are his impressions and greetings to our students and faculty.

Hello St. John's German Department!

I hope some of you consider applying for the Fulbright Teaching position in Austria your senior year! I have been teaching English lessons in a couple of small towns here in Austria for a year and a half now, and it has been a great experience for me.

I live in Köflach, which is a small town of approximately 10,000 people in Styria. Köflach is a town that seems to be going through a transition right now; the coal mines that ran the area's economy were closed down a few years ago, and this has had a huge impact. Many towns around here are shrinking, and economic focuses are changing; Köflach is trying to change its image from a coal-mining town to a tourist destination. Fortunately, there are a few attractions. Köflach is near a few small ski-areas (some of which still have some snow, but not enough for any actual skiing anymore). It is also near the Lipizzaner stud farm in Piber, which breeds horses for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

As I mentioned, I have been helping with the English lessons in a couple of different schools. One of my schools is a Gymnasium, which is similar to a high school in the United States and focuses on preparing students for university. The other two schools are a bit more difficult to explain. Both are kind of like technical schools that focus on a particular field (catering and business, respectively). Students in these schools attend for an additional year before taking the Matura, after which they can either find a job in the field that their school focused on, or attend university. I have enjoyed working in all three of these schools. The teachers have been very helpful in coming up with suggestions for lessons and most of the students have been fun and easy to deal with.

Of course, I don't spend all of my time in my schools. I have managed to get myself involved in a couple of the local groups: specifically, the Judo and the Gymnastics clubs. I had no experience with either of these activities before coming to Austria, and they have both given me many opportunities to learn something new and to practice my German (but in a much more colloquial way - the Styrian accent is fun!!).

Alles Gute!
Sam Lauer '08

Tim Marznik, Writing from Dresden, Coming to CSB/SJU in the Fall!

2010-04-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Note: Tim is an amazing musician who arranged with us to do his first year of college in Germany. As a sophomore, Tim will bring his many talents and a truly unique view of German culture to our campuses. Welcome Tim!

Dear Father Mark,

       Thank you for your email. I am having a great, educational time at the Kreuzgymnasium here in Dresden, Germany. We are currently on Osterferien, so I have some time to enjoy the city and spend time with friends on the Elbe.
       My favorite class is the Musik Leistungskurs. It's quite fitting to learn music history in the language of so many great composers. I have also had to learn all the music terminology in German, which has reinforced the music theory that I've previously had in the English language.
      In our German course, we are currently reading and discussing "Die Verwandlung" by Franz Kafka, and will be visiting the Kafka museum in Prague next weekend. Being in east Germany has also been very interesting for me this year; I am not far from Leipzig, Prague and Berlin, and I will surely miss being so close to all the history here. All of our teachers have great stories from "back in the DDR", which I wouldn't have been exposed to in the west. As far as my location in Dresden is concerned, my year has exceeded my expectations thus far. I am also quite impressed with the Gymnasium system, and that one can start narrowing down subjects with two Leistungkurse starting in the 11th grade. I feel that this would help focus many students in American high schools, and this difference is certainly reflected in the maturity of the students I have met here in Dresden.
       Musically, I have been exposed to Bach's Johannespassion and the Weinachtsoratorium, two traditions that everyone in Dresden attends. I also have played a show live with a friend here, although there isn't much of a new music scene in east Germany, at least in comparison to back home. Not surprisingly, the young people here are more interested in the latest music from the USA and England.
       Thank you very much for your German blog link. I am very impressed with all the scholarships and what the recipients had to say. I am excited to meet you and spend some time analyzing my experiences this year as a student at St. Johns. I hope you had a nice Easter and look forward to seeing you in the new school year!
       Grüße aus Dresden,
       Tim Marznik

Free Trip to Germany for College Students.

2010-04-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

This scholarship program looks excellent. Please open the link and browse the information. Berlin is an amazing place to live! ~~ Pater Mark
________________________________________________
From the German Embassy in Washington DC:

Dear student or recent graduate,
    Are you interested in politics? Would you like to gain first-hand experience of parliamentary work in Germany? In that case, the International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) invites you to take part in an exciting opportunity.
     Every Year, IPS enables 120 young college graduates from 28 countries to get to know the German parliamentary system through a five month stay in Germany (March 1^ -- July 31, 2011). The Program includes an internship in the office of a Member of the German Bundestag, our parliament.
     Combined with a supplementary academic program organized by Berlin's three major universities and the fun of being together with people from other nations, a unique experience awaits you in the exciting German capital.

