Ateneo - UPO

LITERATURE AND CINEMA IN THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC

• Erich Maria Remarque, Niente di nuovo sul fronte occidentale, Neri Pozza, 2021. I will quote from this edition, but if you have another one it’s ok as well. • Ernst Jünger, Nelle tempeste d‘acciaio, Guanda, 2019. Only pp. 3-83, 177-203, 231-249, 257-271, 311-329. It will be available on DIR.• Klaus Mann, La pia danza, Gammalibri, 1983. Only some chapters. It will be available on DIR.• Bertolt Brecht, Santa Giovanna dei macelli, Einaudi, 1966. It will be available on DIR. A different edition is available in the library.• Poems and excerpts other literary works will be available on DIR.• The programme includes a commentary viewing of one of the most significant German films of the 1920s.

By means of face-to-face teaching (1,5CFU) and self-study (4,5CFU), the course aims to enable students to develop the ability to outline the main trends in the literary and film output of the Weimar Republic, placing them within the historical and cultural context of the period. Students will also be equipped with the tools to analyse literary texts, starting with those discussed in class. A more advanced objective is to provide students with the necessary skills to synthesise the information gained during the course and through independent reading into a critical discourse on the authors and their era, as well as to offer their own personal interpretations. The learning outcomes are consistent with the specific learning outcomes of the degree programme.

A good knowledge of the foreign language is required for students who have German as part of their curriculum. There are no prerequisites for others.

Lectures, critical reading, text analysis, the use of multimedia resources and a guided viewing of one of the most significant films of the 1920s will enable students to achieve the expected learning outcomes.

Further information will be provided at the start of the course and published in the course programme on DIR. The registration on DIR is required. Please check the teacher's page on Upobook regularly. Non-attending students are requested to contact the teacher in order to get their detailed program by mail. The preparation of the non-attendance programme is necessary in order to obtain the 6CFU foreseen for the module, which also includes either the 30 hours of lectures or the reading of substitute materials to be carried out in an equal number of hours.Please read the texts before we will analyze them in the lessons, so you will be able to better understand the explanations and to participate in the discussion.Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The assessment consists of an oral examination in Italian and German, which serves the dual purpose of assessing both the students’ level of knowledge and understanding of the course content – including through reference to the critical bibliography indicated by the lecturer – and of evaluating their independent judgement, learning ability, communication skills in Italian and German, as well as their proficiency in translating from German into Italian.The questions will focus on the following points, corresponding to the knowledge and skills set out in the learning outcomes: - assessment of the historical and cultural context of the Weimar Republic and knowledge of the authors and works discussed in class or studied in critical literature. Students on the LCT programme who are studying German as a core subject will be required to answer the sections covered in German during lectures in German: 40% of the exam mark, of which 10% relates to the German-language section.For students not on the LCT programme or who are not studying German as a core subject: 50% of the exam mark.- assessment of the ability to analyse and interpret texts, to express critical judgements – including original ones – to analyse the literary works and the film on the syllabus, and to develop a specific critical discourse on individual topics or texts that relates to the central themes of the course: 50% of the exam mark.For students who are not on the LCT programme or who do not study German as part of their curriculum: 60% of the exam mark.- For students on the LCT programme or who are studying German as a curricular language: Assessment of their ability to translate into Italian one of the texts read and translated in German during the course: the remaining 10% of the mark relating to the German-language part of the exam.

With the end of the First World War, Germany went through a very problematic historical period, which was also particularly rich from a cultural and literary point of view. The course aims to investigate the different artistic movements that mark this phase of German history through the analysis of themes such as war, the metropolis, capitalism and the queer scene, without neglecting expressive means of great impact such as cinema and cabaret. However, the echoes of intolerance and extreme right-wing nationalism grew stronger until, in 1933, the first German democracy and its multifaceted artistic production came to an end. Gender perspective: analysis of the first novel on homosexuality and queer themes in German literature.

The expected learning outcomes are consistent with those specific to the degree programme. In order to achieve the minimum pass mark (60%), students are required to demonstrate:KNOWLEDGE: - Knowledge of German literature and cinema of the Weimar Republic, as well as in-depth understanding of the movements, authors and texts covered in class.SKILLS:- The ability to analyse the topics, literary works and films covered in the course. - The ability to present key topics clearly, with reference to the historical, social, literary and biographical context, and using appropriate critical vocabulary.- To be capable of translating the German texts set in class into Italian with a sufficient degree of accuracy.The advanced level corresponds to 85 per cent and is achieved through more in-depth knowledge and skills, a greater level of critical analysis and clarity of expression in both Italian and German, and a good ability to translate into Italian.The maximum mark (100 %) is awarded for an excellent level of knowledge and skills.