German Advising Contact Information With Office Hours From Tuesday, November 5 - Tuesday, November 12

You can reach the German advisors through a general email: germanadvising@umich.edu

We have two advisors for German undergraduates:

* Mary Rodena-Krasan (MLB 3128; mkrasan@umich.edu)

Her office hours this week are:

Wednesday, November 6: 2-4:30 p.m.,

Thursday, November 7: 2-4:30 p.m.,

Friday, November 8: 10-1:30 p.m.

and by appointment

Mary's Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/92765512004

* Karl-Georg Federhofer (MLB 3422; kallimz@umich.edu)
My office hours this week are:

Tuesday, November 5: 8-12:30, 1-2:30 p.m.,

Wednesday, November 6: 1-5 p.m.,

Thursday, November 7: 8-12, 1-5, 8-10 p.m. (Zoom),

Friday, November 8: 8-11:30, 1-5 p.m.,
Monday, November 11: 1-5, 8-10 p.m. (Zoom),

Tuesday, November 12: 8-12:30, 1-2:30 p.m.,

and by appointment

My Zoom Link for Office Hours: https://umich.zoom.us/j/909147087

It is best to schedule appointments, which you have to do by 4 p.m. on the previous day. You can schedule appointments with us here: https://myadvising.lsa.umich.edu/appointments/offices/GERM

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

German Conversation Opportunities: "Schokoladenstunde" (Tuesday, November 5, 2 p.m., MLB 3110), and "German Convo on the Go" (Wednesday, November 6, 10-11 a.m., Burton Tower), and "Kreativwerkstatt" (Wednesday, November 6, 3-4 p.m., MLB 3308)

We have three weekly and informal conversation opportunities for all students who want to speak German:

"Schokoladenstunde" convenes on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. in the German Department Lounge (MLB 3110.) 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" meets on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. sharp at Burton Tower for a 1-hour walk and talk with Mary Gell (magell@umich.edu). This event happens 'rain or shine.'

"Kreativwerkstatt:" Chat in German and express yourself creatively. Crafting, coloring, painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, crochet, embroidery, origami? At the weekly German “Kreativwerkstatt,” which takes place on Wednesdays at 3 p.m., 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.)

'Conclave' - Director: Edward Berger, 2024: Tuesday, November 5; 4 p.m., 6:45 p.m.; Wednesday, November 6; 4 p.m., 7:15 p.m.; Thursday, November 7; 4 p.m., 7:15 p.m.; State Theatre

'Conclave' follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church. From director Edward Berger ('All Quiet on the Western Front', Winner of the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2023).

Edward Berger is a Swiss-Austrian filmmaker who attended the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig from 1990 to 1991 and then transferred to the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he finished his studies in directing in 1994.

Website: https://marquee-arts.org/event-page/?showingId=901890&eventId=900218

DAAD-RISE Information Session and Q&As: Wednesday, November 6, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Remote

This information session focuses on Research Internships in Science and Engineering. Learn about the program, the application process, and tips for success. This session will feature RISE alumna and DAAD Young Ambassador Paige Lyles from UC Berkeley.

Come with your questions! All are welcome!

Website: https://ow.ly/H7zn50TRffq

Max Kade Events - "Deutschtisch" (Wednesday, November 6, 6-7 p.m., North Quad Dining Hall) and "Kaffeestunde" (Friday, November 8, 5-6 p.m., North Quad 2450 - Edward Said Lounge)

"Deutschtisch" is a weekly event in the North Quad Dining Hall for Max Kade residents and visitors from outside of Max Kade Haus to speak German during a meal. Visitors should look for a table with German/Swiss/Austrian flags and a bunch of students speaking German.

Max Kade "Kaffeestunde" is a weekly opportunity to mingle and unwind "auf Deutsch". It is a place to connect with other Max Kade residents, chat informally in German and participate in activities prepared by facilitators. The "Kaffeestunde" is open to the wider German-speaking community at the University of Michigan.

