Liebe Studis – Dear students,
 
Willkommen im Wintersemester 🙂
 
There are class email lists for all sections of German 101-231. I will send a message roughly once a week. My email will include a link to the full text of the message (always available online via this index), and a copy of the header section of the email. The full text of the email is divided into sections by general topic, with an outline of “highlights” at the top, so you can skip to what interests you and expand those sections. If you have time, I recommend clicking through all of the first couple of messages to get an idea of the various events going on in the department and around town, and the other kinds of info in the email. This is the first such message.
 
Three regular conversation hours, “Schokoladenstunde” (Wednesdays 3-4 in 3110 MLB, starting on Jan 17), Convo on the Go (Tuesdays at 5:05, meet at Burton Tower, starting on Jan 16) and “Kreativwerkstatt” (hopefully Thursdays 3-4, location TBA, starting on Jan 18) will take place in person weekly – look for more details in these weekly emails. All students at all levels are welcome to come to these events. You can earn 2 “A&P Tally” make-up points by attending.
 
In addition, all students are welcome to participate in weekly German Club events and in “Kaffeestunde” and “Deutschtisch.” Kaffeestunde and Deutschtisch are coordinated through the Max Kade German Residence and are starting this week already (see the Upcoming Deadlines and Events section!). Look for more details in future emails! You can earn 2 “A&P Tally” make-up points by attending any of these events! (German Club, Kaffeestunde, Deutschtisch)
 
The “German Lab” is a virtual office hour taking place Monday-Thursday 1-4 pm. It will open on Tuesday 1/16. You can ask shorter and longer questions, come for conversation practice, help with homework etc. Here is more info about the German Lab – please take advantage of this great resource! Please sign up in advance on the German Lab Signup: instructors will check the signup at the beginning of their German Lab hour, and will leave the lab for that hour if no one has signed up.
 
If you are interested in studying abroad in Germany, you can attend one of two information sessions on Thursday, January 11, or Friday, January 12, 3-4 p.m., MLB 3117.
 
It is not too late to participate in the Academic Year in Freiburg 2024-2025. The final application deadline is Thursday, February 1. If you have any questions, you can contact our advisors Mary Rodena-Krasan or Kalli Federhofer. Their contact info is below.
 
All declared German majors/minors who can demonstrate financial need are invited to apply for the Walter & Florence E. Aupperle Scholarship, which disburses 2-3 annual scholarships of $5,000 each. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 20, 3 p.m.
 
The course guide for Winter 2024 is online and there are still spaces in some German courses. Here is the list of German dept. classes offered in Winter 2024. Please note that even if you already know your plans for German language classes, the list also includes a wide variety of interesting courses in English. If you have questions please contact our advisors, Mary and Kalli. We also strongly encourage you to contact one of the German Peer Mentors, who are undergraduates and who have taken/are taking our German courses. See the “German Courses & Majoring/Minoring in German” section below for contact info.
 
Advisor office hours and contact info: You can reach the German advisors through a general email: germanadvising@umich.edu. We have two advisors. They are available for advising hours throughout the semester:
A link to their current office hours will always be included in the full text of these weekly emails, which you can find online:  scroll down to the section “German Courses & Majoring/Minoring in German.” You can schedule appointments with Mary and Kalli here.
 
Other highlights from this week’s email, and what section to check for more details:
  • Conversation Opportunities – Conversation Hours, German Lab
  • Study Abroad, Internships, Scholarship Deadlines – Study Abroad/Internships/Scholarship Info
  • Advising Info – German Courses & Majoring/Minoring in German
  • Conversation Partner Options – Miscellaneous
  • International Center Global Engagement and Education Abroad email list – Miscellaneous
  • Finding German Films and Series Online – Miscellaneous
  • Chrome Extension for Dual-Language Subtitles – Miscellaneous
1. Max Kade Events –Deutschtisch (Wednesday, January 10, 6-7 p.m., North Quad Dining Hall) and Kaffeestunde (Friday, January 12, 5-6 p.m., North Quad 2450 – Edward Said Lounge)
 
 
3. Study Abroad in Germany – Information Sessions (Thursday, January 11; 3-4 p.m., and Friday, January 12, 3-4 p.m., MLB 3117)
 
4. US Teaching Assistantship Program (for English) in Austria 2024-2025 (Monday, January 15; Application Deadline)
 
5. “Audre Lorde – The Berlin Years 1984 – 1992”; Director: Dagmar Schulz, 2012 (Wednesday, January 17; 5-6:30 p.m., North Quad Space 2435)
 
