German 3310/4410 at McDaniel College
Course Description 

Berlin is one of the most fascinating and diverse cities of the world, a multicultural metropolis and the capital of unified Germany, the economically strongest and most populated nation in Europe. With its origin in the 12^th century, Berlin is relatively a young city by European standards. Berlin symbolizes the brightest and darkest parts of German history and culture. The golden twenties, the dark years of the Nazi era, but also the Cold War, and finally the so called “sanfte Revolution” in 1989 that brought down the Berlin Wall and Communism.

Berlin has been a major European metropolis since the late nineteenth century. It was the capital of various German states, Prussia, the German empire under Bismarck, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, East Germany, and since 1991 the capital of unified Germany. No other city reflects German history, culture and identity more than Berlin. Berlin is the main cultural hub and the most diverse city in Germany. Berlin today is the largest and most populated city in Germany, and only second to London in Europe. It is also its own “Stadtstaat” (city and federal state).

This course will be presented as a virtual voyage exploring Berlin’s historical and cultural landscape, Berlin as a “Kulturmetropole” of the 20^th century. We will start with a short history of the city from the 12^th to the early 20^th centuries, then move on to the 1920s, when Berlin became the center of Germany’s notorious “roaring twenties,” a center of modernity and innovation. We will also discuss Berlin as “Germania-Utopie” during the Nazi era, talk about Berlin as the devastated “Trümmerstadt” after World War II, the division of the city in 1961 and the erection of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War era, and then about Berlin becoming the capital of unified Germany. 

Besides the history of the city, other topics that will be covered include Berlin as a center of literature and art, film and music, theaters and cabarets, museums and galleries, publishing houses and newspapers, architecture and fashion design, and more.

 Employing various readings, films, Internet resources, and other digital media, this course has the following objectives:

Ø   Proficiency & Fundamental Skills: Students will continue to improve their language skills, especially listening, reading, speaking and writing at the advanced level;

Ø Cultural Openness/ Understanding: Students will demonstrate linguistic and cultural openness and appreciation of German history, culture and identity by focusing their attention on Berlin as the most important city in German-speaking countries, a city that played an important role in world politics and culture (film, music, theater, literature, architecture, etc.)

Ø Texts and Thoughts in German: Students will improve their comprehensive knowledge of original texts and modes of thoughts outside their native language by reading authentic and various texts written by German authors dealing with the city of Berlin;

Ø Language & Other disciplines: Students will learn to combine the study of language with other fields of inquiry, e.g. film and cultural studies, politics, history, etc. by using various multimedia and other sources;

Ø Technology relative to German: Students will learn to use modern technology, computers, video and audio devices, etc. to research their projects and prepare their oral presentations. They will learn how to effectively search the Internet and find authentic and valuable resources about Berlin and prepare good PowerPoint presentations or digital portfolios;

Ø Immersion or Graduate School Ability: The students will research a topic of their choice related to Berlin, and write a scholarly paper and give an oral presentation in German. This would prepare them for graduate study in a foreign language or to function in a non-English speaking country or multilingual community; and finally

Ø Compare & Analyze Native with Target Language and Culture: The students will gain the ability to compare and contrast their own language and culture with German language and culture by comparing Berlin, its history and cultural significance to a similar US city.

 Not all students in this class have the same level of language proficiency. Therefore, there will be two different grading scales. Students who are talking this course as their senior seminar (4410) will be required to write longer and more advanced papers than those students who are registered for 3310.

 Required books:

Classroom Deportment: In order to have an optimal teaching and learning environment, please keep the following guidelines in mind: arrive promptly and dressed properly for the classroom (no caps, no pajamas); treat everyone in the class with courtesy; turn off your cell phones before class; give the instructor your complete attention.

Attendance: Regular attendance is essential for academic achievement. Therefore, attendance is mandatory. Two unexcused absences will lower the final grade by 3%, three by 6%, four by 9%, and so on. Excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. Absences caused by college-related activities are excused only if the instructor is made aware of them in advance.

Honor Code: The honor code will be strictly enforced. Students must sign the honor pledge on all assignments and tests, and write it on all essays. The honor pledge is posted in every classroom.

 

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using another person’s words or ideas in a direct or indirect way without proper acknowledgment. Whenever using two or more important words, they must be placed in quotation marks. You should consult the 4^th edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the college’s own booklet Writing Standards: A Guide for McDaniel College when you prepare your term paper.

 

Field trips: Students will be offered the opportunity to participate in field trips to the German Embassy or the Goethe Institute in Washington DC which frequently show recent German films that are yet not available for rental or purchase.