German students at all levels (101 and up) are welcome at all Max Kade events.

If you have any questions, please ask Viola Tietja (vtietje@umich.edu).

Esra Akcan, Revisiting Architecture in Translation - Keynote for Germanic Languages & Literatures Graduate Student Conference: De/Limiting Translation: Thursday, November 7, 5:30-7 p.m., Michigan Union, Pendleton Room

Esra Akcan is Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Architecture at Cornell University and board member at the Institute for Comparative Modernities. Akcan's research on modern and contemporary architecture and urbanism foregrounds the intertwined histories of Europe, West Asia, and Northeast Africa and offers new ways to understand architecture's role in global, social, and environmental justice. She has written extensively on critical and postcolonial theory, racism, immigration, reparations and transitional justice, architectural photography, translation, neoliberalism, and global history. Her book Architecture in Translation: Germany, Turkey and the Modern House (Duke University Press, 2012) offers a new way to understand the global movement of architecture that extends the notion of translation beyond language to visual fields. It advocates a commitment to a new culture of translatability from below and in multiple directions for cosmopolitan ethics and global justice."

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/124946

German Peer Mentor Panel Talk: Friday, November 8, 4-5 p.m., North Quad, Language Resource Center

Hear experiences and stories from University of Michigan students who have studied or completed internships in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Learn more about what global citizenship looks like in German-speaking countries.

The German Peer Mentors are here to answer any questions about studying abroad and funding at the University of Michigan so that you can have a great time abroad!

If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Zhang (matzhang@umich.edu.)

Mark and Myra Sorensen International Travel Scholarship: Friday, November 8 (Application Deadline)

The Mark and Myra Sorensen International Travel Scholarship is designed to support students who will participate in study, internship, volunteer, or research programs abroad. The scholarship's goal is to fund a diverse array of students, regardless of field of study. The Global Engagement and Education Abroad (GEEA) team at the International Center manages the Sorensen Scholarship.

Awards will be made in the amount of at least $750 to cover expenses such as program fees, transportation, room and board, and/or local excursions made in connection with the project. Scholarship awards are contingent upon the availability of funds.

Website: https://mcompass.umich.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=11469

Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia Roundtable - Europe's Polarized Landscape: Discussion on European Elections: Monday, November 11, 5:30-7 p.m., Weiser Hall, Room 1010

University of Michigan faculty will discuss the results of elections in France, Italy, Germany, UK, and their implications.

Joshua Cole is professor of History at the University of Michigan, where he’s been teaching since 2004. His research and teaching deal primarily with the social and cultural history of France in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and he’s published work on gender and the history of the population sciences, colonial violence, and the politics of memory in France, Algeria, and Germany.

Scott Greer is professor of Health Management and Policy, Global Public Health, and Political Science at the University of Michigan. He researches the ways in which political systems operate and shape health policy decisions. He has done extensive research on a variety of topics including COVID-19 policy response, health governance, strategic purchasing in health care, the politics of public health and disaster response, federalism, science policy, and European integration. He conducts research on the European Union, United Kingdom, and the United States in particular.

Johannes von Moltke is the Rudolf Arnheim Professor of Film, TV, and Media and German Studies at the University of Michigan. His published work addresses topics in German film and cultural studies, critical theory, and film theory, and it has been supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Berlin Program in Advanced German and European Studies, and the American Academy in Berlin, among others. A Past President of the German Studies Association, von Moltke currently serves as the Interim Director of the International Institute.

Giulia Riccò is assistant professor of Italian. Her book, New World Italians: The Invention of a Brazilian Identity, traces the discursive production of a modern, racialized Italian identity in São Paulo, Brazil. She is the co-editor of the 2020 Radical History Review issue dedicated to Fascism and Anti-Fascism since 1945. In 2021, Giulia received the Italian Scientists and Scholars of North America Foundation (ISSNAF) inaugural award for innovation in the study of Italian culture.


Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/123649

German Club - "Stammtisch": Tuesday, November 12 5:30-6:30 p.m., Michigan League Underground

The German Club will have its next "Stammtisch" on Tuesday, November 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m.! This event will be held in the basement of the Michigan League. 

Because of the elections, no "Stammtisch" will happen on Tuesday, November 5.

If you have any questions, please send them to Braidy (braidya@umich.edu).

First-Generation Education Abroad Scholarship: Tuesday, November 12 (Application Deadline)

The First-Gen Education Abroad Scholarship is open to students who meet the following criteria:

* Enrolled University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, undergraduate student of any major (domestic or international)
* First-generation college student, as defined at https://firstgen.umich.edu/
* Plan to participate in a Spring or Summer 2025 education abroad program listed in M-Compass

Based on available funding, up to 70 first-generation undergraduate students will be awarded a one-time $3,000 scholarship to apply towards a 2025 Spring or Summer M-Compass study abroad program.

Please contact global.engagement@umich.edu with any questions.

Apply here: https://mcompass.umich.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=12292

Hänsel und Gretel: Thursday-Saturday, November 14-16, 8 p.m., and Sunday, November 17, 2 p.m., Power Center for the Performing Arts

A charming fairy-tale opera with a folk-inspired score, Hänsel und Gretel – by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck, with a libretto by his sister, Adelheid Wette – has been loved by audiences of all ages since its first performance in 1893. In a familiar tale that softens some of the Brothers Grimm’s darker elements, Hänsel and Gretel are sent into the forest by their frustrated mother to hunt for strawberries and stay out of trouble.

Alas, trouble is inevitable when they come upon a mysterious gingerbread house with a frightening witch inside. The witch captures the children, threatening to fatten up Hänsel and use him to make gingerbread. The clever children must keep their wits about them to avoid a fiery fate.

* Composed by Engelbert Humperdinck; libretto by Adelheid Wette
* Based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
* Sung in German
* Conducted by Kirk Severtson
* Stage direction by Gregory Keller
* Performed with the University Symphony Orchestra

Discount of 10% off ticket price when you purchase 4 or more tickets.

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/122608

Trans and Nonbinary Passport Clinic: Monday, November 18, 12-2 p.m., Weiser Hall 255

The School of Social Work Office of Global Activities, U-M Spectrum Center, and U-M Center for Global and Intercultural Study are collaborating to host a Trans and Nonbinary Passport Clinic. During this event, the Washtenaw County Clerk's office will assist students and community members to apply for, renew, or make changes to their passport, including a name change or updated gender marker. This event is hosted specifically for folks needing a gender marker or name change, but all individuals applying for a new or renewed passport are welcome to attend.

The Trans and Nonbinary Passport Clinic will take place on Monday, November 18, 12- 2 p.m., Weiser Hall, Room 255. In addition to receiving support for applying for, renewing, or changing a passport, attendees will have the opportunity to have a passport photo taken on-site at no cost. More information about the event and registration can be found here.

'Burden of Dreams' (Director: Les Blank, 1982): Friday, November 22, 7 p.m.; Saturday, November 23, 7 p.m.; Sunday, November 24, 4:30 p.m.; Detroit Film Theatre

Werner Herzog was already a legend by 1982 when 'Fitzcarraldo', his magnum opus, was finally released. The film tells the story of a visionary adventurer, played by Klaus Kinski, who is obsessed with bringing an opera house to the Amazon for a performance by Caruso. The film was shot on location over four years, including a dramatic scene where a 320-ton steamship is actually hauled over a mountain—one of many production challenges that drove Herzog to the brink of insanity.

'Burden of Dreams' is Les Blank’s classic behind-the-scenes documentary about Herzog’s monumental effort to complete 'Fitzcarraldo.' As a portrait of unrelenting artistic obsession, this documentary's impact may surpass that of the film it chronicles. Newly restored in 4K resolution, Burden of Dreams returns to the big screen in the way it truly deserves.

