German 406. German
Expressionism in Literature and Art
A German
Studies Consortium Course
Andreas Lixl,
Professor of German
Office: 337 McIver Bldg. E-Mail: andreas_lixl @
uncg.edu. Tel.: 336-334-5427
Department of German, Russian, and
Japanese Studies (GAR)
The University of
North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)
Course Information and
Syllabus
GER 406-01. Advanced Intermediate
Topics
Spring 2005. Thursdays 1515-1745. Taught in German
http://www.uncg.edu/gar/courses/lixl/406Ex/406CourseHeader.htm
6 Required Textbooks (ca. $60)
The Expressionists ($10)
by Wolf-Dieter
Dube
Paperback: 215 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson;
Reprint edition (1985) ISBN:
0500201234
Menschheitsdämmerung (€9)
von Kurt Pinthus
Broschiert - Rowohlt
Tb. ISBN:
3499450550
DADA
total (€10)
von Karl Riha, Jörgen Schäfer, Angela Merte
Gebundene Ausgabe -
Reclam, Ditzingen
Erscheinungsdatum: 1994 ISBN:
3150593026
Die
Gewehre der Frau Carrar (€7)
von Bertolt Brecht
Broschiert - Suhrkamp
Erscheinungsdatum: 1999 ISBN:
3518102192
Draussen
vor der Tür
und ausgewählte Erzählungen (€5)
von Wolfgang Borchert
Broschiert - Rowohlt
Tb. ISBN:
349910170X
Der
Tod und das Mädchen I-V (€9)
von Elfriede Jelinek
Bvt Berliner Taschenbuch Verlag
Erscheinungsdatum: 2003 ISBN:
344276162X
A. Course Description: German Expressionism in Literature and Art
This
course focuses on German Expressionism as a youthful literary and artistic
revolution that began in central Europe during the first decade of the 20th
century, and ended with its demise in the wake of World War I, an era of
dramatic political, cultural, and artistic turbulence. Expressionism emphasized
activist ideals, harmonious symbioses of nature and culture, and subjective
experiences and emotive pathos over materialist comforts and conformist
realities. Artists like Käthe Kollwitz, Kokoschka, Marc, Heckel, Gabriele Münter, and Kandinsky, and writers
like Brecht,
Toller, Else
Lasker-Schüler, Wolfgang Borchert and, more recently, Elfriede Jelinek gained significant
influence. The course traces the rise and fall of the expressionist revolution,
followed by post-expressionist movements, including DADA and Neue Sachlichkeit
in the 1920s and 1930s, and neo-expressionist trends after 1945. Students are
responsible for presenting “talks” in class, for taking two exams, and writing
a 5-page final paper. German majors and minors, students of art, history,
literature and cultural studies, and all those interested in interdisciplinary
discussions will find something of interest in this diverse course. Taught in
German with texts and readings in German and English.
B. Student Learning Goals
Ø Advanced intermediate German proficiency
in speaking, reading, writing, and oral comprehension.
Ø Understanding of the historical
and contemporary legacy of Expressionism in the German speaking countries.
Ø Understanding German cultural
history in terms of Expressionist periods and movements, including social,
artistic, and political developments, and philosophical traditions, and a basic
grasp of critical methods for interpreting these trends.
Ø Understanding the
inter-relationships of literature and culture in the modern intellectual life
of the German-speaking countries.
Ø Ability to research, organize, and
present effective oral presentations (in both German an English) on
Expressionist topics.
Ø Ability to research, organize, and
develop (in both German an English) coherent critical writings on Expressionist
Studies topics.
Ø Ability to use computers as a
research and writing tools, and to use the library as well as the Internet as
sources of knowledge about different peoples, cultures, and regions in Europe.
