Major: German
When you begin studying German literature, don’t be surprised if much seems familiar. German writers and philosophers such as the Grimm brothers, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche had a huge influence on Western culture. But German literature has a darker side; writers such as Christa Wolf, Günter Grass, and Heinrich Böll respond to the horrors of World War II.
Today’s German culture includes films by Wim Wenders and novels by Turkish emigrés to Germany, such as Emine Sevgi Özdamar. If you study abroad, you will have the chance to experience Germany’s fascinating culture firsthand.
Students of German language and literature learn how to speak, write, and read German. They also study the literature of Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland.
“A lot of German literature tends to be highly emotionally charged, and it takes a strong person to deal with it. ”
Sabrina, junior, German, Oberlin College
Are You Ready To...?
- Look for hidden meaning in the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales
- Study German art, music, philosophy, and film
- Learn Middle High German well enough to read medieval German lyrics
- Live in Germany for a semester, maybe in someone’s home
It Helps to Be...
A fan of passionate literature who’s ready to experiment. You may get to write your own short stories, poetry, or plays in German, influenced, of course, by your favorite German writers.
College Checklist
- Will you study literature in the original German or in translation?
- Will you get credit for language courses you took in high school?
- Is there a German house or dormitory on campus?
- Does the program offer a study-abroad program?
Did You Know?
- A group of eighteenth-century German writers coined the phrase sturm und drang (storm and stress) when they became the first to write about teen rebellion.
Course Spotlight
In order to fully appreciate German literature, you must first learn the language. In beginning language classes, your teachers may focus on speaking and listening.
In later semesters, you’ll polish these skills in small discussion classes where you’ll speak in German with other students about novels, poems, or films you’ve experienced together. As your abilities increase, you’ll read more complex texts, such the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke or the stories of Franz Kafka.
