Aleia Johnson '24 at the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin, Germany

German students master the language through all levels of study. They read original works of Goethe, Schiller, Kafka, Rilke, Brecht, and others. Courses taught in English help deepen their understanding of Germany’s history and culture. Many students take part in a Carleton off-campus study program in Berlin.

Aleia Johnson '24 at the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin, Germany

About German

German is spoken by more than 200 million people worldwide. At Carleton we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment that allows students to experience the richness of the German-speaking world.

After three terms of German at Carleton, students have the linguistic proficiency and cultural competence to read literature and newspapers and to live and study in a German-speaking country. They are encouraged to take part in our biennial program in Vienna or to pursue overseas study with other approved programs. Students will gain the skills to engage with important writers, thinkers, creators, and discoverers in the original German.

The courses 101, 102, 103, and 204 (205 taught overseas in Vienna) provide the foundation for pursuing advanced work in language, literature and culture, while exposing students to examples of literary, philosophical, musical and artistic expression right from the start.

Courses beyond 103 have a number of goals: to refine and expand students’ linguistic ability, to give students access to great works of literature and culture, to broaden their cultural understanding, to improve their ability to engage in critical analysis, and to help them better understand themselves and the human condition.

Courses numbered 150-159 are survey courses in translation with no prerequisites. Other courses in translation are also offered, which open interdisciplinary ways of study.

Courses numbered 210-219 offer students the opportunity to delve deeper into specific topics, ranging from current news, to genre studies, to themes such as migration, the body, or film. Admission to these courses without taking German 204 is determined either by appropriate AP or other placement test scores, or by successful completion of the previous course in the sequence.

Requirements for the German Major

66 credits, including the following:

  • 12 credits of GERM 210 (not offered 2023-24)-219
  • 6 credits of GERM 150: German Music and Culture from Mozart to Rammstein (not offered 2023-24)-159
  • 6 credits of CCST 245: Meaning and Power: Introduction to Analytical Approaches in the Humanities (best taken during the junior year)

Students who have done advanced work in a different field may petition to substitute a comparable methods course in another department. Approval of the advisor and permission of the instructor is required.

  • 12 credits of courses in German numbered GERM 300 (not offered 2023-24) or higher
  • 24 elective credits of courses in German or courses in English related to German culture (these may include GERM 204: Intermediate German or GERM 205: Berlin Program: Intermediate Composition and Conversation (not offered 2023-24), as well as courses in related fields outside the German Department)
  • CCST 233: The Art of Translation in the Age of the Machine
  • HIST 250: Modern Germany (not offered 2023-24)
  • HIST 346: The Holocaust (not offered 2023-24)
  • LING 232: Structure and History of German (not offered 2023-24)
  • 6 credits for the Integrative Exercise (comps)

Courses 101, 102, and 103 do not count toward the major. AP, IB or other pre-matriculation credits do not count toward the major.

Programs Abroad: Participation in Carleton German Programs or in another approved foreign study program is highly recommended for students majoring in German. Students interested in a program abroad that is not affiliated with Carleton should consult with a faculty member in German and with the Director of Off-Campus Studies as well as the Registrar.

Language Houses: Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language by living in the Parish International House where they can organize and participate in numerous cultural activities led by German-speaking language associate. Other activities outside the classroom include a German lunch table in the dining halls, film nights, Kaffeeklatsch, a German study table in the library, “Cook and Study” events, and many more.

Requirements for the German Minor

36 credits beyond German 103 as follows:

  • 12 credits from courses numbered German 210-219
  • 12 credits from courses numbered 250 or higher, 6 of which must be at the 300 level
  • 12 elective credits of courses in German or courses in English related to German culture (these may include GERM 204: Intermediate German or 205, 150-159, as well as courses in related fields outside the German Department)
  • CCST 233: The Art of Translation in the Age of the Machine
  • HIST 250: Modern Germany (not offered 2023-24)
  • HIST 346: The Holocaust (not offered 2023-24)
  • LING 232: Structure and History of German (not offered 2023-24)

No more than 12 credits from non-Carleton off-campus studies programs may be applied toward the minor. Courses 101, 102 and 103 do not count toward the minor. AP, IB or other pre-matriculation credits do not count toward the minor.

German Courses

  • GERM 101 Elementary German

    This course introduces the basic structures of the German language and everyday vocabulary in the context of common cultural situations and authentic and fictional media. Students are exposed to all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).

  • GERM 102 Elementary German

    Building on the material covered in German 101, this course introduces more complex structures and exposes students to short literary and cultural texts as well as other media. The focus of the course is on all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).

  • GERM 103 Intermediate German

    Continuation of the study of complex structural patterns of the German language, and the reading and discussion of longer texts, films, and other media from German-speaking cultures.

