Winter 2008 Newsletter UW GERMANICS

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

teaching this year and with the university there, a you will be able to read program that brought us INSIDE THIS ISSUE: about their research up- Detlef Kremer for part of fall dates in this newsletter. quarter (please see the in- 2-3 Faculty Updates Manfred Bansleben re- terview with him in this tired before the summer. newsletter). Several books New Publication 4 But if you think that that penned by our faculty have means that he is now come out recently or are in Honors and Graduates 4 staying home attending to the making and we are start- Dear friends and colleagues: his house and garden you ing a series that will feature Detlef Kremer 5 are mistaken! He is back one recent publication per teaching part-time and, with newsletter in depth. This fall Those of you who receive 5 some help from students we are starting with Jane Donors monthly updates via our and colleagues, continues in Brown’s career book “The electronic newsletter know his role as language coordi- Persistence of Allegory.” Upcoming Events 6 that I have returned to the nator. Hellmut Ammerlahn Applications for our popular chairship from a year-long will retire next spring and “Spring in Vienna” program sabbatical. I had a wonder- also plans to return for part- are out. This year we are ful time staying home, read- time teaching. We are just opening the program to all ing books on environmental having too much fun doing students who wish to learn criticism (more about that in German regardless of prior my faculty blurb) and doing what we love to do. some traveling to attend knowledge. conferences and read pa- Eric Ames is in Berlin this pers. While returning to the fall where he is leading a In this newsletter you will job from such a long break student group from our also find a calendar of is always a shock, it also Comparative History of events and outreach activi- has its rewards in that I get Ideas program. They will all ties such as the Frye Art to see everyone more often return to UW at the end of Museum’s public lecture and work with the new stu- the year with movies that series “Connections and dents. We really do have a they made in Berlin and I Contexts” and the “Wine & fabulous program and it is a cannot wait to see them! We Wisdom” gatherings. The sheer pleasure and privilege are planning to feature Germanics Board continues to be associated with this some of these works in an to be actively engaged in The Department of Germanics con- unit. The acting chair from event next year, so stay building community aware- gratulates the Seattle region’s new last year, Rick Gray, is now tuned (if you are not yet ness and making sure the Honorary Consul of the Federal Re- public of Germany, Petra Walker (l), enjoying his well-deserved receiving monthly electronic Department has the neces- shown here discussing Germanics sabbatical and just returned updates and would like to sary financial means to suc- Board activities with Board Chair from a visit to Germany pur- join the Germanics mailing ceed in its mission. Many Rosemarie Anderson in the Lowenfeld suing research on a new list, write me an email and I thanks to our volunteers Library. project in Marbach. Thank will make sure your name is and donors. With best you, Rick, for standing in for added). Richard Block will wishes for the holiday sea- me last year and postponing be teaching in Münster in son I send fond greetings, your sabbatical. the spring of 2008 in the context of our student and faculty exchange program Sabine Wilke Otherwise, everyone is [email protected] Page 2 Winter 2008

FACULTY UPDATES

Eric Ames European literary art tale delivering a paper at Eric Ames is in ("Kunstmärchen"). Berlin fall the MLA in