What the Bundestag expects of you:
* Interest in politics
* Excellent knowledge of German
* University degree (B.A., B.S.)
* U.S. citizenship
* Born after March 1, 1981

What you can expect:
* Monthly grant of € 450.00
* Free accommodation
* Health, accident, and liability insurance
* Reimbursement of your travel expenses to and from Berlin

     For more information about the admission requirements, the scholarship details, and the application procedure, please visit the following websites:

Bundestag homepage: www.bundestag.de/ips

Germany Embassy homepage: http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__PR/K__Wash/2010/02/04__IPS__Program__PR,archiveCtx=1996602.html

Application details may be found online at: http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/europa_internationales/internat_austausch/ips/index.html

*******The application deadline is **June 30, 2010********

We look forward to receive your application!
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Cultural Affairs Department
IPS Committee
4645 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20007

Chris Pignato Awarded the Otmar Drekonja Scholarship for German Studies

2010-04-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Chris,

It is our great pleasure to inform you, on behalf of the German Studies Program, that you have been selected as the top recipient for the Otmar Drekonja German Cultural Studies Scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year. The Financial Aid office at SJU will be in contact with you about payment of the award.

The German Studies faculty wish to congratulate you on this award and on your accomplishments. We encourage you to add to your c.v.’s list of academic honors that you are a recipient of the 2010-2011 Otmar Drekonja German Cultural Studies Scholarship. We wish you the best of luck with your German studies and future endeavors with the German language and culture.

We are proud of you!
German Studies Faculty

In front of the Abbey Bell banner, Chris is at the base of the pyramid on the right.

Serving and Surviving the Nazis

2010-03-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a presentation by Ursula Mahlendorf and Maria Segal, authors whose works convey two extremely different experiences of childhood leading up to and during World War II.

Stories of Serving and Surviving the Nazis
A dialogue between Ursula Mahlendorf and Maria Segal

Thursday, April 22 -- 4:15-5:30 pm

Gorecki 204B, CSB

Maria Segal (pictured left), author of Maria’s Story: Childhood Memories of the Holocaust, is a docent for the Portraits of Survival Exhibit and one of the 37 Santa Barbara Holocaust survivors profiled in the permanent exhibit. She was a small child when the Nazis invaded her home country of Poland in 1939.

Ursula Mahlendorf (pictured right), author of The Shame of Survival: Working Through a Nazi Childhood, is professor emerita of German at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she also served as associate dean of the College of Letters and Science. She was born in Silesia, which became part of Poland after 1945.

Co-sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning, the Global Awareness Lecture Series, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages

For more information, contact Lisa Ohm. lohm@csbsju.edu

Six Seniors Submit Successful Senior Project Proposals

2010-03-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

Supporting a Myth: The Effect of Vienna’s Post-World War II Monuments on Austrian Identity, 1945-1955.    TERESA M. WALCH (Mark Thamert, OSB, PhD, Modern and Classical Languages).
Although many Austrians participated in the crimes of the third Reich, Austria was labeled as the first victim of German aggression in the Allied Moscow Declaration of 1943. In order to conform to this victim myth, postwar Austrian political elites created and used a distinct, non-German identity to serve their own political agendas. Provincial and locally-sponsored Austrian memorials disputed the official memory that was supported and sustained by politically-sponsored monuments in Vienna during the initial postwar decade. This study delves into Austria’s post-World War II monument culture, specifically focusing on Vienna’s monuments and memorials, and it analyzes Austrian political elites’ utilization of these sites of memory to support the official postwar Austrian identity.

Music as Political Tool: The Role of Music as Propaganda in Nazi Germany (1933-1945).   CHRISTEN BECKSTRAND (Dr. Andreas Kiryakakis, Modern and Classical Languages).

The Third Reich (1933-1945) drew upon many aspects of German nationalism to solidify its control, including German musical culture, which played an important role in the regime's overall propaganda effort. Exploiting the Germanic musical culture, the Nazi party won “acceptance by creating the proper emotional atmosphere,” wherein the acceptance of the Nazi party and Nazi ideals was simple and natural for the German public (Moller, 44). The Third Reich worked to promote the purity of German culture and the credibility of the Nazi Party by exalting the past Germanic (Aryan) musical greats, censoring new musical material, and excluding Jews from the musical scene. As a musical, emotional, and political movement, the Third Reich successfully infiltrated the German Volk through a popular vein: the love and appreciation for Germany’s composers and the tradition of German dominance in the musical movement.