  • GERM 150 German Music and Culture from Mozart to Rammstein

    What is “German”? Why are certain figures considered German and other identities are excluded–and how might we critically reconsider these categories through a study of “German” music? In this course, we survey significant developments in German-language culture, broadly defined, from the 1600s to the twenty-first century. Taught in English.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 152 Personhood

    What is it to be human? What is the difference between human and animal? How do technology and AI alter our understanding of humanity? How does the rhetoric of personhood affect our judgment of others? What is an immigrant, a migrant, a refugee, a foreigner, an alien? In this English-language survey of German thought and literature, we will ask these questions with foundational philosophers from the Enlightenment to the present, engage with contemporary theorists on post-colonialism and nationalism, and rethink the concept of personhood by analyzing crucial new contributions from literature, theater, film, and art. Taught in English.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 156 Introduction to German Cinema: Film, Nature, and Nation

    How do films reflect and impact the cultures, societies, and physical environments within which they circulate? How do the complexities of German history offer a special case within film history? In this course, we examine German film history through the lens of environmental critique, from the stylized landscapes of 1920s expressionism to the filmic environments of multicultural contemporary Germany. Topics include propaganda, postwar rubble, and antifascist student-inspired rebel cinema. Alongside each film, we will discuss texts and theories that offer frameworks for understanding the complex interplay of ideas about film art, environmental understanding, and national identity. Taught in English.

  • GERM 204 Intermediate German

    In this course, students build on their communication skills to engage in more in-depth spoken and written discussions of German-speaking literature, art, and culture. By analyzing longer and more challenging texts, films and other cultural media, continuing grammar review, and writing compositions, students acquire greater facility and confidence in all four language skills (writing, speaking, listening, and reading).

  • GERM 205 Berlin Program: Intermediate Composition and Conversation

    This course is designed for students with intermediate proficiency in German, who wish to extend their knowledge of German language and culture through reading, discussions, and writing. Students will work on developing the ability to articulate opinions, exchange substantive information and to argue points of view; honing analytic and interpretive writing skills; and expanding their linguistic toolkit. The class format features discussions with grammar exercises interspersed as needed.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 208 Coffee and News

    An excellent opportunity to brush up your German while learning about current issues in German-speaking countries. Relying on magazines, newspapers, podcasts, and streamings, students will discuss common topics and themes once a week to exchange their ideas over snacks with a small group of students.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 212 Contemporary Germany in Global Context

    Over the past few years, Germany has been touted as the new leader of Europe, or even of the “free world,” and at the same time has seen a surge of bitter political division within its borders. The Berlin Wall fell thirty years ago, yet tensions between East and West remain stark. Chancellor Angela Merkel implemented an open-arms policy toward refugees, yet the extremist AfD party has orchestrated a troubling rise to power based on xenophobic sentiments. And while Germany has emerged as a global environmental leader, it has simultaneously faced passionate protest from its own youth regarding failure to meet the challenges of climate change. In this class, we examine the complexities behind these seeming contradictions in contemporary Germany by analyzing diverse texts ranging from political speeches to poetry slams. Taught in German; advanced grammar review supports analytical tasks.

  • GERM 214 What’s New: The Latest Works in German-Speaking Media

    What products in literature, film, and other media did German-speaking audiences consume in the recent past? What topics do artists address and media outlets discuss? In this course, we will read, watch, and examine various texts and films that were published or premiered in the last ten years or so in the German language. These works, written by a diverse range of artists, reflect on and respond to the turbulent recent history not only in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but also more globally. They will help us determine how people express their most urgent challenges and how these texts participate in public debates. 

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 216 German Short Prose

    The course introduces students to the joys and challenges of reading short German fictional and non-fictional texts of various genres from three centuries, including fairy tales, aphorisms, short stories, novellas, tweets, essays, and newspaper articles. We will read slowly and with an eye to grammar and vocabulary building, while also concentrating on developing an understanding of German cultural history. Texts and class discussions will be in German.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 221

    In this course, we will explore literature and art of German-speaking countries around the topics of gender and sex(uality). We will focus on the years between 1880 and 1920, but also venture into more recent times. What was the image of men and women at the time and how did these images change or remain the same? How did science factor into these images? What was/is considered “normal” when it comes to sex(uality) and gender, and what German-speaking voices have been pushing against those norms? How did these voices use literature and art to reflect or criticize such norms? Texts and class discussions will be in English. 

