67170 - LETTERATURA TEDESCA (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students have in-depth knowledge of the history of modern German literature, with particular attention to the connections between literary texts, their historical and linguistic contexts, and intercultural dimensions. They are able to employ, including for teaching purposes, practical methodologies for the analysis and interpretation of literary works.

Course contents

The course is devoted to Nachkriegsliteratur (post-war German-language literature), focusing on the generation of writers who shaped the literary landscape of the 1950s and 1960s. Their works grapple with the difficult legacy of National Socialism and the Second World War while engaging with a society marked by persistent conformity and troubling continuities with the past. Through the reading and discussion of selected works, ranging from poetry and prose to drama, the course offers an exploration of key themes and moments in the literary history of the period, showing how literature interprets and sheds light on some of the central historical and cultural developments of the second half of the twentieth century.

Readings/Bibliography

Primary texts:

• Wolfgang Koeppen, Der Tod in Rom. Roman (1954), Frankfurt a. M., Suhrkamp (2nd ed. 1977 or later editions).
• Paul Celan, Die Gedichte. Neue kommentierte Gesamtausgabe in einem Band, hg. von Barbara Wiedemann, Suhrkamp, Berlin, 2020 (a selection of poems will be made available on Virtuale).
• Ingeborg Bachmann, Die gestundete Zeit. Gedichte (1953), in I. B., Werke und Briefe, hg. von Irene Fußl, Berlin, Suhrkamp, 2023 (a selection of poems will be made available on Virtuale).
• Ingeborg Bachmann, Die Anrufung des großen Bären (1956), in I. B., Werke und Briefe, hg. von Luigi Reitani, Berlin, Suhrkamp, 2022 (a selection of poems will be made available on Virtuale).
• Ingeborg Bachmann, Undine geht, in Das dreißigste Jahr. Erzählungen (1961), in I. B., Werke und Briefe, hg. von Rita Svandrlik, Berlin, Suhrkamp, 2020, pp. 193-203.
• Hans Magnus Enzensberger, verteidigung der wölfe, Frankfurt a. M., Suhrkamp, 1957 (a selection of poems will be made available on Virtuale).
• Hans Magnus Enzensberger, landessprache, Frankfurt a. M., Suhrkamp, 1960 (a selection of poems will be made available on Virtuale).
• Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Der Besuch der alten Dame. Eine tragische Komödie, Zürich, Arche, 1956 (or later editions).
• Heinrich Böll, Doktor Murkes gesammeltes Schweigen, in H. B., Doktor Murkes gesammeltes Schweigen und andere Satiren, Köln, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1958 (or later editions).
• Peter Weiss, Die Ermittlung. Oratorium im 11. Gesängen, Frankfurt a. M., Suhrkamp, 1965 (or later editions).

For historical and literary context (only the sections indicated during the course):

• Hermann Korte (Hg.), Die frühen Jahre. Literatur der Bundesrepublik von 1945 bis 1960, München, edition text + kritik, 2017.
• Wilfried Barner et al. (Hg.), Geschichte der deutschen Literatur von 1945 bis zur Gegenwart, 2. aktualisierte und erweiterte Ausgabe, München, Beck, 2006.
• Hermann Korte, Geschichte der deutschen Lyrik, Band 6: Von 1945 bis heute, Stuttgart, Reclam, 2012.

Additional secondary literature and further reading will be announced before the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

The course, taught in German, consists of 45 hours of teaching. Classes combine lectures with seminar-style sessions, encouraging active participation through discussion, textual analysis, and critical reflection.

Each student is expected to give a short presentation on an additional text beyond those discussed in class. Presentations may take place during the semester or as part of the final examination.

The syllabus and assessment are the same for attending, partially attending, and non-attending students. Erasmus students, as well as partially attending and non-attending students and anyone with specific needs, are encouraged to contact the course lecturer, preferably by arranging an appointment, for advice on preparing for the examination.

The course, taught in German, consists of 45 hours of teaching. Classes combine lectures with seminar-style sessions, encouraging active participation through discussion, textual analysis, and critical reflection.

Each student is expected to give a short presentation on an additional text beyond those discussed in class. Presentations may take place during the semester or as part of the final examination.

The syllabus and assessment are the same for attending, partially attending, and non-attending students. Erasmus students, as well as partially attending and non-attending students and anyone with specific needs, are encouraged to contact the course lecturer, preferably by arranging an appointment, for advice on preparing for the examination.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of an oral examination conducted in German. Questions are aimed at assessing:

• the knowledge and understanding of the contents presented in the classes;
• the ability to develop and articulate critical thinking;
• the ability to interpret and discuss literary texts in relation to their historical context and the cultural issues they address.

Final grading on a 30-point scale (0-17=fail).

Teaching tools

Teaching is supported by PowerPoint presentations, audio and video materials, and guest lectures and seminars delivered either in person or online by specialists in the authors and topics covered by the course.

Students with SLDs or temporary or permanent disabilities: we suggest that you contact the relevant university office ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and your teacher immediately to work together to find the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for exams.
Any requests for exam accommodations must be made at least 15 days before the date of the exam, by sending an email to the teacher and copying (Cc) the email address disabilita@unibo.it (in case of disability) or dsa@unibo.it (for students with Specific Learning Difficulties).

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Conterno