2007, leading December a foreign-study on Heine's program, Charles Barrack and Joe "Florentine which is co- Voyles Nights" as the censored chapter sponsored by Voyles and Barrack are work- in Goethe's "Italian Journey." Germanics and ing with the editor of Slavica Comparative in completing the editing proc- Rick Gray History of ess on their book on Proto- I'm on leave for the year, and Ideas (CHID). Indo-European and the earli- The topic of spent 7 weeks this fall at the est attested Indo-European Literaturarchiv Marbach, work- this year's languages. program is ing on a new project on the "Cinema / contemporary author W. G. Se- City / Memory," Diana Behler bald--whose Nachlass and li- brary are in the archive in Mar- and it gives My work recently has dealt bach. While in Germany I gave a students the with Friedrich Nietzsche, one lecture at a conference in Jena opportunity to create their essay on "Nietzsche in Amer- entitled “Kritische Parabase: own "Berlin films." In spring ica" pub- Schlegel, Nietzsche und die 2008, Eric will be teaching a lished in kulturkritische Philologie, oder graduate seminar on the Friedrich Wie man mit dem Hammer films of Werner Herzog, and Nietzsche-- philologiert.” The conference co-teaching with Jane Brown Zwischen was entitled “Trans- a new course on film and Musik, zendentalpoesie oder opera. Eric's book on the Philoso- Dichtkunst mit Begriffen - consummate German show- phie und Friedrich Schlegel und Friedrich man, Carl Hagenbeck, will be Resesenti- Nietzsche,” sponsored by the published in 2009 by the ment, an- Institute for Philosophy, University of Washington other a review article on the Universität Jena, and Kolleg Press. book Nietzsche and the Ger- Friedrich Nietzsche, Weimar. I man Tradition, and an essay also lectured at the Uni Münster on "Feminist Receptions of (Germanistisches Institut) on Hellmut Ammerlahn the Philosophical Style of “Ökonomische Romantik: Hellmut Friedrich Nietzsche" to appear Währungsnationalismus bei Ammerlahn shortly in Schriften aus dem Johann Gottlieb Fichte und read a pa- Kolleg Friedrich Nietzsche. I Adam Müller." My book manu- per at the am now editing my English script, Money Matters: Econom- interna- translation of Ernst Behler's ics and the German Cultural tional con- book Unendliche Perfekti- Imagination, 1770-1850, was ference bilität dealing with European Podcasts of Germanics’ accepted for publication with "Inventions romantic authors who em- the UW Press, and an edited of the Imagi- braced an optimistic vision of Lecture Series and book from the conference 2 nation," an ever progressing better- years ago in Weimar, in col- Readings are available superbly ment of humankind. organized by laboration with Klaus Vieweg, at http:// Rick Gray and three col- just appeared. Its title: Hegel leagues from other UW de- Richard Block und Nietzsche: Eine literarisch- depts.washington.edu/ partments. Its title: "The Me- I spent the summer in Italy philosophische Begegnung phistophelian, the Therapeu- researching my next project (Weimar: Bauhaus-Universität, uwgerman/community/ tic, and the Playfully Creative which considers why sexuality 2007). Otherwise, I'm just en- Imagination in Goethe's Later becomes the essence of all joying my time off and looking podcasts.html Oeuvre." During his last sab- secrets and thus character in forward to getting started on a batical quarter and after his the 19th and 20th centuries. new project. retirement from full-time I am also interested in how teaching at the end of the same-sex attraction becomes Steffi Guenther 2007-08 academic year, he both the embodiment of that My research and teaching inter- will continue his research on transformation of thought but ests include 19th and 20th Goethe and on the North- also its undoing. I will be UW Germanics Page 3

