German Literature 3
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course is the third training phase in the specialization course in the field of German-speaking literature and is aimed at third-year students. It is organized in chronological order and includes readings of texts by authors who are part of the canon of German language literature from the period from 1918 until 2010. The course also includes historical-cultural studies, methodological and literary criticism. The objective is to develop the knowledge and skills in the field of German studies and to induce students to an autonomous interpretation of important texts in the German language of the last century.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: Orientation in the currents and in the system of German-language literary genres of the period 1918-2010, with reference to texts in the original language and to authors representing the literary system of that period. In addition, students must achieve particular socio-political and cultural knowledge, as well as lexical, stylistic and hermeneutical understanding with reference to German studies in the original language. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: reading skills, formal and thematic analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts of the 20th century canon. Ability of elaboration and argumentation on literary themes related to the German-speaking world based on textual readings, manuals and criticisms. Ability to link, compare and evaluate with respect to the literary system of the last century.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is titled German literature from the "Neue Sachlichkeit" up to the present (1924-2010) and consists of the following three teaching units, which will be addressed in sequence:
A: Texts, authors and literary tendencies from the Weimar Republic up to the division of Germany (1924-1948)
B: The German language literature in Austria, Switzerland, in the divided and reunified Germany (1949-2010)
C: The novel "Malina" (1971) by Ingeborg Bachmann in the historical-literary context
The course foresees the compulsory acquisition of 9 credits, and therefore the students will adhere to the complete program.
The course is dedicated to the history of German language literature from 1924 to the present. Unit A deals with texts, authors and trends of the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, exile and the immediate post-war period. Unit B deals with the literature of divided and reunified Germany, as well as the Austrian and Swiss authors from 1949 until today. Unit C is dedicated to the novel "Malina" by Ingeborg Bachmann, one of the most important texts of German literature of the second half of the twentieth century.
The course program is valid until February 2026. From the summer session 2026 it will be possible to present yourself exclusively on the A.A program. 2025-26.
A: Texts, authors and literary tendencies from the Weimar Republic up to the division of Germany (1924-1948)
B: The German language literature in Austria, Switzerland, in the divided and reunified Germany (1949-2010)
C: The novel "Malina" (1971) by Ingeborg Bachmann in the historical-literary context
The course foresees the compulsory acquisition of 9 credits, and therefore the students will adhere to the complete program.
The course is dedicated to the history of German language literature from 1924 to the present. Unit A deals with texts, authors and trends of the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, exile and the immediate post-war period. Unit B deals with the literature of divided and reunified Germany, as well as the Austrian and Swiss authors from 1949 until today. Unit C is dedicated to the novel "Malina" by Ingeborg Bachmann, one of the most important texts of German literature of the second half of the twentieth century.
The course program is valid until February 2026. From the summer session 2026 it will be possible to present yourself exclusively on the A.A program. 2025-26.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is aimed at third year students of the Foreign Languages Degree Course. To take the exam of this course, which is held in Italian, it is necessary to have passed both the German 2 and German 2 literature exam.
Erasmus students or other forms of mobility are admitted as long as they possess solid skills in the German literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as in the Italian and German languages.
Erasmus students or other forms of mobility are admitted as long as they possess solid skills in the German literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as in the Italian and German languages.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: lectures; reading and commenting on excerpts from the works on the program; viewing, listening and commenting on documentaries, films and audio material.
Teaching Resources
The course has a site on the online platform for Ariel teaching (http://fhaaslt3.ariel.ctu.unimi.it), to which we refer for the anthology used during the course and other materials provided by the teacher. For each teaching unit, specific critical essays on individual works or authors or on general questions will be made available on the site. Below are the critical and literary texts required reading for the various teaching units.
Teaching unit A
C.M. Buglioni, M. Castellari, A. Goggio, M. Paleari: Letteratura tedesca. Epoche, generi, intersezioni. Vol. 2: Dal primo dopoguerra al nuovo millennio. Mondadori, Milano 2019.
