Beginning German Continued This course is a continuation of GRMN 0101. Increased emphasis on communicative competence through short oral presentations and the use of authentic German language materials. Introduction to short prose writings and other documents relating to contemporary German culture. Five class meetings per week.

German Architecture and Power (in German) Architecture reveals not only the aesthetic and formal preferences of the architect or client in charge but grants insight into a society’s aspirations and power struggles. In this course we will study Berlin’s public buildings (and architectural proposals that never came to fruition) to understand the many complex forces that have shaped Germany’s old and new capital city. Recognizing that a building’s meaning changes over time depending on its cultural context, we will use semiotic models and historical background information to “read” a variety of iconic buildings as symbols for Germany’s identity formation processes. Examples to be scrutinized include the Brandenburg Gate, the various faces of the Reichstag, Hitler’s bombastic visions for the Welthauptstadt Germania, Stadtschloss, Palast der Republik, Şehitlik Mosque, Jewish Museum, and others. (GRMN 0202 or equivalent)

Beginning German Geared toward quick and early proficiency in comprehension and free expression. Grammatical structures are practiced through group activities and situational exercises (e.g., role-playing games and partner interviews). Active class participation by students is required and will be counted toward the final grade. Since this is an integrated approach, there will be laboratory assignments but no special drill sections. Classes meet five times a week. Students take GRMN 0102 as their winter term course.

German in Its Cultural Contexts The course invites students to explore social and cultural developments in Germany from 1871 to the present day from a historical perspective. We begin by examining Germany’s birth as a nation state and end by looking at recent events in today’s reunified Federal Republic. The course aims to lay the foundation for a critical understanding of German culture in its contemporary global context. Writing the biographies of fictional Germans throughout the semester, students will follow the radical changes in German society during the (long) twentieth century and gain an understanding how ‘ordinary’ people in Germany might have lived. A montage of written and visual materials will expose students to elite, mainstream, and marginal cultures alike. Taught in German. (Formerly GRMN 0310)

Acoustic Ecology Acoustic ecology is the study of sounds in relationship to life and society. An interdisciplinary field, it explores the social, cultural, scientific, and ecological aspects of the sonic environment.  In this seminar  we will gain auditory literacy by experiencing the world through sound (e.g., noise, speech, music). Topics will include the impact of noise on society; the urban experience through sound (especially Berlin and New York); aural architecture; production and reception of speech; representations of sound in literature and the visual arts; and even emotional responses to certain songs. Sources include texts by neuroscientists, literary scholars, linguists, anthropologists, musicologists, and others; music, and films.

Beginning German Continued This course is the intensive continuation of GRMN 0101 which will further the development of your language skills in an immersion-like environment, and will include bi-weekly cultural readings in English. Classes meet for two hours each morning, then lunch at the language tables, in addition to afternoon and evening activities (e.g. film screenings). Completion of this course is a prerequisite to enrollment in GRMN 0103.

German Linguistics (in German) This course simultaneously presents an overview of the major subfields of linguistics as they apply to the German language and a discussion of how today's Standard German evolved. We will pay attention to important concepts in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. In addition to these theoretical and descriptive aspects, we will discuss sociolinguistic issues such as language and gender and regional variations within Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxemburg. Lectures and discussions will be conducted in German.

Sounds and the City: German Urban Cultural History of the 20th and 21st Century In this course, we will seek to understand the cultural history of  20th and 21st century Germany by examining its soundscapes. Analyzing recordings of selected events, we will discuss how history can be portrayed as an acoustic experience.  Sound profiles of city spaces before, during, and after World War II and the Cold War will illustrate sound's impact on German society and its ability to create utopian/dystopian spaces. This line of inquiry invites us to rethink noise, silence, language, identity, power, and-considering the history of recording technologies-the nature of knowledge itself. We will consider works by literary scholars, historians, anthropologists, and musicologists.

Florence Feiereisen

Reviews and ratings for Florence Feiereisen at Middlebury College.Florence Feiereisen teaches Beginning German Continued, German Architecture and Power, Beginning German and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Florence Feiereisen good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

German and its Cultural Context is a great course that offers a broad overview of relevant German history. It also provides a great opportunity to practice writing. There are light to medium difficulty readings accompanied by essays that are mostly creative writing. Florence is very nice, and you really get out of this course what you put into it. 

Both professor Feiereisen and Eppelsheimer are amazing at what they do and will do their best and building the foundations of the German language. However, this course is not easy and will require an extensive amount of time to see results as most languages at Middlebury. Additionally, German requires things such as language tables a lot earlier on than other languages. Would recommended if you are passionate about learning German.

Professors Feiereisen and Eppelsheimer were caring and supportive in every way. The course work was at times difficult, and it was difficult to balance with other commitments given how much of it there was, but it was very much worth it.