GERM250

GERMAN FILM & FRANKFURT SCHOOL

Department
German
Terms offered
7
Data refreshed
Jun 30, 2026

Description

In this course, we will survey the masterpieces of German-language cinema, beginning with such expressionist works of art as Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Murnau's Nosferatu, Lang's Metropolis and M, and Sagan's M dchen in Uniform. We will also study Nazi film, particularly Leni Riefenstahl's work. Among the postwar directors that we study will be Fassbinder, Herzog and Wenders. Queer German film-makers such as Praunheim and Treut will receive special attention. The course will conclude with recent critical and popular successes such as Run Lola Run and The Lives of Others. As a critical lens, we will rely heavily on psychoanalytic and Frankfurt School criticism, focusing on writings by Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, Siegfried Kracauer and Theodor Adorno. In addition to class meetings, a weekly video screening of approximately two hours is required. All discussion in English. Students taking the course for German credit will be expected to watch the films without subtitles and complete written assignments in German; students taking the course for credit in Screen Studies or Communication and Culture will generally watch films with subtitles and write in English.

Syllabi

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Offering history & forecast 2013–2023

2009
2023
Sections offered by academic year and season, with estimated offering chances for future years above the divider
YearFallSpringSummerIntersession
2030 2030 Fall: 15% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 9 fall terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 22% per year. 2030 Spring: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 spring terms since 2018. 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020.
2029 2029 Fall: 15% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 10 fall terms since 2017. Department course count falling about 19% per year. 2029 Spring: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 spring terms since 2017. 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2028 2028 Fall: 17% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 4 of 11 fall terms since 2016. Department course count falling about 15% per year. 2028 Spring: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 spring terms since 2016. 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2027 2027 Fall: 17% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 4 of 12 fall terms since 2015. Department course count falling about 14% per year. 2027 Spring: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 spring terms since 2015. 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017.
2023 1 section Not offered Not offered Not offered
2022 Not offered Not offered Not offered Not offered
2021 1 section Not offered Not offered Not offered
2020 Not offered Not offered Not offered Not offered
2019 1 section Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2018 Not offered Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2017 Not offered Not offered Not offered Not offered
2016 1 section Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2015 Not offered Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2014 1 section Not offered Not offered No data for this term
2013 Not offered Not offered Not offered No data for this term
Forecast Under 15% 15–39% 40–69% 70–89% 90%+ Not enough history
Fall Spring Summer Intersession Darker means more sections Not offered No data for term

Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.

Meeting times

Most recent first
  • Tue, 2:50 PM–5:50 PM Biological Sciences B355 2012
  • Mon, Wed, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM TC112 2009-1
  • Tue, 7:00 PM–9:30 PM TCRH 2009-22009-3
Credit-bearing sections of GERM250
TermProfessorTypeCreditsEnrollmentCRN
Fall 2023Chris C. BurwickLecture1 15 of 19 enrolled22335
Fall 2021Katherine GregoireLecture1 19 of 20 enrolled28344
Fall 2019Robert TobinLecture1 15 of 19 enrolled27213
Fall 2016Delene WhiteLecture1 5 of 20 enrolled25244
Fall 2014Robert TobinLecture1 22 of 25 enrolled23625
Spring 2012Robert TobinLecture1 10 of 25 enrolled31464
Spring 2009Robert TobinLecture1 3 of 20 enrolled36967