Students are integrated in the regular language classes according to what level they placed into after taking the placement exam, and after an oral interview on campus before the summer session begins.



The goal of this course is to explore and gain insights into the fascinating culture of Jews in German-speaking lands from the 18th century to the present. Through novels, short stories, essays, memoirs, poems, and films we will address central questions of German- and Austrian-Jewish life and culture and the complex relationships between Jews and German/Austrian society at large. Course work includes classroom discussions, writing assignments in several genres, and students’ presentations on course texts and topics.



Required Texts:

Glücken von Hameln: Die Memoiren der Glückes von Hameln (Beltz Taschenbuch, 3. Aufl., 2012);

Joseph Roth: Hiob: Roman eines einfachen Mannes (dtv, 2002);

Ruth Klüger: weiter leben: eine Jugend (dtv, 1994)