Course Description:

Module coordinator:  Joerg Seifert

The topical content of texts to be studied is related to the following two courses offered by the Department of History

• HI 101 European History since 1750
• HI 136 History of Germany from 1862 to the Present

 Skills to be acquired are subject specific as well as transferable. They include:

• The development of a sound knowledge of German grammar and syntax and history related vocabulary as a prerequisite for efficiently dealing with the highly complex structures of written German.
• The development of different types of reading techniques.
• The development of translation skills with a view to linguistic understanding and accuracy.

Topic-orientated grammatical content   

• Morphological regularities with verbs and nouns;
• word formation with nouns, verbs and adjectives;
• prefix/suffix functions;
• comparative and superlative;
• prepositions;
• modal verbs;
• the verb lassen;
• imperfect and perfect tense;
• conditional;
• impersonal verbal structures;
• the infinitive with zu;
• inversion;
• relative clauses;
• subordinate clauses;
• the passive voice;
• subjunctive I + II;
• participles and participial constructions

Reading techniques  

• Identifying external text characteristics;
• using layout to make assumptions about the text;
• recognising the functions of different parts of the text;
• focussing on the initial sentences of each paragraph;
• distinguishing between main and subsidiary pieces of information;
• understanding precise information via detailed sentence analysis;
• identifying keywords;
• recognising discourse structure by: identifying "propositional signals" (wenn, trotzdem, entweder ... oder etc.);
• identifying syntactical pointers (negatives, comparisons);
• movable particles (nur, aber, schon, überhaupt, vielleicht);
• ascertaining content and intention of text by: identifying expressions of purpose, intent, consequences, results, causes and reasons.

Topics  

A broad range of historical texts progressing from adapted to authentic material to develop a sound level of competence in reading, interpreting and translating historical texts concerned with 19th century German history (see bibliography).

Course Texts:  

Source material related to 19th and 20th century German history.

Grammar Practice

1. "Alles Klar": German grammar through cartoons: demonstration and practice to examination level, Nelson, 1987
2. The Collins German/English-English/German Dictionary, Klett 1989
3. "English Grammar for Students of German", by Cecile Zorach/Charlotte Melin, The Olivia and Hill Press, 1994.

History texts

1. Aleff, Eberhard (ed.): Das 3. Reich, Hannover: Fackerträger-Verlag, 1970
2. Braun, Lily: Die Frauenfrage, Ihre geschichtliche Entwicklung und ihre wirtschaftliche Seite, Berlin/Bonn: J.H.W. Dietz Nachf., 1979
3. Gebhardt: Handbuch der deutschen Geschichte, dtv-edition, volumes 14-22
4. Gruner, Wolf, D: Die deutsche Frage in Europa 1800-1990, München/Zürich: Piper 1993
5. Heuss, Theodor: Ein Vermäüchtnis, Werk und Erbe von 1848, Stuttgart: Curt Schwab, 1948
6. Heiber, Helmut: Die Republik von Weimar, München: dtv, 1988
7. Herrmann, Georg (ed.): Das Biedermeier im Spiegel seiner Zeit, Briefe, Tagebücher, Memoiren, Volksszenen und ähnliche Dokumente, Berlin: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co, 1913
8. Lenman, Robin: Die Kunst, die Macht und das Geld, zur Kulturgeschichte des Kaiserlichen Deutschland 1871-1918, Frankfurt: Campus, 1994
9. Mayer, Arno J: Adelsmacht und Bürgertum, Die Krise der europäischen Gesellschaft 1848-1914, München: dtv, 1981
10. Mann, Golo: Deutsche Geschichte des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts, Frankfurt: Fischer, 1992
11. Nipperdey, Thomas: Deutsche Geschichte 1800-1866, Bürgerwelt und starker Staat, München: C.H.Beck, 1991
12. Nipperdey, Thomas: Deutsche Geschichte 1866-1918, Arbeitswelt und Bürgergeist, München: C.H.Beck, 1991
13. Richter, Gert: Die gute alte Zeit im Bild, Alltag im Kaiserreich 1871-1914 in Bildern und Zeugnissen, Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Lexikon Verlag, 1974
14. Rürup, Reinhard: Deutschland im 19. Jahrhundert, 1815-1871, G–ttingen: Vandenhoeck/Ruprecht, 1984
15. Schlenke, M. (ed.): Preuþen, Beiträge zu einer politischen Kultur, Reinbek: Rowohlt 1981
16. Schulze, Hagen: Der Weg zum Nationalstaat, Die deutsche Nationalbewegung vom 18. Jahrhundert bis zur Reichsgründung, München: dtv 1985
17. Stern, C: Wendepunkte deutscher Geschichte 1848-1948, Winkler, A. (ed.) Frankfurt: Fischer, 1979
18. Stürmer, Michael:Die Reichsgründung, Deutscher Nationalstaat und europäisches
19. Gleichgewicht im Zeitalter Bismarcks, München, dtv, 1984

Teaching:  

One semiar per week of two hours' duration. This class contact time should be supplemented by two hours independent study activities, vocabulary and grammar learning, reading, translation and comprehension practice with materials provided by the tutor. Students will also be encouraged to avail themselves of the Open Access facilities of the Language Centre, i.e. computers, satellite TV, audio tapes, magazines and newspapers.

Assessment: 

All students are required to complete one written test and one written examination. The use of a bilingual dictionary is allowed in the examinations.

Learning Outcomes 

Bt the end of the module students should be able to:

Demonstrate a sound knowledge of German grammar, syntax and history related vocabulary as a prerequisite for efficiently dealing with the complex structures of written German in historical contexts.

Demonstrate a good degree of competence in reading techniques.

Demonstrate a good degree of competence in translation skills with a view to linguistic understanding and accuracy.