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 223 Thinking Green: Sustainability, Literature, and Culture in Germany

    Germany is a recognized worldwide leader in environmental movements thanks to the nuclear power phase-out, the renewable energy transition, and the rise of the Green Party. Similarly, there is a long aesthetic tradition depicting nature and the nonhuman world in German-language literature and poetry. In this course, conducted in English, we will trace the development of contemporary Germany’s environmental practices through its literary and cultural legacy by reading and analyzing texts from established writers and thinkers. We will connect these literary and historic roots to contemporary environmental issues, look at successful protest movements, and explore Germany as a model for environmental initiatives and engaged citizenship around the globe.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 223F Thinking Green in German

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 247 Mirror, Mirror: Reflecting on Fairy Tales and Folklore

    Many people are familiar with the fairy tales collected and published by the Brothers Grimm and have seen iterations of such stories in animated Disney films and live-action reboots. In this class, taught in English, we will critically examine folktales, consider their role in shaping societal standards and how they spread specific values across cultures. We will study the origins of Grimms’ fairy tales before discussing their larger role across media and cultures. Our study of traditional German fairy tales will be informed by contemporary theoretical approaches including feminist theory, ecocriticism, psychology, and animal studies.

  • GERM 251 Identity, Belonging, and Spaces of Home in the Works of Fatma Aydemir

    In this course, offered in conjunction with the Christopher Light Lectureship, we will familiarize ourselves with the work of contemporary German author Fatma Aydemir, focussing particularly on her publications that deal with questions of migration and Heimat. We will read and discuss several fictional and nonfictional texts, participate in a creative nonfiction workshop and other events with Aydemir herself, and exhibit final projects at a public event.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 256 Berlin Program: Crossing Boundaries

    Who is allowed in? Who is refused entry? How is Berlin divided? How does the city come together? From the first city walls shortly after its 1237 founding to its most famous wall erected in 1961 to today’s debate on accepting migrants, Berlin’s borders have always had profound effects on its own residents and the world at large. In this course, we will encounter walls in texts, films, plays, museums, and excursions, as well as the difficulties in crossing these boundaries. We will thereby focus on issues of religious tolerance, immigration, xenophobia, the Cold War, and Berlin as cultural and political capital.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 257 Berlin Program: Walking the Metropolis

    As much as a place affects its people, every person’s footprints leave a literal and figurative imprint on the place. This course investigates the relationship between space and thought, movement within the metropolis, and the influences between art and environment. We will encounter the texts of Kafka in Prague, the actress Marlene Dietrich in pre-war Berlin, the psychoanalyst Freud in Vienna, the stories of Tawada and Otoo in today’s German capital, among many others. With visits to memorials and museums, to following the walks of famous thinkers down avenues and canals, we will analyze the thoughts of those before us and create our own new analysis in the old world.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 258 Berlin Program: Berlin Memory Politics

    Vergangenheitsbewältigung is the German word for reconciling the past; it is a process that has shaped collective memory in Germany and other European countries since the end of the Holocaust and World War II. Berlin in particular has been formed by its difficult history and memories, the traces of which are visible in the city today. In this class, we will examine the relationship between history, memory, and collective identity in Germany. How are narratives of the past preserved in the present? Which stories are told, which are left out, and who makes these decisions? How does the geography of a city interact with its history? How do memorials impact public space? In addition to analyzing fiction, essays, and visual culture, we will also confront this topic through several field trips and walks in Berlin.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 259 Berlin Program: German in Motion: Migration, Place and Displacement

    How is your identity connected to a certain place? And what happens when you leave that place, either voluntarily or out of necessity? In this course, we will learn about migration in German-speaking countries by reading historical and contemporary texts and researching policies on asylum and migration. We will critically examine concepts of the nation and nationality in historical contexts, learn about artists in exile, and encounter contemporary perspectives on migration in Europe. Course activities will include several site visits in Berlin. By reading and analyzing texts by Hannah Arendt, Bertolt Brecht, Anna Seghers, Ilse Aichinger, Paul Celan, May Ayim, Emine Sevgi Özdamar, Yoko Tawada, and Fatma Aydemir among many others, we will become mindful readers of different literary genres and craft thoughtful analyses on topics connected to migration.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 261 German Studies in Austria Program: Vienna Past and Present: The City as Text

    This class examines the history of Vienna and Austria (including the Austro-Hungarian Empire) through excursions to museums and memorials in the city. How are these histories memorialized in the structure of the city? What institutions make these histories visible? How do museums and memorials in Vienna construct historical narratives and who is left out from these narratives? Site visits and excursions in Vienna and beyond present opportunities for comparative analysis.

  • GERM 262 German Studies in Austria Program: Cultural History of Food and Drink in Vienna

    What are the cultural, historical, environmental, social, and political forces that shape our experience with food and drink? This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to learning about the important food and drink culture in Vienna and Austria. Site visits to the city’s iconic markets, taverns, producers, breweries and cafés deepen understanding and language skills.

  • GERM 263 German Studies in Austria Program: Austrian Art and Architecture

    In this course, students explore the evolution of art and architecture in Austria, learning about specific artists, eras, and movements. Students learn to critically analyze art and architecture, connecting work to Austrian, European, and global contexts. The class includes field trips to various museums and sites in Vienna.