FACULTY UPDATES

century German literature and parzer-Lektüren as well as which marked the end of my cultural studies, women writ- other 19th and 20th century decade-long preoccupation ers, and women and gender Austrian writers these days. with issues that have to do studies. I also have a great Her most recent Grillparzer- with the German colonial interest in literature peda- essay, published by the imagination, particularly as it gogy. Deutsche Vierteljahresschrift relates to Africa and the Pa- für Literaturwissenschaft und cific. A related project is the Our popular Spring in Vi- enna Program is now open In Spring Quarter I taught a Geistesgeschichte, examines edition (in collaboration with a to all students wishing to seminar on Turn-of-the- the conservative political vi- colleague from Anthropology) learn German, regardless Century Literature in Berlin, sion of a lesser-known resto- of a special issue of the of prior knowledge. Contact Munich and Vienna, in which ration play. She gave talks on “Journal of Pacific History” on Stephanie Welch (206- we studied the literary devel- the rhetoric of authorship and “Narrating Colonial Encoun- 543-4580) for information. opment of this period in its genealogy in Grillparzer’s ters: Germany and the Pacific historic, societal and aes- oeuvre at the German Studies Islands.” A paper on indige- thetic context, as reflected in Meeting in San Diego and on nous laughter and its repre- the prose, drama and lyrics of the theme of seduction and sentations sent me around Arno Holz, Johannes Schlaf, queer plotting in Grillparzer the world to Canada, Scot- and Stifter at the MALCA con- land, and Hawaii. And my first ference in Edmonton this two essays on eco-critical spring. An essay on Stifter topics appeared as the result and the plague will appear in of my new preoccupation with Oxford German Studies environmental topics at the (presumably 2008). Inspired borderline of colonial studies. by contemporary movie cul- My new hero is Alexander von ture, she organized a panel Humboldt who, I believe, is at on “Femininity, Power, and the forefront of ecological Robert Musil, Arthur the Pearls: Queens in the thinking. Other topics that I Schnitzler, Lou Andreas- German Cultural Imagination” want to write on this year are Salome and Margarete for this year’s PAMLA meeting the emergence of the modern Böhme. at Western Washington Uni- landscape aesthetics, the German tradition of nature The seminar relates to my philosophy, and German eco- book which was recently pub- tourism. lished by Bouvier Verlag (Bonn, Germany) under the title Weiblichkeitsentwürfe des Fin de Siècle. Berliner Autorinnen: Alice Berend, Margarete Böhme, Clara Vie- big. Berend, Böhme and Vie- big were early 20th century versity. Together with her women writers in Berlin, colleagues Sabine Wilke and whose once very popular, Heidi Tilghman, she is one of witty and critical novels I aim the three co-organizers of the to bring to the attention of a 2008 MALCA conference on contemporary audience. My “Cultures of Performance in book discusses how they per- Modern Austria” to take place ceived and presented the role here at the University of of the woman in Berlin at the Washington. At the Germanics turn of the century. At this department she continues to time I’m writing an article on serve as graduate advisor this pedagogical aspects of Bern- year and she enjoys teaching hard Schlink’s novel Der Vor- literature courses at different leser. levels. Rick Gray and Eric Ames congratulating graduates at the Brigitte Prutti Department’s commencement celebration, June 9, 2007. Sabine Wilke Brigitte Prutti continues to work on the 19th century Aus- In the summer of 2007 my trian dramatist Franz Grillpar- new book on colonialism and zer and a monograph of Grill- masochism finally appeared Page 4 Winter 2008

Twenty Years and Two Languages Later: Jane K. Brown’s New Publication “The Persistence of Allegory”

Since the mid-1980s, UW guages up to a good reading Germanics professor Jane K. level. She mentioned that her Opera and ballet, for example, Brown has been working on a children, one a Dutch speaker were both born in the Renais- comparative and holistic his- and one a Spanish speaker, sance from the revival of in- tory of the European stage. were of great help to her at terest in Greek tragedy. But Her work culminated this year this stage. Jane commented their neoclassical origin did in the publication of on the great not prevent them from being The Persistence of flexibility and used to present allegorical Allegory (University expressiveness works: “Dance actually enters of Pennsylvania of the 17th- the dramatic tradition to- Press, 2007). The century Dutch gether with allegory...[and work discusses a language: "You the] Barberinis' operas in wide range of gen- read Vondel Rome included many on res, including trag- and you say: saints' lives and moralities edy, comedy, opera, this is Milton." with titles like La vita hu- ballet, school mana.” drama, and The Persistence masque, and works of Allegory is Jane describes the relation- by writers from all Jane's reaction ship between allegory and over Western to, in her words, neoclassicism as fruitful and Europe. Jane and I the "narrow revitalizing rather than tense discussed her pro- definition of and competitive, as has been ject and her interest neoclassicism" the prevailing view. Jane, an in theater, particularly opera. that has been current in liter- avid operagoer, found seeing ary criticism, and was also works in performance of great As part of her work on this inspired by her work on value while researching: “It topic, Jane found it necessary Goethe's Faust. She argues made me realize that even to learn Spanish and Dutch. that allegory and neoclassical strictly neoclassical texts were She pointed out that only mimesis worked with and conceived as seen on stage.” about twelve to twenty of enhanced each other from Calderón's approximately 300 the 16th to the 19th centu- Congratulations to Professor In Spring 2007, dramas are available in trans- ries. Rather than jumping Brown on her new book. We lation. Another important quickly from the strictly alle- also owe you thanks for se- Germanics graduated writer, the Dutch playwright gorical dramas of the Middle curing group tickets to the Vondel, is also little-known in Ages to completely mimetic, Seattle Opera’s recent per- 15 seniors and one the Anglophone world and psychologically realistic dra- formance of Gluck's Iphigenia again there are few transla- mas, allegory continued to in Tauris! Master’s student. tions available—perhaps 3 or play a part in Western Euro- 4 plays from about 35. So pean theater throughout this Interview and article by Eliza- Among those were five Jane gathered Spanish and period of time alongside, or beth Standal Dutch language textbooks even simultaneously with, Delta Phi Alpha and and taught herself these lan- neoclassically-inspired works. two Phi Beta Kappa inductees. G RADUATION AND HONORS 2006-07

