Welcome!
As the image below suggests, this website is a passport - ein Reisepass - that invites you to travel with us into the foreign territories of the cultures and language of all German speaking countries. If you follow our invitation and immerse yourself totally, you will be in for an exciting intellectual experience which will open new doors to the understanding of other peoples, cultures, and countries, and ultimately lead to a better knowledge of your own beliefs and values. At the same time, you will in a very real sense be prepared for living in a world whose nations are becoming increasingly interdependent.
Our passport offers you several different routes for the exploration of the German territories: You may enter uninitiated, you may bring along some prior experiences, or you may already have substantial knowledge. We offer courses for beginners and undergraduates, graduate-level Masters and doctoral programs, and specialized workshops for teachers. German for Singers and Vocal Coaches, our newest program, integrates German language training with vocal performance.
Since 1915, the Middlebury College German School has achieved a level of prestige and reputation that is unrivaled in the United States. Its success is based on three major factors. First, we have carefully guarded the basic formula - an environment dedicated solely to German language, literature, and culture studies. At the heart of these studies is the Language Pledge, unique to Middlebury. An extra-curricular program which provides a wealth of culturally authentic contexts makes the pledge especially meaningful. Secondly, we have changed with the times. We have enriched our course offerings by deepening our emphasis on German Studies. Our teaching methodologies stress individualized attention and make full use of new technologies and assessment methods. Finally and most importantly, we have always been able to attract first-rate faculty members whose expertise, experience, and dedication guarantee the quality of our endeavor.
As you browse through this website, you will sense the richness and diversity of our program. This year we have adjusted our intensive language courses to account for the increasing number of graduate-level learners, and we continue the integration of computer usage into the learning process. In the six-week graduate program, the major focus will be 19th century culture, and for the first time, we are offering a literary translation workshop. The extracurricular program features our traditional lecture series; we are especially pleased to inaugurate the Carl and Anna Zernik Memorial Lectureship. Our film series showcases the best of German film one night a week in air-conditioned theaters.
This summer we are planning several memorable events in the German School. Students and faculty can participate in a one-act German play as well as the German Choir. We are looking forward to spectacular performances by the Choir as well as the students of the German for Singers and Vocal Coaches program, directed this year by Dr. James McDonald of Indiana University. If you still have energy left, we may applaud your performance on the soccer or volleyball field or admire your skills as Frisbee champion. Challenge us to a tennis match or a chess game, or offer your talents for the production of our German radio show and newspaper. No matter what your hobbies and interests are, come and join us on our voyage. Take the German language plunge with us.
Jochen Richter, Director
jrichter@allegheny.edu