C. Syllabus and Assessment Activities
|
Weekly Lessons and Discussion Topics |
Assignments Oral presentations (talks) are given in
German and form an integral part of the course. They can focus on various
topics, including reading assignments and special topics related to the
weekly lessons. Students are expected to make short presentations (2-5
minutes) at least once every three weeks. Preparations for these talks
should be completed in one hour or less. Reading assignments refer to the course textbooks as
well as occasional handouts. These weekly assignments should be completed
in four hours or less. |
Assessment Activities at a Glance Participation Activities Students receive full
credit upon completion of each activity. 52% of total grade. ·
Classroom participation (12%) ·
Five oral presentations (2-4 minutes each, 25%) ·
Read and present two research articles (4%) ·
Present your choice of one research book (2%) ·
Read and review one research book (6%) ·
Present your Final Paper Projects (3%) Graded Activities 30% of total grade. ·
2 Exams (15% each) Graded Writing Activities 18% of total grade. ·
Sketching 3 Final Paper Topics (5%) ·
5-page Final Paper (13%) |
|
Week 1 (1/13) Introduction
to the course Topography
and Timeline
of Expressionism |
Talks: Introduction of seminar participants |
|
|
Week 2 (1/20) Topics
and Motifs of the Expressionist Revolution: Vatermord, Bürger, Kranke, Irre, Genies Discussion
of texts by Dube,
Pinthus |
Talks: 2-minute biographies of six expressionist writers and
artists (Pinthus, Kollwitz, Heckel, Münter, Kandisnky, Else Lasker-Schüler) Reading Assignments: Dube (Expressionists, pp. 1-50) Pinthus
(Menschheitsdämmerung, pages to be
announced) |
Example: Oral Presentation 1. Biography of artist Käthe Kollwitz (5%) |
|
Week 3 (1/27) Topics
and Motifs of the Expressionist Revolution: Krieg, Gefangene, Wandlung, Neuer Mensch Texts
by Dube,
Pinthus Film
scene from Caligari |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Caligari film intro; others to be
announced) Reading Assignments: Dube
(pp. 50-100) Pinthus
(pages to be announced) |
Example: Oral Presentation 2. Commentary on the
assigned reading. (5%) |
|
Week 4 (2/3) Goals and
Utopias of Expressionism: Aktivismus,
Intensität, Konstruktivismus. Texts
by Dube,
Pinthus |
Talks: Present two short research articles (5-10 pages) you
downloaded and studies from library databases Reading Assignments: Dube
(pp. 100-150) Pinthus
(pages to be announced) Two
research articles |
Read and present two research articles (4%) |
|
Week 5 (2/10) Goals
and Utopias of Expressionism. Natur,
Erotik, Ich-Kult. Texts by Dube,
Pinthus Film
scene from Nosferatu |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Nosferatu film intro; others to be
announced) Reading Assignments: Dube
(pp. 150-end) Pinthus
(pages to be announced) |
Example: Oral Presentation 3. Commentary on the
assigned reading. (5%) |
|
Week 6 (2/17) Failure
of the Expressionist Revolution. Ideologische
Unklarheit, Manierismus. Text handout |
Assignments: Read
text handout Study
for Exam 1 (covers all reading assignments from week 1-6) Exam 1 (60 minutes) |
Exam (15%) |
|
Week 7 (2/24) Introduction
to Dadaism: Zurich, Berlin, Paris, New York Text by
Riha |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (DADA intros; others to be announced) Reading Assignments: Riha
(pages to be announced) Writing Assignment: Sketch three outlines (50 words each, sent
via e-mail for off-campus students; hardcopy for campus students) for three
possible Final Paper topics (5%) |
Sketching 3 Final Paper Topics (5%) |
|
Week 8
(3/3) DADA Motifs: Groteske, Grosstadt, Wissenschaft, Technik Text by
Riha Film scenes
from DADA |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Bauhaus,
architecture, others to be announced) Reading Assignments: Riha
(pages to be announced) |
Example: Oral Presentation 4. Introduction to Bauhaus ballet. (5%) |
|
Week 9 (3/17)
MERZ-DADA, Bauhaus Art. Text by
Riha |
Talks: bring to class and present one research book you will read
and study in preparation for writing your Final Paper. Explain your choice.