Immigration and the German School System: a Freirean Perspective.
MATTHEW T. BECK (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages).
During the economic boom of the 1950's, Germany welcomed guest workers from other countries to help rebuild its economy. Since then, the children of many of these immigrants have struggled to succeed in school. In order to improve their situation, I suggest that a combination of Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, multicultural education, and collaborative dialog may help immigrant children acquire both the language skills and the cultural knowledge necessary for academic success. In this project I draw upon theories of second language acquisition; works by educational theorists from Germany, America, and Canada; and the experiences of German educators.

The Berlin airlift: the start of the US-German relationship. GREG SANDQUIST (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages).
From June 1948 until 1949, the city of West Berlin suffered under the hands of the Soviet blockade of all Allied supply lines through the Soviet-occupied zone. The Berlin Airlift in the end was a success, but many Americans and Germans were extremely worried that it would fail in the beginning stages. During the 11 months of the Airlift, the US came to understand its previous enemy as a mutual partner and friend. After 50-60 years of almost being forgotten, interest in the Berlin Airlift exploded in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Anniversaries were being celebrated and the veterans who participated in one of America’s finest hours are passing on, but Americans are also seeking answers in a previous era, the era of the “Greatest Generation,” when the US found solutions instead of being the problem.

How Far is Too Far? A Comparison of Nazi Eugenic Movements during World War II with Today’s Developments in Modern Eugenics.   JAY M. RANFRANZ (Mark Thamert, OSB, Ph.D., Modern and Classical Languages).
Scientific breakthroughs in the field of genetics during the 21st century have greatly contributed to the science community and general public, but where could these technological advances lead? With new information about the role of genes in human development, classic eugenicists have turned to genetic engineering to manipulate the human genome in hopes of improving the human race. The problem is that even though the science behind this practice has changed, the ethical dilemmas have remained. Modern eugenicists argue that exterminating “bad” genes from the population will better humanity as a whole. This movement is eerily similar to the Nazi Party’s support of racial hygiene. Modern eugenics is morally indefensible based on its close resemblance to the Nazi eugenic movements of WWII, which has already been accepted as wrong. Science pushes the limits of what ethicists deem morally right or wrong, so the question is, How far is too far?

The Significance of the Word Volk [German People] from the Romantic Period to Today. DAN SALAY (Dr. Anna Lisa Ohm, Modern and Classical Languages).
The words DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLK [To the German People] stand over the main entrance to the Reichstag building in Berlin. The interpretation of Volk has transformed since the time of the Romantics. The placement of these words on the Reichstag in 1916 stirred early debates about the true meaning of Volk for all Germans. The word Volk has undergone changes that carry both positive and negative connotations connected directly to the history of German politics and culture. Beginning in the Romantic period, and following through the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Cold War, and up to today, Volk has gained no universally accepted definition regarding its proper usage for the modern day. Its presence on the Reichstag publicly presents the question of its meaning to this day. This unresolved question generates debate and remains a thorn in the side of Germany’s identity and its position in the world.

In Germany, it is custom to hang Easter Eggs from trees and shrubs to signal the coming of Easter.

2010-03-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

It is a friendly and colorful reminder of the season.

Phil Roye from Bavaria Loves Life at CSB/SJU

2010-03-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Phil is an avid member of the SJU Track team.

Dear faculty and students,

My name is Phil Roye and I am an international student from Germany. The German Gymnasium I attended in Münsterschwarzach (between Munich and Frankfurt) was Benedictine and one of the faculty members knew a Benedictine high school, Woodside Priory School in California. I got the opportunity to study abroad for the second semester of my junior year. However, at the end of the school year, “Woodside” offered me a music and track scholarship for the senior year and I gladly accepted. Like every other high school senior, I applied to colleges and universities throughout the country and got accepted to Saint John’s University. Saint John’s was the one and only university I visited and liked from the very beginning. In the end, I ended up staying in Collegeville, MN and so far, I have fallen in love with community. I feel very welcomed here.

Professor Lisa Ohm Gives Faculty Forum Talk on Germany after the Fall of the Berlin Wall

2010-03-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall:
The painful space between shrugs and hugs in the collapsed GDR

Life in the GDR prior to the fall of the Wall in 1989 was outwardly a defense of socialism against capitalism, and inwardly an alternating current between the high political tension of a police state and the daily dullness of life in the GDR (German Democratic Republic, i.e., former East Germany). After 21 years, the initial euphoria following the dramatic fall of the Wall in Berlin soon deteriorated, and a new alternating current of recrimination and blame flowed between “Wessis” and “Ossis.” Within that highly charged atmosphere, the generations responded differently: the older with shrugs, the younger with hugs, and the middle generation, the one that had invested the most in the GDR, with guilt, anger, hurt, and pain. While some in the middle generation eventually accepted unification, others indulge in Ostalgie (nostalgia for the former East) or their lives remain suspended between past and present. Berlin, however, the former western exclave in the GDR, is blossoming once again. At this afternoon’s Friday Forum, Prof. Lisa Ohm (Modern & Classical Languages) will present her important and timely findings on life in the GDR in the post-1989 period.