Website: https://dia.org/events/burden-dreams

Berliner Philharmoniker: Saturday, November 23, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 24, 4 p.m., Hill Auditorium

The Berliner Philharmoniker returns to Hill Auditorium the weekend before Thanksgiving for two concerts. In the first of two concerts, violinist and recent Avery Fisher Prize awardee Hilary Hahn makes her first Ann Arbor appearance in two decades, performing Korngold’s heart-tugging violin concerto. Also on the program: Rachmaninoff’s first orchestral masterpiece, Isle of the Dead, and Dvořák’s dramatic Symphony No. 7, which the London journal Athenaeum declared at its 1885 premiere “not only entirely worthy of his reputation, but one of the greatest works of its class produced in the present generation.”

Program (Saturday):
* Sergei Rachmaninoff Isle of the Dead, Op. 29
* Erich Korngold Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
* Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 7 in d minor, Op. 70

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/121959

Listening to conductor Kirill Petrenko’s interpretation of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 with the Berliner Philharmoniker promises to be a truly special experience. As The New York Times said of their first American tour together, which was also presented by UMS at Hill Auditorium in 2022, “Even at the very top of the [orchestral] field, playing this spectacular — this virtuosic, colorful, confident, unified, and committed — is vanishingly rare.”

For this limited tour, the orchestra performs Bruckner’s monumental Symphony No. 5, which explores themes of struggle, redemption, and spiritual transcendence, with rich brass chorales in the final movement. Composed in 1876, just a few years before UMS’s very first concert, the work has never been performed on a UMS program — nor did the composer himself ever hear it performed.

Program (Sunday):
* Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major

Website: https://events.umich.edu/event/121961

DAAD - RISE Germany 2025: Saturday, November 30 (Application Deadline)

RISE stands for Research Internships in Science and Engineering. RISE Germany offers undergraduate students from North American, British and Irish universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions. RISE Germany is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

* Students are matched with a host university or institute according to their area of interest (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering, or a closely related field)
* DAAD provides students a monthly stipend for three months to help cover living expenses
* Host universities, universities of applied sciences (UAS) and institutes provide housing assistance and match students with Ph.D. student mentors or researchers (only UAS)
* German language is not required and the working language will be in English

Website: https://www.daad.de/rise/en/rise-germany/
Application Website: https://www.daad.de/rise/en/rise-germany/find-an-internship/application-portal/

Academic Year in Freiburg 2025-2026: Sunday, December 1 (Early Application Deadline)

The best way to get to know Germany really well is to live there for an extended time.

By studying in Freiburg for a year, you can practically earn all credits required for a German major and may possibly get distribution credits and credits towards a second major; and you will live in one of the most attractive and desired places in Germany. This program is open to all University of Michigan undergraduate students.

Eligibility:
* Minimum 3.0 GPA
* Good academic standing
* Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing by Fall 2025
* Completion of German 232 or equivalent prior to September 2025

Tuition for this year-long program is covered by a program fee (currently $7,700/term), and students receive University of Michigan in-residence credit for the courses they take during the Academic Year in Freiburg. Students will not pay University of Michigan tuition during the year abroad. Additional costs include travel, room, and board. The latter two are considerably cheaper than housing in Ann Arbor is. You will live in a single in a student dorm in Freiburg.

Students remain eligible for financial aid. In addition, the German Department will reduce the program fee for all applicants by up to $1,000 this year. Further funding opportunities are available from the department as well; to inquire, please contact germandept@umich.edu.

For more information, see the AYF website at https://www.ayf.uni-freiburg.de/

You can find out more on Instagram.