(2-3 minutes, see course bibliography) Reading Assignments: Riha
(pages to be announced) |
Present your choice of one research book (2%) |
|
Week 10 (3/24) Introduction:
Brecht, Weimar Germany, and Exile Culture Text by
Brecht |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Brecht biography; plot of Dreigroschenoper; others to be
announced) Reading Assignments: Brecht
(pages to be announced) |
|
|
Week 11 (3/31) Brecht
and the Ant-Fascist Front. Antifa
Kunst. Text by
Brecht |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Bücherverbrennung, Entartete Kunst Ausstellung, Brecht in Amerika; others to be
announced) Reading Assignments: Brecht
(pages to be announced) |
Example: Oral Presentation 5. Commentary on the
assigned reading. (5%) |
|
Week 12
(4/7) Introduction to Germany 1945. Kahlschlag und Wiederaufbau. Text by
Borchert |
Assignments: Read
Borchert (pages to be announced) Study
for Exam 2 (covers all reading assignments from week 7-12) Exam 2 (60 minutes) |
Exam (15%) |
|
Week 13 (4/14) Post-War
Expressionism. Theater, Prosa, Kunst Text by
Borchert |
Talks: Present 1 Research Book for the Final Paper Project Reading Assignments: Borchert
(pages to be announced) |
Read and review one research book (6%) |
|
Week 14 (4/21) Introduction
to Postmodern Expressionism: Protest Literature, and Art Text by Jelinek Film scenes from Die Klavierspielerin |
Talks: 2-minute commentaries (Jelinek biography; plot of Klavierspielerin; others to be
announced) Reading Assignments: Jelinek
(pages to be announced) |
|
|
Week 15 (4/28) Topics
and Motifs of the Postmodern Expressionists: Patriarchat, Frauen, Gewalt, Medien
Text by
Jelinek |
Talks: Present your Final Paper Projects (3-5 minutes) Reading Assignments: Jelinek
(pages to be announced) |
Present your Final Paper Projects (3%) |
|
Week 16 (5/5) Final
Paper due |
7 PM deadline: submit 5-page Final Paper (off-campus students send via e-mail
attachments, campus students submit hardcopies, please). |
Final Paper (13%) |
|
There will be no excused
lateness of homework assignments, essays, and computer print-outs, etc.
Course grades: A: 93% to 100%. B: 82% to 92.99%. C: 71% to 81.99%. D: 63% to
70.99%. F: below 63%. Academic dishonesty will
result in a course grade of F and/or dismissal. Handing in Assignments:
Campus students, please turn in your assignments as hard copies. Off-campus
students, please send assignments as e-mail attachments. UNCG Official Graduate
Grading System |
E. Exam Dates
Exam 1 is on February 17, 2005
Exam 2 is on April 7, 2005
Final Paper is due on Thursday, May 5, 19:00.
Instructor: Dr. Andreas Lixl, Professor of
German, and Head of the Department of German, Russian, and Japanese Studies (http://www.uncg.edu/gar/) at The University
of North Carolina at Greensboro (http://www.uncg.edu/),
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
Contact Information:
Office E-mail: Andreas_Lixl @ uncg.edu.
Phone: (336) 256-1155
Fax: (336) 334-5885.
Address: Andreas Lixl
337 McIver Building
Dept. of German & Russian, UNCG
P. O. Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
Office Hours: At posted times, I will be available to
answer questions, provide guidance, discuss concerns and issues arising from this
course. Course participants may schedule visits during office hours in 337
McIver Bldg. UNCG.
Web Trails
The
use of computers for online research, Internet exhibits, text processing, and electronic
mail is mandatory for this course. The digital medium greatly facilitates
research, composing and editing projects. All class members have valid e-mail
addresses on campus (see Pipeline),
and have access to the German Studies
collection at Jackson Library. The German television channel Deutsche
Welle, German civilization videos at UNCG's Teaching and Learning Center, and the World
Wide Web are readily available on campus. The best computer labs for foreign
language studies at UNCG are located in 333 McIver, 231 McIver, Jackson
Library, and the labs in Bryan Building. Recommended German Studies entry
points are the links at Deutschland
im Internet and http://www.uncg.edu/~lixlpurc/german.html.
A. Lixl. Jan 2005