Fulbright TA Andreas Raab to Give Talk to CSB/SJU Faculty

2010-03-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

About Vienna’s Multi-Ethnical Identity

History and Influence of National Minorities & Ideas for Further Research

At this Friday Forum Andreas Raab, who is the current Fulbright German Language Teaching Assistant at CSB-SJU, explores the interrelation between immigration and urban identity from a historical perspective. Andreas argues that multi-ethnicity is a decisive factor of Viennese identity and gives numerous examples explaining how transnational migration shaped the city’s characteristics. In doing so, he will also include some background knowledge and information about Austrian (or rather Viennese) culture. To conclude, Andreas would like to introduce ideas for further research in this field, especially how to conduct a comparative study between Vienna and a US-American urban area.

Senior Matt Beck Gives Senior Presentation

2010-03-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Matt is has applied to be a Fulbright Scholar and Teaching Assistant in Germany or Austria in the fall. Here is Matt's senior thesis:

Immigration and the German School System: A Freirean Perspective (Immigration und das deutsche Schulsystem: Eine Freireanische Perspektive)

During the economic boom of the 1950's, Germany welcomed guest workers from other countries to help rebuild its economy. However, many politicians and educators assumed that these immigrants would eventually leave and thus created few accommodations for them in the school system. As a result, it has been difficult for immigrants to succeed within the school system, which limits higher education even for native Germans by tracking students after the fourth grade based on academic performance. In this project, I start with the premise that one needs language and cultural knowledge in order to be successful in any culture. I then show that because elementary school students who are immigrants lack these very skills, they often perform poorly and are tracked into the 'Hauptschule,' the academically least-demanding school in Germany. At the conclusion of their education, they begin low-paying jobs and find it difficult to provide a good education for their children. In order to improve the situation of immigrants in Germany, I suggest that a combination of Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, multicultural education, and collaborative dialog may help elementary school students acquire both language and cultural knowledge. With these skills, students are more likely to be tracked into more rigorous schools. In addition, these methods empower immigrants by assuming that students are capable of improving their own lives through education. In this project, I draw upon theories of second language acquisition, works by educational theorists from Germany, America, and Canada, and the results of a questionnaire that I sent to elementary school teachers in Germany. The information and findings presented in this project have implications for anyone working with immigrants in an educational setting.

Good luck Matt!

Michael Risch-Janson '08 Loves Teaching in Austria

2010-03-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

During his time at SJU, Michael majored in both German and Physics -- and spent a semester in Salzburg! After graduation Michael was a programmer at Securian Financial in St. Paul, then decided to apply for a Fulbright Teaching position in Austria. Here he describes for our readers the new world he is discovering in Europe. We are proud of you Michael. And congratulations Michael and Angela on your engagement! Here are Michael's reflections on his time in Austria so far...

Since last October, I have been teaching English in the small town of Wieselburg in Lower Austria. The experience has been an interesting and exciting one with its share of challenges that come along with living in another culture and speaking a different language. My fiancée, Angela Sigl, was fortunate to also get a job teaching English at another local high school. Since arriving here, we have developed several great friendships which have been invaluable in giving us an authentic experience. We spend our time teaching English at the local schools, where we share our knowledge of the English language and American culture and learn from the students about Austrian culture.

In October, I joined a local men’s chorus, which has made me feel even more a part of the Austrian culture. We have already performed several concerts in Austria, recorded a CD and have a trip planned to Brussels in June to sing at the European parliament. The choir has been great for me, not only musically but also personally.

Teaching in Austria has been a rewarding experience filled with many different adventures. You can read more about our lives in Austria from our blogs http://www.teachinginaustria.blogspot.com/ and http://www.angelainaustria.blogspot.com/ .

2010-03-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

David Lambert Returning to Germany for MBA

David loved his year as a Fulbright Teacher in Austria and has just told us of his plans to return to Europe for his MBA. Viel Glück, David!

2010-02-25T08:43:00.000-08:00

Austrian Ambassador Christian Prosl to visit Saint John's June 1 and 2, 2010

2010-02-05T13:20:00.001-08:00

Check out this summer internship in Germany for CSBSJU students!

http://studygermancsbsju.blogspot.com/

2010-01-22T07:56:00.001-08:00

2009-12-22T09:34:00.001-08:00