Here is the link to the application website from CGIS (Center for Global and Intercultural Study): https://mcompass.umich.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=10247

Max Kade German Residence 2025-2026: Friday, December 6 (Application Deadline)

Max Kade Haus, the German Language Learning Residence located in North Quad, is accepting applications for the academic year 2025-26. To learn more about the program, requirements, and application process, visit:
https://lsa.umich.edu/german/undergraduate-students/max-kade-german-residence/how-to-apply.html

If you have any questions, feel free to email maxkade@umich.edu.

International Programs in Engineering - Undergraduate Research Program at RWTH Aachen: Wednesday, December 10 (Application Deadline)

RWTH Aachen is a top research institution in Aachen, Germany, and the largest technical university in the country. The summer undergraduate research program (UROP) pairs U-M students with RWTH researchers on projects in various topic areas like Biomedical Engineering, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics. Research is conducted in English. At the end of the program, students submit a report and present their research at the UROP Colloquium.

Students also take an intensive German course and participate in workshops on intercultural learning, scientific methods, and research practice in Germany. Students are greeted in Germany by their RWTH buddies who are friendly faces available to help during the first few days and throughout the program. The program is supplemented by numerous leisure activities and excursions with the buddies.

The credits for this program will count towards a German minor.

Summer 2025 Details:
* Program Dates: May 16 - July 26, 2025
* Program Cost: $1,940
* Housing Options: On Campus
* Application Deadline: December 10

Website: https://mcompass.umich.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=10993

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships 2025: Wednesday, January 15 (Application Deadline)

ThinkSwiss is a scholarship program managed by the Science Office at the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C. The program is funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa, Canada. The aim of the program is to promote research opportunities in Switzerland for American and Canadian students and to foster exchange between Swiss, U.S., and Canadian universities and research institutions.

Eligibility Requirements
To apply for a ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship you must:
* Currently be enrolled at an accredited U.S. or Canadian university/college,
* Be a graduate student or an undergraduate student who will have completed their sophomore year by the time the research stay in Switzerland begins, and
* Provide a written confirmation from a professor at a Swiss university that they will accept you for a research stay in their group.

In order to apply, please fill out the online contact form on https://thinkswiss.org/apply-now/ and upload all supporting documents in PDF format by January 15, 2025. 

Each application must contain:
* The completed application online form
* A research project outline (e.g. an overview of the tasks and milestones of your project that you agreed on with your host professor, max. 2 pages)
* A letter of motivation/explanation of why you should be awarded the ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship, why you would make an excellent “student ambassador” in the future, and why you choose Switzerland as your research destination (please keep this within 2 pages)
* A CV (no more than two pages)
* A copy of your current university transcripts and diplomas (if applicable)
* A letter of acceptance from the host professor and/or hosting institution in Switzerland (this letter should highlight the relevance of your research)
* A letter of recommendation from a current professor who can attest to the applicant’s abilities

The ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship provides a prorated amount according to the length of your stay: a monthly scholarship of CHF 1,800 (approx. USD 1,800) for a period of two to three months (CHF 5,400 maximum). Please note that this amount covers only a portion of the average student’s living expenses and that you will be asked to prove sufficient financial means to the Swiss Cantonal authorities before a visa can be issued.

Website: https://thinkswiss.org/apply-now/

International Programs in Engineering - Engineering Laboratory Experience at TUB in Berlin, Germany: Thursday, February 6 (Application Deadline)

This program at the Technische Universität Berlin TUB helps students gain insight into German culture, engineering and industry. The program combines intensive German language training with ENGR 350: International Laboratory Experience for Engineers. Participants will join a TUB research laboratory and work on a small project team led by German graduate students. Lab work is complemented by visits to relevant scientific and industrial sites near Berlin. Students earn academic credit for their engineering degrees and establish useful connections for future internships or employment. This program has also earned the seal of quality from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The credits for this program will count towards a German minor.

Summer 2025 Details:
* Program Dates: May 10 - June 21
* Program Cost: SU25 TBD (SU24 $5,260)
* Housing Options: Off-Campus Apartments
* Application Deadline: February 6

Website: https://mcompass.umich.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=10101