The "four states of Austria" from 1900 to 1945 will be discussed. How did the transitions from one political system to the other affect the country, her citizens, and her arts? We will try to find answers to the problem of an Austrian identity: Did it exist in all the ethnic divergence of the Habsburg monarchy and the First Republic of Austria, or was it shaped by the historic events of the "First Republic?"
Prerequisites:
Four semesters (5 recommended) of College level German, or proficiency in German acquired in other ways (bilingual family, etc).
Additional student cost:
€ 10-20 for book purchase.
Learning outcomes:
The main objective is to enhance the students’ understanding of Austrian history, politics, society, and culture, through the study of works of mainly authors, but also researchers and others. The chronological curriculum incorporates outstanding and paradigmatic texts by Austrian persons of letters, hence a basic understanding of Austrian literature and culture as well as literature of Austrians in exile will be acquired. Film documents of political events will be shown, as well as excerpts of a movie adaptation of a novel by an Austrian writer. A secondary, yet important objective of the course is the improvement of the participants’ German language skills through reading and discussion of all texts in German.
Method of presentation:
Lectures; group discussions. Several shorter texts will be read by the entire class and provide the basic structure and chronological frame to the course, one or two movie adaptations of books will be shown and discussed. In addition, each student will be asked to read a novel and present it to the class. Depending on the choice of students, the emphasis of the course can vary.
Required work and form of assessment:
Regular physical and intellectual attendance, and participation in discussions (20%); one individual book and one team film presentation (see the “optional reading/viewing”-list for suggested books and films; 20%); term paper (20%); take-home midterm test (20%); comprehensive oral final test (20%).
content:
The session-by-session syllabus depends largely on the students’ choice of books for their reports. It is usually handed out in the second week of the semester.
Required readings:
Arthur SCHNITZLER: Leutnant Gustl (1900); Reigen (1900, F) Stefan ZWEIG: Die Welt von gestern (1944; Auszüge)
Franz KAFKA: Das Urteil (1912) or Die Verwandlung (1913)
Leo PERUTZ: Nachts unter der steinernen Brücke (1924-51; je eine Novelle pro Student) Robert MUSIL: Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften (1. Buch, 1. Teil: Eine Art Einleitg; 1930)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Jugend ohne Gott (1937; F)
Hermann BROCH: Letzter Ausbruch eines Größenwahnes. Hitlers Abschiedsrede (1944) Non-fiction:
Wendelin SCHMIDT-DENGLER: Ohne Nostalgie (2002, exc.)
Additionally, selected poetry (HOFMANNSTHAL, RILKE, TRAKL, etc.), and short stories in the context of coffeehause writing (ALTENBERG, POLGAR, etc.) will be read. Furthermore, one textbook of an opera will be discussed (HOFMANNSTHAL: Arabella, or Der Rosenkavalier or ZWEIG: Die schweigsame Frau, depending on the Vienna State Opera’s calendar), and students will be encouraged to see a performance.
Films (selection of):
Volker SCHLÖNDORFF: Der junge Törleß (1966; L: Robert Musil 1906)
Michael KNOF: Jugend ohne Gott (1991; L: Ödön von Horváth 1937)
Gerd OSWALD: Schachnovelle (1960; L: Stefan Zweig 1942)
Recommended readings:
(A selection for book and film reports, more available)
Robert MUSIL: Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß (1906; F)
Rainer Maria RILKE: Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge (1910)
Franz KAFKA: Der Prozess (ph; F), Das Schloss (ph; F)
Leo PERUTZ: Der Meister des jüngsten Tages (1923)
Arthur SCHNITZLER: Spiel im Morgengrauen (1926; F)
Joseph ROTH: Die Flucht ohne Ende (1927)
Friedrich TORBERG: Der Schüler Gerber (1930; F)
Robert MUSIL: Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften (1. Buch, 2. Teil; 1930; F docu)
Joseph ROTH: Radetzkymarsch (1932; F)
Leo PERUTZ: St. Petri Schnee (1933; F) Elias CANETTI: Die Blendung (1935)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Jugend ohne Gott (1937; F)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Ein Kind unserer Zeit (1937)
Stefan ZWEIG: Schachnovelle (1941; F)
Friedrich TORBERG: Hier bin ich, mein Vater (1948)
Hermann BROCH: Die Schuldlosen (1950)
Other Resources:
Films (selection of):
Volker SCHLÖNDORFF: Der junge Törleß (1966; L: Robert Musil 1906)
Michael KNOF: Jugend ohne Gott (1991; L: Ödön von Horváth 1937)
Gerd OSWALD: Schachnovelle (1960; L: Stefan Zweig 1942)
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Mag. phil. Günter Haika (Germanistik, University of Vienna) has been teaching at IES Abroad since
1978. He is currently on the Faculty of Wake Forest University, Vienna Study Center, which he manages and where he teaches German, Literature, and Photography. Research areas focus on contemporary Austrian Literature and Film, and on Wilhelm Friedrich Meyern. Among his more recent publications: “brutal real. Der neue Realismus in der Österreichischen Literatur der Gegenwart” (2009), “Madness on a Grand Scale: Portrayal of Terrorism in Austrian Literature after 9/11” (2008) and “there is no catharsis.” Ein fiktiver Dialog über einige Vorbilder der gegenwärtigen Österreichischen Literatur” (2008).
