Learning outcomes

• Acquisition of A1/A2 level according to CEFR criteria or development of oral and written skills in German (depending on the starting language level)

• Knowledge of German-speaking culture, great personalities of the past and authors of the present

Goals

The course will aim to impart general knowledge of German-speaking culture and literature. The aim is to arouse student's curiosity by discovering several great personalities of German-speaking culture, personalities who will make it possible to discover parts of German-speaking history, geography and politics, cities such as Berlin, Leipzig, Eisenach or Innsbruck, links also between these places and Belgium.

The level of language acquired at the end of the course will depend on the language prerequisites. For students who have not yet had the opportunity to attend a German course, this course aims to acquire the A1/A2 level according to the CEFR* criteria. For students who have already taken a German course or for whom German is their mother tongue, the course will aim to develop both oral and written skills. *https://www.coe.int/fr/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages

Content

Why is the prize awarded each year in Aachen "for work done in the service of European unification" (https://www.karlspreis.de/en/) called the "Karlspreis" (International Charlemagne Prize)? Why is the 31th of October a public holiday in the north of Germany, but not in the south? And did you know that Maria Sibylla Merian, a great artist and scientist from Frankfurt in the 17th century, travelled to Surinam, where she observed and then criticised slavery practices?
 
Starting from today's reality, the theoretical part of this course aims to give an introduction to German-speaking culture and literature by presenting 10 great personalities (from the period between 800 and 1700) who, to this day, have left their mark on our daily lives. The presentation of these personalities will provide a better understanding of the history of German-speaking countries, introduce cities and their cultural heritage, and evoke the great texts of German-language literature as well as works of art and music from these countries.
 
This theoretical part is complemented by the practical part (exercise sessions), which will present texts and themes from contemporary literature. Through these two components, students will become familiar with today's culture while understanding its heritage.
 

Exercices

The course includes compulsory exercises (30 hours). These will help students to prepare for the course (questions on vocabulary, preparation and working techniques) and will also complement it with a thematic section: while the course will focus on German-language culture from the beginnings to the 17th century, the exercise sessions will also offer a brief overview of authors and texts from contemporary German-language literature. Bernhard Schlink's novel Der Vorleser will be discussed as part of these exercise sessions.

Teaching methods

Ex cathedra course with some interactive parts.

The course offers different modalities according to the language level of the students and therefore takes into account the diversity of profiles. We will support students who are just starting to learn German, those who have already taken German courses and those who are native speakers of German. The exercise sessions are complementary: they prepare the course and complete it, among other things by exercises that combine cultural and literary learning with language learning (grammar, vocabulary). These exercise sessions take place throughout the semester at a rate of 2 hours per week.

In the framework of "Original Version", students will have the opportunity to watch films in German, English and Dutch. As the German films are related to the course, it is compulsory to follow them regularly.

Assessment method

The final score will consist of the following parts:

- the written exam in January which will count for 90%. The student will be asked to answer a series of questions related to the course content. In order to familiarise students with the evaluation method, a mock test will be held at the end of the course.

- two written assignments to be submitted during the term. These papers will be presented as part of the exercise sessions and will count for 10% of the final grade. They are a prerequisite for the written and oral examination.

Ongoing evaluation (assignments/exercises to be submitted)

Sources, references and any support material

  • Syllabus I: Geschichte der deutschsprachigen Literatur I (800-1700)
  • Syllabus II: Tatsachen über Deutschland (text in French and German)
  • PowerPoint presentations (see WebCampus)
  • Syllabus III: Panorama der deutschsprachigen Gegenwartsliteratur (for the exercise sessions)
  • Book to be read as part of the exercise sessions: Bernhard Schlink: Der Vorleser. Translated from the German by Bernard Lortholary. Paris: Gallimard 2022.
  • Additional materials and exercises available on WebCampus 

Language of instruction

German