 

Grading:		Grading Scale:
Class participation and homework	15%	A+ 97 – 100% A   93 – 96% A-  90 – 92% B+ 87 – 89% B   83 – 86% B-  80 – 82%	C+ 77 – 79% C   73 – 76% C-  70 – 72% D+ 67 – 69% D   63 – 66% D-  60 – 62% F   below 60
2 Short Essays	20%
Midterm	15%
Final Exam	20%
Research Paper	25%
TOTAL	100%

 Requirements:

Class participation and homework: Active participation in class discussions and weekly preparation (especially reading required books and materials) are absolutely vital to academic growth. You must have read the assigned pages or articles listed on the schedule. I’ll be asking specific questions on these reading assignments in class and you will be graded on these readings.

Essays: Each student will write two (2) essays, 3 pages (3310) or 4 pages (4410) long, one essay in the first half of the semester and the other one in the second half. Each essay must be typed (double-spaced). Include a bibliography of all sources you have used, both books and Internet resources. Use Times Roman New, size 12 and leave a 1-inch margin on all sides. Title page, table of content, pictures and bibliography are not considered part of the required pages. Topics and due dates are:

Essay 1: Choose a historical figure (politician, philosopher, musician, architect, filmmaker, actor/actress, etc.), who played an important role in the city of Berlin and write an essay about his/her importance in relation to the city of Berlin. Essay is due on September 15

Essay 2: Choose one of the authors discussed in class (or any one else related to Berlin) and write a biography of her or him. Essay is due on November 1

Midterm Exam: Each student will give a short oral presentation (10 minutes) about an assigned topic as a midterm exam. It will take place on Thursday, October 6 in the language lab. Each student will choose an aspect of the history of the city of Berlin and give an oral presentation using PowerPoint. Please send me the PowerPoint presentations via e-mail, preferably prior to your presentation date. I’ll read them, correct any mistakes and give you feedback and suggestions. Here is a list of possible topics:

Ø       Geschichte der Stadt Berlin vom 12. bis zum 18. Jahrhundert

Ø       Berlin im 19. Jahrhundert

Ø       Die Goldenen Zwanziger und Berlin

Ø       Geschichte des Reichtages

Ø       Das Brandenburger Tor – Geschichte und Symbolik

Ø       Der Potsdamer Platz – damals und heute

Ø       Germania-Utopie –Berlin und die Nazis

Ø       Berlin Blockade und die Luftbrücke

Ø       Die Geschichte der Berliner Mauer

Ø       Berlin und der kalte Krieg

Final Exam: Each student will give a longer oral presentation (15 minutes for 3310 and 25 minutes for 4410 students) using PowerPoint about an assigned topic as a final exam. Each student will choose an aspect of Berlin today and give an oral presentation using PowerPoint. The presentations will take place in the last week of classes. All PowerPoint presentation must be sent to me by Thursday, December 1. I’ll read them, correct any mistakes and give you feedback and suggestions. Here is a list of possible topics:

Ø       Das neue Berlin – Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschlands

Ø       Die Berliner Musikszene – Loveparade und mehr

Ø       Deutsches Kabarett in Berlin der 20er Jahre

Ø       Die Theaterstadt Berlin

Ø       Das jüdische Berlin

Ø       Das türkische Berlin

Ø       Das multikulturelle Berlin

Ø       Berliner Sprache und Berliner Humor

Ø       Berlin – die neue Wirtschaftsmetropole im Herzen Europas

Ø       Das politische System in Berlin

Ø       Museen und Galerien in Berlin

Ø       Die Berlinale – Berlin als Filmstadt: Geschichte und Gegenwart

Research paper: Students will write a long written research paper at the end of the semester on a topic of their choice. However, it is possible to use the topics of the final exam as paper topics. The paper must be at least 9 pages long for 3310 and at least 12 pages long for 4410 students, typed double space with an additional comprehensive bibliography about the topic. Use Times Roman New, size 12 and leave a 1-inch margin on all sides. Title page, table of content, pictures and bibliography are not considered part of the required pages. First draft is due on November 22. I’ll read this draft, correct it and give you some feedback. Final version of research paper is due on December 8.

Portfolio for Assessment: All students are required to correct their essays, the two PowerPoint presentations and the research paper and submit them at the end of the semester in a portfolio (digitally on a CD and as a hard copy) for the departmental assessment procedures. Please hand in your assignments on time, correct them as you get them back and make sure to always label each assignments as follows: “First name Last name – Essay 1”, i.e. “Mohamed Esa – Essay 1”, etc. and place all your files in a folder that you’ll name “First name Last name – German 4410 Fall 2005,” i.e. “Mohamed Esa – German 4410 Fall 2005.” Label your CD the same way you label the folder with all of your work. You’ll loose 10% of your final grade if you do not submit this portfolio. It is due by the day of the scheduled final exam.

Viel Spaß!