Austria in Text and Film I: From the Turn of the Century to 1945
The "four states of Austria" from 1900 to 1945 will be discussed. How did the transitions from one political system to the other affect the country, her citizens, and her arts? We will try to find answers to the problem of an Austrian identity: Did it exist in all the ethnic divergence of the Habsburg monarchy and the First Republic of Austria, or was it shaped by the historic events of the "First Republic?"
Four semesters (5 recommended) of College level German, or proficiency in German acquired in other ways (bilingual family, etc).
€ 10-20 for book purchase.
The main objective is to enhance the students’ understanding of Austrian history, politics, society, and culture, through the study of works of mainly authors, but also researchers and others. The chronological curriculum incorporates outstanding and paradigmatic texts by Austrian persons of letters, hence a basic understanding of Austrian literature and culture as well as literature of Austrians in exile will be acquired. Film documents of political events will be shown, as well as excerpts of a movie adaptation of a novel by an Austrian writer. A secondary, yet important objective of the course is the improvement of the participants’ German language skills through reading and discussion of all texts in German.
Lectures; group discussions. Several shorter texts will be read by the entire class and provide the basic structure and chronological frame to the course, one or two movie adaptations of books will be shown and discussed. In addition, each student will be asked to read a novel and present it to the class. Depending on the choice of students, the emphasis of the course can vary.
Regular physical and intellectual attendance, and participation in discussions (20%); one individual book and one team film presentation (see the “optional reading/viewing”-list for suggested books and films; 20%); term paper (20%); take-home midterm test (20%); comprehensive oral final test (20%).
The session-by-session syllabus depends largely on the students’ choice of books for their reports. It is usually handed out in the second week of the semester.
Arthur SCHNITZLER: Leutnant Gustl (1900); Reigen (1900, F) Stefan ZWEIG: Die Welt von gestern (1944; Auszüge)
Franz KAFKA: Das Urteil (1912) or Die Verwandlung (1913)
Leo PERUTZ: Nachts unter der steinernen Brücke (1924-51; je eine Novelle pro Student) Robert MUSIL: Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften (1. Buch, 1. Teil: Eine Art Einleitg; 1930)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Jugend ohne Gott (1937; F)
Hermann BROCH: Letzter Ausbruch eines Größenwahnes. Hitlers Abschiedsrede (1944) Non-fiction:
Wendelin SCHMIDT-DENGLER: Ohne Nostalgie (2002, exc.)
Additionally, selected poetry (HOFMANNSTHAL, RILKE, TRAKL, etc.), and short stories in the context of coffeehause writing (ALTENBERG, POLGAR, etc.) will be read. Furthermore, one textbook of an opera will be discussed (HOFMANNSTHAL: Arabella, or Der Rosenkavalier or ZWEIG: Die schweigsame Frau, depending on the Vienna State Opera’s calendar), and students will be encouraged to see a performance.
Films (selection of):
Volker SCHLÖNDORFF: Der junge Törleß (1966; L: Robert Musil 1906)
Michael KNOF: Jugend ohne Gott (1991; L: Ödön von Horváth 1937)
Gerd OSWALD: Schachnovelle (1960; L: Stefan Zweig 1942)
(A selection for book and film reports, more available)
Robert MUSIL: Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß (1906; F)
Rainer Maria RILKE: Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge (1910)
Franz KAFKA: Der Prozess (ph; F), Das Schloss (ph; F)
Leo PERUTZ: Der Meister des jüngsten Tages (1923)
Arthur SCHNITZLER: Spiel im Morgengrauen (1926; F)
Joseph ROTH: Die Flucht ohne Ende (1927)
Friedrich TORBERG: Der Schüler Gerber (1930; F)
Robert MUSIL: Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften (1. Buch, 2. Teil; 1930; F docu)
Joseph ROTH: Radetzkymarsch (1932; F)
Leo PERUTZ: St. Petri Schnee (1933; F) Elias CANETTI: Die Blendung (1935)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Jugend ohne Gott (1937; F)
Ödön v. HORVÁTH: Ein Kind unserer Zeit (1937)
Stefan ZWEIG: Schachnovelle (1941; F)
Friedrich TORBERG: Hier bin ich, mein Vater (1948)
Hermann BROCH: Die Schuldlosen (1950)
Films (selection of):
Volker SCHLÖNDORFF: Der junge Törleß (1966; L: Robert Musil 1906)
Michael KNOF: Jugend ohne Gott (1991; L: Ödön von Horváth 1937)
Gerd OSWALD: Schachnovelle (1960; L: Stefan Zweig 1942)
Mag. phil. Günter Haika (Germanistik, University of Vienna) has been teaching at IES Abroad since
1978. He is currently on the Faculty of Wake Forest University, Vienna Study Center, which he manages and where he teaches German, Literature, and Photography. Research areas focus on contemporary Austrian Literature and Film, and on Wilhelm Friedrich Meyern. Among his more recent publications: “brutal real. Der neue Realismus in der Österreichischen Literatur der Gegenwart” (2009), “Madness on a Grand Scale: Portrayal of Terrorism in Austrian Literature after 9/11” (2008) and “there is no catharsis.” Ein fiktiver Dialog über einige Vorbilder der gegenwärtigen Österreichischen Literatur” (2008).