6. Interested in Teaching a World Language? (Thursday, January 18; 3:30-5:15 p.m., MLB 3030)
 
7. Mozart’s “Jupiter” (Saturday, January 27; 8 p.m., Michigan Theater)
 
8. Fulbright Kick-Off Information Session (Wednesday, January 31; 5-6:30 p.m., Weiser Hall – Room 555)
 
9. Academic Year in Freiburg 2024-2025 (Thursday, February 1; Application Deadline)
 
 
11. Summer Grants for Research and Internships in Europe & Eurasia (Thursday, February 15; Application Deadline)
 
 
14. German Advising/German Mentorship Contact Information (With Office Hours from Tuesday, January 9 – Tuesday, January 16)
A number of informal weekly German conversation opportunities are taking place on campus, such as meetings of the German Club, in the Max Kade German Residence, and three weekly activities offered through the German Department, Convo on the Go, Schokoladenstunde, and Kreativwerkstatt. Convo on the Go, Schokoladenstunde, and Kreativwerkstatt will begin next week, Tu 1/6, Wed 1/17. Thu 1/18 respectively; German Club meetings will hopefully also begin next week; Max Kade Deutschtisch and Kaffeestunde meet this week already. Everyone is invited to attend. You can earn 2 “A&P Tally” make-up points by attending any of these events! (German Club, Max Kade Kaffeestunde or Deutschtisch, or the German dept events). Here are more details about these events:
  • Schokoladenstunde” will convene on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. in the Language Resource Center in 3110 MLB. There will be some German chocolate to snack on. Silvia Grzeskowiak (sgrzesko@umich.edu) will bring games, and the hour will be spent chatting and playing games in German (e.g. Tabu.)
  • German Convo on the Go” will meet on Tuesdays at 5:05 p.m. at Burton Tower for a 1-hour walk and talk with Mary Gell (magell@umich.edu). This event happens ‘rain (or snow) or shine’.
  • Kreativwerkstatt (click here for a flyer!)“: Chat in German and express yourself creatively. Crafting, coloring, painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, crochet, embroidery, origami? At the weekly German “Kreativwerkstatt,” which takes place (hopefully!) on Thursdays at 3 p.m., (hopefully) in 3308 MLB, you will combine speaking German (any level welcome, beginners included!!) and creatively expressing yourself. You are encouraged to bring your own materials or (ongoing) projects, but we will also provide some materials and prompts each week. If you have questions about “Kreativwerkstatt” please contact Laura Okkema (lokkema@umich.edu) or Iris Zapf-Garcia (iriszaga@umich.edu.)

German Club Stammtisch will most likely take place weekly on Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., in the Michigan League Underground. Look for weekly updates in these emails.

Max Kade “Deutschtisch” takes place Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m., in the Dining Hall of North Quad. Visitors should look for a table with German/Swiss/Austrian flags and a bunch of students speaking German. Max Kade “Kaffeestunde” takes place Fridays, 5-6 p.m., in the Edward Said Lounge of North Quad (Room 2450). German students at all levels (101 and up) are welcome at all Max Kade events. If you have any questions, please ask Vera (veremeev@umich.edu).

The “German Lab” is a partly virtual, partly in person office hour taking place Monday-Thursday 1-4 pm. You can ask shorter and longer questions, come for conversation practice, help with homework etc. Here is more info about the German Lab – please take advantage of this great resource! Please sign up in advance on the German Lab Signup: instructors will check the signup at the beginning of their German Lab hour, and will leave the lab for that hour if no one has signed up. You will see a Zoom link for instructors who will be available virtually, and room numbers for instructors who are available in person.

LRC Conversation Partner Site Check out this site to find a conversation partner, and/or register so others can find you on the site. Please notify the LRC if you notice problems (e.g. outdated records etc.). Don’t be shy: the more people sign up, the better the site will work!

A2 Stammtisch

  • Meets every other Thursday at 8:00 pm at Grizzly Peak, 120 West Washington St. Pre-registration is requested: Contact Mechthild Heerde-Olind at heerdeolind “at” yahoo.com to be added to the email list. You can also check the event listings in the Ann Arbor Observer for info on meeting times and locations. [last verified: 1/23/2023]
  • This is NOT something you can do to make up an absence, but you can still go for fun and/or write about it for an AMD.

 

Check the “Upcoming Deadlines and Events” section to see upcoming German Club events. You can earn 2 “A&P” make-up/bonus points by attending any of these events!
 
The German Club works to connect students of all levels with a passion for German language and culture to opportunities for language practice, cultural events, and networking. You are encouraged to come to as many or few events as you would like!

Email germaneboard@umich.edu to get put on the email list, or “like” the club on Facebook at facebook.com/germanclubumich for updates!

Faculty Advisors Mary Rodena-Krasan & Kalli Federhofer

Contact our two faculty advisors, Mary or Kalli, for advice on study abroad, internships abroad, a German major/minor, upper-level German courses, career opportunities in German, study-abroad and work-abroad opportunities, etc.

German Peer Advisors/Mentors

If you would like to get in touch with a peer mentor in our Department, please write to: germanmentors@umich.edu. Their expertise includes:

  • Current classes and potential courses
  • Study abroad, internship, and traveling in Germany
  • Academic requirements (major/minor, LSA language requirement) and combination (engineering, pre-health, etc.)
  • Max Kade House
  • Departmental scholarships/fellowships
  • On- and off-campus German opportunities (German Club, German Day, etc.)
  • Career/job search
  • Getting involved – enhancing your undergraduate experience with the German Department

[This page will only include entries in this category when there is a job/internship etc. aimed at German students at all levels. To see more internship and job opportunities, scroll through Kalli’s blog, addressed to all upper-level German students]

There is a German Department facebook group, and a German Department facebook page:

  • “German Advising at University of Michigan” [Read news here!] Join this group to see much of the information you see in this email, as well as other relevant info, in the form of individual announcement posts.
  • German Department facebook page: Check it out!

You can find weekly updates similar to this email but with lots more content on this blog.

We also encourage you to join us on our LinkedIn site: ‘University of Michigan German Department’

You can also follow us on Twitter: @umichGerman

Conversation Partner Options: Various options for finding conversation partners are listed on this page.

Sign up here for the International Center’s Global Engagement and Education Abroad email list. Weekly emails include info on workshops regarding travel and work abroad, conversation groups, cultural info sessions etc. SEHR interessant!

Finding German Films and Series

Chrome Extension for Dual-Language Subtitles

A German 101 student has found a Google Chrome extension that allows for subtitles in two languages, and has found this very helpful for watching e.g. “Dark” in German for his AMDs. I have not had time to try this, but if you find the dual language subtitles in the “Easy German” videos helpful, then this may be worth checking out. The extension is called Language Reactor.