The study of this manual must be integrated with the reading, in the original language, of the excerpts of the literary texts of the anthology, concerning the period 1924-1948, made available to students on the ARIEL website, as well as the following texts, belonging to the canon of literature German of the treated period:
Bertolt Brecht, Die Dreigroschenoper, 1928 (drama)
Thomas Mann, Mario und der Zauberer, 1930 (short novel)
Ödön von Horvath, Jugend ohne Gott, 1937 (novel)
Teaching unit B
The study of this manual (C.M. Buglioni, M. Castellari, A. Goggio, M. Paleari: Letteratura tedesca. Epoche, generi, intersezioni. Vol. 2: Dal primo dopoguerra al nuovo millennio. Mondadori, Milano 2019) must be supplemented by reading, in the original language, of the excerpts of the literary texts of the anthology, concerning the period 1948-2010, made available to students on the ARIEL site, as well as the following texts, belonging to the canon of German literature of the treated period:
Ingeborg Bachmann, Die gestundete Zeit, 1953 (poems)
Peter Handke, Wunschloses Unglück, 1972 (short novel)
Thomas Bernhard, Alte Meister, 1985 (novel)
Teaching unit C
Ingeborg Bachmann, "Malina", Berlin, Suhrkamp BasisBibliothek, Berlin 2004, ISBN-13: 978-3-518-18856-9 (Students who intend to attend the course must obtain this commented edition.)
Monika Albrecht / Dirk Göttsche, "Kommentar", in: Ingeborg Bachmann, "Malina", Berlin, Suhrkamp BasisBibliothek, Berlin 2004, pp. 341-389.
Directions for non-attending students:
The program for non-attending students is unchanged from that for attending students. Naturally, given the greater difficulties deriving from a preparation carried out independently, it is recommended that non-attending students devote an appropriate amount of time to the study and elaboration of the contents provided for by the program and to integrate the bibliography with additional materials available online or in the library.
Teaching unit A
C.M. Buglioni, M. Castellari, A. Goggio, M. Paleari: Letteratura tedesca. Epoche, generi, intersezioni. Vol. 2: Dal primo dopoguerra al nuovo millennio. Mondadori, Milano 2019.
The study of this manual must be integrated with the reading, in the original language, of the excerpts of the literary texts of the anthology, concerning the period 1924-1948, made available to students on the ARIEL website, as well as the following texts, belonging to the canon of literature German of the treated period:
Bertolt Brecht, Die Dreigroschenoper, 1928 (drama)
Thomas Mann, Mario und der Zauberer, 1930 (short novel)
Ödön von Horvath, Jugend ohne Gott, 1937 (novel)
Teaching unit B
The study of this manual (C.M. Buglioni, M. Castellari, A. Goggio, M. Paleari: Letteratura tedesca. Epoche, generi, intersezioni. Vol. 2: Dal primo dopoguerra al nuovo millennio. Mondadori, Milano 2019) must be supplemented by reading, in the original language, of the excerpts of the literary texts of the anthology, concerning the period 1948-2010, made available to students on the ARIEL site, as well as the following texts, belonging to the canon of German literature of the treated period:
Ingeborg Bachmann, Die gestundete Zeit, 1953 (poems)
Peter Handke, Wunschloses Unglück, 1972 (short novel)
Thomas Bernhard, Alte Meister, 1985 (novel)
Teaching unit C
Ingeborg Bachmann, "Malina", Berlin, Suhrkamp BasisBibliothek, Berlin 2004, ISBN-13: 978-3-518-18856-9 (Students who intend to attend the course must obtain this commented edition.)
Monika Albrecht / Dirk Göttsche, "Kommentar", in: Ingeborg Bachmann, "Malina", Berlin, Suhrkamp BasisBibliothek, Berlin 2004, pp. 341-389.
Directions for non-attending students:
The program for non-attending students is unchanged from that for attending students. Naturally, given the greater difficulties deriving from a preparation carried out independently, it is recommended that non-attending students devote an appropriate amount of time to the study and elaboration of the contents provided for by the program and to integrate the bibliography with additional materials available online or in the library.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an individual interview, which includes questions asked by the teacher, interactions between the teacher and the student, and the analysis and commentary of one or more excerpts from the works in the program. The interview is made, in the student's choice, in Italian or German.
The interview aims to verify the knowledge of the texts read, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the ability in the exposition, the precision in the use of specific terminology, the capacity for critical and personal reflection on the proposed themes. Finally, it will consider the linguistic skills regarding the reading of literary passages. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in this case it will be verbalized as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
The interview aims to verify the knowledge of the texts read, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the ability in the exposition, the precision in the use of specific terminology, the capacity for critical and personal reflection on the proposed themes. Finally, it will consider the linguistic skills regarding the reading of literary passages. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in this case it will be verbalized as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Wednesday 15:00-18:00 (For other times: agree via email)
Office Prof. Barbara Berti, Anglistics, 4th floor, Sant'Alessandro and on Microsoft Teams