Milestones in German cultural history

Language

Deutsch

Main themes

Study of the major cultural, societal and political developments, and major trends in artistic expression in German-speaking European countries (intellectual life, painting, music, architecture, etc.) from a diachronic perspective and in relation to the present, from the perspective of places of remembrance, for instance. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
Students will be able to master an overview of the development and cultural aspects of German-speaking countries. By the end of the course, the student will have a knowledge and appreciation of the cultural aspects of German-speaking countries in a European context.
1	Understand and follow a presentation in German.
2	Debate questions and issues relating to contemporary cultures in German language and their history.
3	Critically analyse cultural expressions and representations from the perspective of the history of cultural ideas.
This learning unit contributes to the development and command of the following skills and learning outcomes of the ELAL programmes: 2.6, 4.3, 5.6, 6.6

Content

Milestones in German cultural history:  This year's course will study fundamental milestones in the history of German-speaking societies and cultures from the Reformation and the figure of Luther to the post-Second World War period. Certain key words, such as the myth of Siegfried or the deutsche Romantik, will be the subject of an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together literature and the arts as well as different periods, by highlighting, for example, the legacy of Romanticism on the music of Wagner or the philosophy of Nietzsche. A significant part of the course will consider the history of Germany in its interaction with its European neighbours in the form of an interconnected history (verflochtene Geschichte). In particular, we will show how the Franco-German perspective, which generated confrontations and conflicts in the 19th and 20th centuries, has today been transformed, thanks to cultural exchanges, into a founding association of an European integration movement. Finally, the German-speaking areas outside Germany - such as Austria, Switzerland and German-speaking Belgium (Ostbelgien) - will also be covered. 

Teaching methods

8 to 10 lectures will deal with themes linked to the questioning of memorial sites, from a resolutely contemporary perspective and therefore anchored in current issues. Secondly, group presentations will address specific places of remembrance, in consultation with the teacher and the students' interests. This participation will of course be valued in the assessment.     

Evaluation methods

The assessment will consist of a written part, in the form of summary papers to be written during the four-month term (40%) and an oral part at the examination during the January session (60%). 

Faculty or entity

> ELAL