Brunnenburg and Beyond: Italy, Austria, and Bavaria (May 19 – June 18, 2008)

Faculty: Dr. Edith Borchardt, German (IS 3020 and German 3611: Austrian Studies) 4cr.

Dr. Martin Seggelke, Music (Music 3993: Wagner) 2cr.

Objectives:

1. To examine the relationship between Germany (Prussia) and Austria in the latter half of the 19^th Century as background for the lives of King Ludwig II. of Bavaria and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, his cousin and soulmate.

2. To relate the history of Bavaria to the South Tyrol (where we’ll live for two weeks at the Brunnenburg) and the Austrian Empire.

3. To learn about German culture by living in Munich for two weeks, visiting King Ludwig’s famous castles in Bavaria: Hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein, Herren-Chiemsee, and Linderhof.

4. To investigate King Ludwig’s fascination with art, architecture, theater and Wagner’s music.

5. To learn about history and the lives of King Ludwig II. and Elisabeth of Austria through modern musicals: “Elisabeth” (1992) and “Ludwig II.” (2000).

6. Advanced German students participating will read Empress Elisabeth’s Poetische Tagebücher which have recently been published and share their insights with the rest of the group. We will visit Possenhofen in Bavaria (not far from Munich), where Elisabeth was born, as well as take an excursion for several days to Vienna, the center of power for the Austrian Empire.

Texts:

Hamann, Brigitte. The Reluctant Empress (in German: Elisabeth Kaiserin wider Willen)

Hamann, Brigitte. Sissi (short tri-lingual biography)

Elisabeth von Habsburg, Poetische Tagebücher

Rickett, Richard. Several chapters from A Brief Survey of Austrian History

Libretto for Wagner opera: “Lohengrin” (in preparation for Vienna performance)

History book for German/Austrian relations (to be selected)

Biography of Ludwig II. (to be selected)

Films:

Visconti, Ludwig (1972)

Helmut Käutner, Ludwig II. Glanz und Ende eines Königs (1954), for speakers of German)

Classes meet five days a week from 9 a.m. to noon. Students will receive 6 credits for the course, including the Directed Study in Music (Wagner’s Musikdrama). Classes will consist of readings, discussions, listening sessions for music, and films. Students will keep a journal recording their intellectual and cultural experiences and submit a final project in their major or field of interest.