On June 9, the Department of Phi Beta Kappa Inductees: Anthony Van Winkle, Naomi Germanics honored its Delta Christine Lindell and Leanne Vaughan, Celine Waldmann Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa Rolling. and inductees and celebrated the graduation of 15 undergradu- Sunny Parrott, Master of Arts Graduating Class of 2006-07: ates and 1 graduate student. in Germanics. Thomas Appleby, Amelia Buden, Charles Conard, Ra- Delta Phi Alpha Inductees: chel Freeman, Stefan Gillette, Congratulations to all!! Elisabeth Cnobloch, Claire Nafiseh Haghgoo, Brandon Marschall, Sarina Roscigno, Hawkins, Claire Marshall, Rachel Schlechty, and Zach- Brynn Partridge, Ian Porter, ary Takasawa. Austin Smith, Alicia Sorenson, UW Germanics Page 5

A VISIT WITH PROFESSOR DETLEF KREMER

This fall the Germanics de- authors such as Eichendorff, vides more concrete support partment had the pleasure to Novalis, Tieck, as well as Kafka and guidance. How- have Prof. Dr. Detlef Kremer and Thomas Mann, we dis- ever, the approximately as a guest professor from the cussed, topoi which Foucault 20 percent of the stu- University of Münster as part called heterotopias such as the dent body enrolled in of the ongoing exchange pro- labyrinth, windows or stairs. Germanics who want gram between our depart- to go on to positions in ment and the Institut für Ger- academics and re- manistik. Professor Kremer’s Professor Kremer also held a search suffer under research interests include well-received lecture based on the Verschulung of the aesthetics, literature of the his current research entitled new university system. Enlightenment, Classicism, “Photography and Text: Notes Professor Kremer also Romanticism, the 19th and Regarding Thomas Bernhard expressed his skepti- 20th century as well as film and W.G. Sebald” as part of the cism of the claim that and media theory. A list of his department’s Friday lecture the introduction of the BA publications up to 2003 is series. The lecture was followed system would create better available online at: http:// by the traditional refreshments opportunities for students of www.uni-muenster.de/ and a lively discussion. the humanities in the job mar- DeutschePhilologie2/Kremer/ ket. Frameset_Kremer.htm. Later Professor Kremer shared his thoughts on the differences In parting Professor Kremer Your donation to His broad expertise was incor- between the German and the mentioned how enjoyable it porated in an engaging gradu- US university systems with an was to work with a compara- Germanics supports our ate course designed for UW emphasis on the changes that tively small group of students are currently taking place in graduate students with the here at our department. Germany. He is ambivalent efforts to promote the title “Spatial Structure of Lit- erature: From German Ro- about these changes. On the study and enjoyment of manticism to the 20th Cen- one hand, he sees how a large Interview and article by tury.” Through writings from number of students profit from Elisabeth Cnobloch Germanic cultures BA/MA