16913

German Literature in Translation: Alfred Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz.

Gregor Hens

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Topic: Alfred Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz, published in 1929, is the best-known big-city novel in the German language, a work of literary modernism frequently compared with James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) and John Dos Passos' Manhattan Transfer (1925). The plot, which is told in nine 'books', revolves around the former construction and transportation worker Franz Biberkopf, who is released from prison into the bustling streets of Weimar-era Berlin. Despite his best intentions he gets pulled into a life of crime and betrayal. The narrative technique of the novel, groundbreaking in its time, is fast-paced and experimental, montage-passages capture a cacophony of urban voices and disembodied discourses (politics, popular culture, advertising) of the so-called Golden Twenties. The chaotic, brutal, sexually permissive metropolis becomes a central character shaping Franz’s fate as much as his own choices. The novel presents a powerful portrait of urban life, moral collapse, and survival in a society on the brink of catastrophe. Program: The course offers an intensive reading experience and lively seminar discussions. We will read the novel at the good clip of about fifty pages per week and discuss its features and its literary, cultural, and political context. The reference text will be Michael Hofmann's English translation of the novel (Penguin Classics 2018), but students may read the text in any language. The course is designed to be entirely device-free: no smart phones, laptops, tablets etc. in class. Can I take this course? Yes, if you are interested in literature and willing to commit to reading, carefully and closely, a demanding novel at the pace of about fifty pages per week. The course is open to all Erasmus+ students. Requirements: To earn 5 ECTS credits, students are required to attend the first meeting on April 13, 2026, plus at least ten of the remaining weekly meetings. Successful seminar participants will carefully read the assigned chapters, participate actively in class discussion, lead a seminar discussion, and pass a final exam. By the second meeting on April 20, all students will have purchased their personal copies of the novel. close

13 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Mon, 10:00 - 12:00 13 Class schedule

Mon, 2026-04-13 10:00 - 12:00

Lecturers:
Gregor Hens