Seen alongside prevailing cultural stereotypes of German seriousness, philosophical inwardness, punctuality and technocratic efficiency, the phrase ‘German humor’ seems like a contradiction in terms. This course seeks to challenge such notions of Teutonic humorlessness by excavating a rich tradition of thinking about and practicing comedy in German-speaking Europe – from Enlightenment theater to the cabaret, from silent cinema to the comedy club, from Jewish theater to the novels of Franz Kafka, from political satires of Nazi propaganda to those of Socialist bureaucracy and contemporary multiculturalism. In addition to film screenings, written assignments, and readings by key figures such as Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Helmut Plessner, Walter Benjamin, and Sigmund Freud, students will be asked to write several of their own jokes over the course of the semester and ultimately to put together a short, 2-3-minute standup routine based on course materials.

Intended Audience:

Students with competence in the German language who are also interested in literature and cultural history.

Class Format:

Class conducted in German.