system because it pro- locally, nationally and internationally. T HANKS TO OUR DONORS 2007 Julie D. Allen, Ph.D. Mr. Richard L. Day, Jr. Ms. Vivi Anne Lindback Mr. Michael E. Schmitt Ms. Nancy A. Allen Ms. Martha H. Dietz Ms. Katherine Lockwood Ms. Denise Schramke Prof. Eric C. Ames Eli Lilly & Co. Foundation Mrs. Janice L. Maahs Keck Ms. Karla Lydia Schultz Ms. Cheryl S. Ammerlahn Ursula M. Erdmann Ph.D. Mr. Paul F. Mahre Ms. Ingrid A. Sevin Mrs. Rosemarie Anderson Mr. Gregory S. Fleming Mr. Glenn McCauley Azade Seyhan, Ph.D. Mr. Donald H. Ankov Mr. Alvin E. Fritz Laura McGee, Ph.D. Ms. Cydley L. Smith Austria Club of America Prof. Tilmann Gneiting Ms. Lila W. McKey Mr. John P. Stoor Bank of America Foundation Ms. Georgiana B. Graf Mr. Thomas J. McKey Ms. Maria M. Taipale Ms. Marie E. Bardin Prof. Richard T. Gray Microsoft Corporation The Placzek Family Foundation Prof. Charles M. Barrack Ms. Stephanie E. Guenther Mr. Bruce R. Miller The Seattle Foundation Ms. Lois Oien Bauer Harris & Moure, PLLC Ms. Rachel L. Olvitt Heidi R. Tilghman Ph.D. Prof. Diana I. Behler Ms. Andrea A. Haugen Ouimet Law Offices, PLLC Ms. Sarah B. Timbrook-Nugent Margarete C. Berg, Ph.D. Mr. Henry Hays Mr. Jeffrey R. Ouimet Yvonne A. Vogele, Ph.D. Mr. Heinrich Bergen Barbara S. Heather, Ph.D. Heidemarie Owren, Ph.D. Ms. Rosemarie H. Voyles Prof. Richard Block Mr. Larry A. Helm P & D Enterprises Honorary Consul Petra H. Walker Klaus K. Brandl, Ph.D. Prof. Gunter H. Hertling Dr. Walter J. Pauler Laura Ann Wideburg, Ph.D. Rabbi Daniel E. Bridge Max Kade Foundation Inc. Prof. Brigitte Prutti Mr. Heiko Wiggers Mr. Robert Stephen Brown Mr. David D. Keene Mr. Jeffrey P. Ressler Mr. and Mrs. Leland L. Bull, Jr. Ms. Dorothea R. Kopta Ms. Claire Rood Mr. Patrick Joseph Carr Ms. Rosemary A. Lehman Dr. Bianca G. Rosenthal

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 6: Connections and Contexts Lecture Janelle Taylor: “The Visual Science Fictions of Patricia Piccinini” Frye Art Museum, 6:30 p.m. February 21: Connections and Contexts Lecture Susan P. Casteras: “Reframing the Nineteenth Century: Collecting Art at the Frye” Frye Museum, 6:30 p.m. February 29: UW World Languages Day March 13 : Department lecture Gabrielle Brandstetter Find us on the web : Rey Library, 6:00 p.m. http://depts.washington.edu/ April 24-27: Modern Austrian Literature and Culture Association Conference uwgerman/ Ethnic Cultural Center/Simpson Center for the Humanities. For program details, see http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/projects_malca0708.htm. April 26: Concert: “Viennese Classics with Stanley Ritchie” Brechemin Auditorium (Music Building), 8:00 p.m. May 15: Connections and Contexts Lecture Phone: 206-543-4580 Fax: 206-685-9063 Sabine Wilke: “Albert Bierstadt and the Western Landscape: Sublime Nature in Distress” E-mail: [email protected] Frye Museum, 6:30 p.m. June 14: Departmental Graduation Simpson Center for the Humanities 10:00 a.m.

Department of Germanics DH 340C Box 353130 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195-3130