UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES German 4310 The Weimar Republic Fall Semester 2013 Instructor: Dr. Christoph Weber Class meets: 2:00-3:20 pm Tu/Th Class meets: 12:00-1:20pm M/W Email: [email protected] (LB 319) (LB 223) Office: LB 401-E Office phone: (940) 565-2569 Office hours: Tu: 12:30-1:50 pm Office hours: Mo: 3:30-4:30pm Main office phone: (940) 565-2404 Th: 3:30 pm-4:30 pm We: 11:00am-12:00pm (or by appointment) (or by appointment) The Weimar Republic, Germany’s first successful attempt of a democratic state that lasted between 1919 and 1933, was an era book ended by economic and political turmoil. When the horrors of World War I came to a close in 1918, revolution broke out in major German cities. Emperor Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate and had leave for exile. From the beginning, the fledgling republic had to deal with major crises: crippling war reparations, hyperinflation, the French occupation of the Ruhr, and coup attempts by militant left and rightwing groups. Yet despite of these upheavals, the Weimar Republic was also a time of tremendous innovations in the arts and sciences. During the so-called “Golden Twenties”, a period of relative economic and political stability that set in after the currency reform in 1924, advances in modern technology such as radio, gramophone and film changed the face of the entertainment industry. Craftspeople and architects of the Bauhaus school sought to improve people’s lives at home and at work with their groundbreaking design-work. Berlin, Germany’s economic and cultural center became a vibrant a place for authors, playwrights and moviemakers. However, with the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 the “Golden Twenties” of the Weimar Republic faltered. Skyrocketing unemployment and insurmountable political gridlock paved the way to the one-party dictatorship under Adolph Hitler and the National Socialists. With the confirmation of Hitler as Chancellor of the Reich on January 30, 1933, the remaining vestiges of the democratic system unraveled and a chapter of unparalleled cultural production in German history came to a close. In this course, we will approach the richness of Weimar culture through the study of relevant German literary texts, artworks, movies and music. Assigned readings of essays and historiographies in English will provide the necessary understanding of the socio- political context in which these cultural artifacts have been produced. Careful attention will be paid to the artist’s struggle to come in terms with the prevalent political tensions and social changes ushered in by “modernity” and rapid urbanism. As such, the study of the Weimar Republic serves as a valuable case study of an experiment in building a democratic and civil society and the challenges of warding off political extremism and 1 economic turmoil. Lessons that still hold an importance as we face a world burdened by political polarization and a global recession. Note: You are expected to have a good grasp of intermediate German grammar concepts (although you are responsible for reviewing grammar that still presents you with difficulties, your instructor will be very happy to assist you in these efforts). Occasionally, we may revisit some fundamental grammatical concepts but grammar is not specifically taught in this course. Required Texts: Eric D. Weitz. Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Ernst Toller. Masse Mensch Alfred Döblin. Die Geschichte vom Franz Biberkopf Instructor Generated Handouts Course requirements: 1. Blackboard: All course assignments and materials will always be posted on the GERM 4310 Blackboard site – if you are unable to attend a particular class, it is your responsibility to go to Blackboard to get that day’s assignment in the Hausaufgaben folder. 2. Attendance and class participation: Regular attendance is required. Repeated unexcused absences and tardiness will affect your grade significantly. Three tardies is the equivalent of one absence. Leaving class before the end of the period will be considered an absence. You are allowed a maximum of three (3) absences, whether excused or unexcused, without penalty. After three absences, your attendance grade will suffer in percent. After the twelfth absence, you will receive a failing grade for the entire class. Excused absences are only: A.) illness with doctor's documentation, B.) official university sponsored activities, and C.) the observance of certain religious holidays (see University Class Attendance Regulations in the UNT Policy Manual http://policy.unt.edu/policy/15-2-5 for details). If your absence is excused, you may take an exam at a later time agreed to by the instructor. As to homework and quizzes, if your absence is excused because of A or B, your NEXT homework/quiz grade will count double. If your absence is excused because of C, you can turn in any assignment/take a quiz at a later time agreed to by the instructor. If your absence is not excused, you will receive a grade of zero (0) for any homework assignment due that day and/or for any quiz/exam given that day. Class participation is an essential foundation for learning a language. Consistent and constructive participation is expected from all students. Cellular phones must be switched off and kept out of sight. If it is visible to the instructor, you will receive a zero grade for participation on that day. 2 3. Homework: Daily homework assignments will comprise readings from primary texts in German and secondary texts in English. I expect that you come to class prepared and having completed the homework assigned for that day. This is a condition of your being able to participate actively and productively in class. I do no accept late homework unless this has been cleared with me in advance. If you don’t have it in class – for whatever reason – you will not receive credit for it. Additionally, if you haven’t completed the reading for a particular class, you can’t participate, which will negatively impact your homework and participation grade. 4. Quizzes: On a regular basis there will be short quizzes given on the assigned class readings – the best way to prepare for these is to complete and review homework assignments in a timely manner. Make-up quizzes are allowed only with prior consent of the instructor. 5. Essays: Over the course of the semester, you will write 2 summaries (each of them giving a brief overview of materials covered during the class periods) and one 1 research paper on a specific topic. During the semester you will be provided with a list of possible research topics. 6. Presentation: One group presentation will be given once during the semester. The instructor will give you information about the topics and format (group of 3 students, 10 minutes, in German) at the beginning of the semester. 7. Midterm and Final Exam: At the middle and at the end of the semester, you will be taking a comprehensive exam in German. It will consist of questions on the readings and discussions of the class. In preparation of this exam, you will be turning in homework regularly and write essays of various lengths. Note that taking notes during class will immensely help you! Course Evaluation: Attendance and Active participation 10% Grade Distribution: Daily Homework 10% A = 100 – 90% Quizzes 10% B = 89.9 – 80% Essays (3) 30% C = 79.9 – 70% Presentation (1) 10% D = 69.9 – 60% Midterm Exam 15% F = 59.9 – 0% Final Exam 15% 3 General course and university guidelines: ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All work submitted in your name must be your own work. Submitting someone else’s (or a translator’s website’s) translation of your work is plagiarism. I encourage you to consult with the German tutor available in the Language Building or with me; however do not request proofreading help from your friends or relatives, as they will likely supply you with constructions that you cannot yet produce on your own and without explanations as to the how’s/why’s of these structures, thus preventing you form learning at your own pace. The use of machine translators (aka computer translation) is strictly prohibited. Any assignment that is determined to have been translated from English by a computer will receive an F. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, UNT will allow a student who is absent from class for observance of a religious holy day to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time. Students are required to file a written request with each professor within the first 15 days of the semester to qualify for an excused absence. A copy of the state rules and procedures regarding holy days and the form for notification of absence from each class under this provision are available from the Registrar’s Office. STUDENT BEHAVIOR IN THE CLASSROOM: Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at www.unt.edu/csrr This fall UNT is launching a new campaign - “Succeed at UNT”- to provide students with consistent student success messages, and user-friendly, accessible links to student support services.