BN518001 Seminar in Modern German Literature A

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Letters

Lecture Code BN518001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name ドイツ近現代文学演習Ａ

Subject Name
（Katakana）ドイツキンゲンダイブンガクエンシュウA

Subject Name in
English Seminar in Modern German Literature A

Instructor HARA CHIFUMI

Instructor
(Katakana) ハラ　チフミ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 3rd-Year,  First Semester,  First Semester

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (1st) Inte：LET B253

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Lecture・Discussion・Oral presentation

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 14 : Cultural Studies

Eligible Students 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students

Keywords Weimar culture, Critical Theory, criticism, expressionism, W.Benjamin, Th.W. Adorno

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) British, American, and European Languages and Literatures, and Linguistics
（Abilities and Skills）
・Acquisition of research methods related to British and American, German, and French literatures and languages, and other languages

Class Objectives
/Class Outline This year is a centennial anniversary since the founding of the Weimar Republic. The Weimar Republic, which was born out of the tumult after World War I, was a politically and economically unstable nation until it collapsed due to the formation of Hitler's cabinet in 1933. However, in the short-lived republic age of only about 14 years, the culture was so lively, later called the "golden Twenties", that a variety of creative ideas, literary and artistic movements appeared. We will consider the Weimar culture, which can be regarded as the starting point that leads to contemporary thought and art, focusing on Critical theory with regard to the thought in those days, and referring to trends in avant-garde literatures and arts of the same period.

Class Schedule Lesson1: Introduction: On the history of Weimar Republic
Lesson2-Lesson 4: Thought of the Weimar period: Western European Marxism, Institute of social research, Critical Theory, Frankfurter School

Lesson5-Lesson 7: Literature of the Weimar period: Criticism, W.Benjamin’s “ The Concept of Art Criticism in German Romanticism"  Inquiry into translation by W. Benjamin Th.W. Adorno’s “That Twenties” and “Expressionism and truthfulness”

Lesson8-Lesson 9: Art of the Weimar period (painting / photography): W.Kandinsky P.Klee  A.Sander’s Photography as social portrait

Lesson10-Lesson 11: Art of the Weimar period(architecture): Bauhaus W.Gropius Expressionistic architecture H. Poelzig  B.Taut and glass building

Lesson12-Lesson 14: Art of the Weimar period(movie): Expressionistic movie “Doctor Caligali” “Metropolis” S.Kracauer’s criticism on movie “From Caligali to Hitler”

Lesson15: The influence of Weimar culture upon Japan, summary of this lecture, questions & answers

Test/Report： Report at the end of course
Comments：If necessary, presentation by Power Point will be used in class.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Texts will be provided by the instructor. Reference Books will be also mentioned by the instructor.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc.

(More Details) Text・Handout・Picture・DVD（Video/PC/Other）

Learning techniques to be incorporated

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Lesson1：A brief review of the history of Weimar Republic
Lesson2~Lesson 4: Review of the provided material about Critical Theory
Lesson5~Lesson 7: Preparation of the german text by Benjamin and Adorno. Students who have not studied German will be given Japanese material to review.
Lesson8~ Lesson 14: Review of the provided material about the paintings, architecture and movies in the Weimar period
Lesson15: Review the contents of the lecture and consider questions and comments

Requirements It is desirable that students have already learned the basic German.

Grading Method Students will be assessed by the active attitude toward the class, oral presentations and the report.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Letters
Lecture Code	BN518001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	ドイツ近現代文学演習Ａ
Subject Name （Katakana）	ドイツキンゲンダイブンガクエンシュウA
Subject Name in English	Seminar in Modern German Literature A
Instructor	HARA CHIFUMI
Instructor (Katakana)	ハラ　チフミ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, First Semester, First Semester
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(1st) Inte：LET B253
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face
Lecture・Discussion・Oral presentation
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	14 : Cultural Studies
Eligible Students	2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students
Keywords	Weimar culture, Critical Theory, criticism, expressionism, W.Benjamin, Th.W. Adorno
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	British, American, and European Languages and Literatures, and Linguistics （Abilities and Skills）・Acquisition of research methods related to British and American, German, and French literatures and languages, and other languages
Class Objectives /Class Outline	This year is a centennial anniversary since the founding of the Weimar Republic. The Weimar Republic, which was born out of the tumult after World War I, was a politically and economically unstable nation until it collapsed due to the formation of Hitler's cabinet in 1933. However, in the short-lived republic age of only about 14 years, the culture was so lively, later called the "golden Twenties", that a variety of creative ideas, literary and artistic movements appeared. We will consider the Weimar culture, which can be regarded as the starting point that leads to contemporary thought and art, focusing on Critical theory with regard to the thought in those days, and referring to trends in avant-garde literatures and arts of the same period.
Class Schedule	Lesson1: Introduction: On the history of Weimar Republic Lesson2-Lesson 4: Thought of the Weimar period: Western European Marxism, Institute of social research, Critical Theory, Frankfurter School Lesson5-Lesson 7: Literature of the Weimar period: Criticism, W.Benjamin’s “ The Concept of Art Criticism in German Romanticism" Inquiry into translation by W. Benjamin Th.W. Adorno’s “That Twenties” and “Expressionism and truthfulness” Lesson8-Lesson 9: Art of the Weimar period (painting / photography): W.Kandinsky P.Klee A.Sander’s Photography as social portrait Lesson10-Lesson 11: Art of the Weimar period(architecture): Bauhaus W.Gropius Expressionistic architecture H. Poelzig B.Taut and glass building Lesson12-Lesson 14: Art of the Weimar period(movie): Expressionistic movie “Doctor Caligali” “Metropolis” S.Kracauer’s criticism on movie “From Caligali to Hitler” Lesson15: The influence of Weimar culture upon Japan, summary of this lecture, questions & answers Test/Report： Report at the end of course Comments：If necessary, presentation by Power Point will be used in class.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Texts will be provided by the instructor. Reference Books will be also mentioned by the instructor.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.
(More Details)	Text・Handout・Picture・DVD（Video/PC/Other）
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Lesson1：A brief review of the history of Weimar Republic Lesson2~Lesson 4: Review of the provided material about Critical Theory Lesson5~Lesson 7: Preparation of the german text by Benjamin and Adorno. Students who have not studied German will be given Japanese material to review. Lesson8~ Lesson 14: Review of the provided material about the paintings, architecture and movies in the Weimar period Lesson15: Review the contents of the lecture and consider questions and comments
Requirements	It is desirable that students have already learned the basic German.
Grading Method	Students will be assessed by the active attitude toward the class, oral presentations and the report.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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