Message from the Chair

Assoc. Prof. and Chair Hiram Maxim during the Voigt Event with TA Benjamin Becker, graduating Senior Sarah Brandt and DAAD Professor Guenther Kronenbitter

Dear Friends of German,

While my colleague Peter Höyng takes a very well-deserved leave this academic year (2008-09), I will be serving as the Interim Chair of the Department of German Studies. I am now in my second year at Emory and have enjoyed my time here immensely. What has been perhaps the most pleasurable aspect of being in this department has been the dedication and commitment of faculty, staff, and students to German Studies. Just a couple of weeks ago at the department’s opening picnic, it was very gratifying for me and my colleagues to talk to so many students who were excited about the upcoming year and the study of German. Whether it was the summer they had just spent in Vienna or the year that lay ahead as residents in the German-language apartment or a specific German course they were taking or the study abroad opportunities they were pursuing the following semester, our students are engaged in their studies and taking advantage of the range of experiences and opportunities available to them in and through our department.

The faculty is equally engaged as they remain active in both their research and teaching. Particular highlights include the publication of Prof. Schaumann’s book entitled Memory Matters: Generational Responses to Germany’s Nazi Past in Women’s Literature and Prof. Melton’s being awarded a prestigious NEH grant to complete his next book project. In addition, we are happy to offer three new courses this semester (Prof. Aue’s course in translation on erotic imagination in literature and culture, Prof. Butler’s course on Middle High German and Yiddish, and Prof. Schaumann’s course on post-1989 German literature and culture) and look forward to continue expanding our course offerings for our students in coming semesters.

The entire faculty has also been very busy collaborating on a reform of our undergraduate curriculum. The process began just over a year ago with the initial discussion about the department’s mission and vision, and it has continued in a very congenial and spirited atmosphere that has led to the implementation of a completely revised first-year course (German 101-102) that will serve a model for the revision of subsequent curricular levels. Curricular reform is never an easy task, particularly because of the immense amount of work involved in developing materials that reflect an articulated and coherent four-year program of study, but my colleagues have been committed to the project from the very beginning. With the first-year course now in place, we have set our sights this year on addressing the second- and third-year courses. Be sure to stay tuned as our work progresses.

I invite you to explore this website more to get a better sense of the opportunities that await you in the department. Of particular interest might be our latest departmental newsletter that provides a nice overview of the past academic year. The News/Events page lists all upcoming events, including the speaker series sponsored by the department’s generous and supportive Advisory Council as well as the different activities at the German House. You also might want to review our current and past course offerings or our study abroad opportunities, including our summer program in Vienna, Austria, now in its 36 th year. If you do not find the information you are looking for here, be sure to contact us or to stop by Trimble Hall to get your questions answered. Our wonderful staff of Silke Delamare and Marion Hughes will be more than happy to make an appointment with me or any other member of the department.

I thank you for your interest in the department, and I look forward to getting to know you in the department soon.

Cordially,

Hiram Maxim

September 2008