  • GERM 267 Catastrophe! Natural Disaster in German Literature

    Are natural disasters ever really natural? In this course, taught in German, we will read works of literature and poetry that portray disaster. Focusing on disaster as the site of interaction between humans and the environment, we will explore and discuss the impact of modern technology, contemporary environmental issues, and the concept of disaster in the shadow of war. Thinking in terms of environmental justice, we will also consider who is impacted by such disasters and in what ways.

  • GERM 274 Weimar Germany: Art, Culture, and the Failure of Democracy

    “…many will say: even 1920 is not so horrible. This is how it is: the human being is a machine, culture is in shreds, education is arrogance, spirit is brutality, stupidity is the norm, and the military is sovereign” (Adolf Behne, reporting on a Dada art exhibit). In this class, taught in German, students examine cultural products and visual media of and about the Weimar Republic to understand a critical time in German history and explore how art has been used to cope with societal turbulence. Offered at both the 200 and 300 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 305 Berlin Program: Advanced Composition and Conversation

    This course is designed for students with advanced proficiency in German, who wish to extend their knowledge of German language and culture through reading, discussions, and writing. Students will work on developing the ability to articulate opinions, exchange substantive information and to argue points of view; honing analytic and interpretive writing skills; and expanding their linguistic toolkit. The class format features discussions with grammar exercises interspersed as needed.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 320 Life under Socialism: Culture and Society in East Germany

    What was life like under “actually existing socialism?” What films, books, music, and other media did people in the German Democratic Republic (or East Germany) consume and how did they cope with their country’s dictatorship? How can the experiences of people—particularly women—living in the GDR provide useful context for contemporary socio-political issues in the United States and beyond? We will discuss topics such as gender equality, education, health care, and queer life in the GDR. Taught in German.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 321 On the Edge: Monsters, Robots, and Cyborgs

    In this course, taught in German, students explore nonhuman figures in literature and film. How do authors and filmmakers depict monsters, robots, cyborgs, and other nonhumans? And what do these figures reveal about what makes us human? By tracing the boundaries of the human through notable texts, we consider the cultural, psychological, and technological implications of these almost-human figures. Selected works include texts by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Franz Kafka, Sharon Dodua Otoo and films by Fritz Lang and F. W. Murnau.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 322 German Studies in Austria Program: Contemporary Austrian Literature and Cultural Production

    This course focuses on contemporary Austrian literature, theater, film, and the institutions that support authors and artists. Through multimedia texts (novels, film, theater, newspapers), students encounter the cultural production and criticism of the moment while also strengthening German language skills. Events at cultural institutions and theaters in Vienna enhance understanding of Vienna’s diverse cultural landscape today.

  • GERM 342 Faust and the Soul

    We all know the story: Faust sells his soul to the devil. It does change over time though: once for 24 years of magic, then for knowledge, also for bliss. From the first Faust book via Christopher Marlowe’s play, to Goethe’s masterpiece and Thomas Mann’s novel, all the way to contemporary film and even Homer Simpson selling his soul for a donut, what is at stake in the Faust legend? Just what is the soul? Via the figure of Faust, how can we understand key periods and works in German-language literature, film, and thought throughout the ages? Taught in German.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 357 Berlin Program: Walking the Metropolis

    As much as a place affects its people, every person’s footprints leave a literal and figurative imprint on the place. This course investigates the relationship between space and thought, movement within the metropolis, and the influences between art and environment. We will encounter the texts of Kafka in Prague, the actress Marlene Dietrich in pre-war Berlin, the psychoanalyst Freud in Vienna, the stories of Tawada and Otoo in today’s German capital, among many others. With visits to memorials and museums, to following the walks of famous thinkers down avenues and canals, we will analyze the thoughts of those before us and create our own new analysis in the old world. 

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 359 Berlin Program: German in Motion: Migration, Place, and Displacement

    How is your identity connected to a certain place? And what happens when you leave that place, either voluntarily or out of necessity? In this course, we will learn about migration in German-speaking countries by reading historical and contemporary texts and researching policies on asylum and migration. We will critically examine concepts of the nation and nationality in historical contexts, learn about artists in exile, and encounter contemporary perspectives on migration in Europe. Course activities will include several site visits in Berlin. By reading and analyzing texts by Hannah Arendt, Bertolt Brecht, Anna Seghers, Ilse Aichinger, Paul Celan, May Ayim, Emine Sevgi Özdamar, Yoko Tawada, and Fatma Aydemir among many others, we will become mindful readers of different literary genres and craft thoughtful analyses on topics connected to migration.

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 374 Weimar Germany: Art, Culture, and the Failure of Democracy

    Not offered in 2023-24

  • GERM 400 Integrative Exercise

    Examining an aspect of German literature across eras or genres.