Professor of German, Emeritus Field
German Language, Literature, and Culture
German-American Studies
Cultural Anthropology
Philosophy and Faith Issues
Profile
Diploma – Theologisches Seminar Marienhöhe, 1962
B.A. – Social Sciences, AUC, 1964
M.A. – Germanistik, Universität Mainz/Middlebury C., 1968
Ph.D. – German Literature, Folklore and Mythology, UCLA, 1976
– postgraduate work in Art History and Class. Archeol., Universität Hamburg, 1972-1973
Selected Publications
Theological German: A Reading Course. Berrien Springs: Hillcrest Publications, 1989, 1998, 2006, 2010 and free online.
Krankheitsdämonen: Demons and Demonic Agents of Diseases in German Oral Literature, Custom, and Belief. Ann Arbor, 1977.
“A National Videotheque as a Means of Information and Communication in the Field of German-American Literature and Culture,” German-American Literature and Culture: A Symposium. Ed. J.A. Burzle. Lawrence, Kansas, 1977.
“The Use of Videotapes in Teaching Conversational Classes.” A V Fall 1978: 28-32.
“German-American Studies.” A V Fall 1979: 14-22.
“Tricentennial Anniversary Year of German Settlement in America.” A V (Spring 1983: 15-33.
“Die expressionistische Sprache in Kasemir Edschmidt’s Novellen.” A V Spring 1986: 30-37.
“Transparent Language. Computer software, IBM-compatible PC-DOS 2.1, 300K RAM, or DOS window; Macintoch, fully compatible with System 7 and 8. Hollis, NH: Transparent Language Inc.” alta: Journal for the Study of Language, Literature and Culture 23 (1993-94): 57-58.
Writer and Editor: “Surviving Memories: Lesson Plans and Resources for Middle and High School Students.” A curriculum guide for social studies and language teachers in the BCISD, and within the Michigan Curriculum Framework Content Standard 2-4. For the Goethe Institut exhibition: Surviving Memories. James White Library, Andrews University, April 16 – May 30, 2000.
– and other articles and book reviews
Selected Papers and Presentations
”Grimm 27 – AT 130: An Old-World Tale in an American Setting.” Southern California Academy of Sciences, L.A., 1972.
“‘You Didn’t Really Want to Go Anywhere, Did You, Chief?’ Some Comments on the Socio-Psychological Implications of Cartoons from Native American Publications.” American Folklore Society, Portland, Oregon, 1974.
“A National Videotheque as a Means of Information and Communication in the Field of German-American Literature and Culture.” Symposium on German-American Literature and Culture, Max Kade Research and Manuscript Center at the University of Kansas, 1976, U. of Kansas,1976.
“Traditional Folk Medical Treatment Today Among German Immigrants in the South-Western Michigan Area.” American Folklore Society, Philadelphia, 1976.
“Vidiotheke: Ihre Aufgabe und Funktion auf dem Gebiet Deutsch-Amerikanischer Forschung und Lehre.” Society of German American Studies, Cleveland, 1978.
“Krankheitsdämonen: A Look at the Physical Characteristics and Functions of Demons and Demonic Agents of Disease.” International Symposium on Creatures of Legendry, U. of Nebraska, 1978.
“Changes of the Christ Image in Folk Art.” American Folklore Society, Pittsburg, 1980.
“Socio-Political Implications of Cartoons from American Indian Publications.” Popular Culture Ass./American Culture Ass., St. Louis, 1989.
“The History of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall .” Conference on German-American Culture, Findley University, 1996.
“A Website on Famous German-Americans.” Society of German American Studies, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001.
Other Selected Academic Activities
Chair: Department of Modern Languages, Andrews University, 1979 – 1996.
AU Archivist: Work includes the development of the Andrews University Archives and Records Center. This included creating university flow charts, retention schedules, administrative forms, and a database; writing an Archives Manual, and a User-Manual for the Database; and developing course work for the training of secretaries in record keeping. http://www.andrews.edu/archive
Editor: Thiudusk, a language magazine for students and teachers, 1968-1970; Focus on Languages, publication of conference papers, 1970; alta: Journal for the Study of Languages, Literature, and Culture, 1992-1995.
Symposia: (lectures, film showings, TV interviews) in connection with major exhibitions: “America Through the Eyes of German Immigrant Painter,” 1980; “Tricentennials Anniversary Year of German-American Immigration,” Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, 1983; “Looking to America: Americanism in the Art and Culture of Weimar Germany, 1918-1933,” Goethe-Institut Boston and Ann Arbor, and Alpha Mu Gamma, 1993.
Teaching: West Springfield Senior High School (Latin, German), Univ. of Mass, UCLA, Indiana Univ., Goethe Institute, München (Lehrauftrag), Andrews University.
Association Officer: VP and President of the Berrien County Foreign Language Society (1967-68) and of the national Ad. Lang. Teachers Ass., 1977-1979: Regional VP of Midwestern States of the Alpha Mu Gamma, the American National Language Honor Society, 1996-1968.
Grants
UCLA, 1972; AU, 1977, 1981, 1991, 1997, 2010; NEH: Berkeley-1980, Howard University-1985; Goethe-Institut, 1987, 2001 – and many other grants and contributions for various projects.
Current Research Activities
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- Author and Editor: German-English Dictionary of Theological & Philosophical German: http://www.dictionary-theologicalgerman.org This research project is in cooperation with consultants and contributors from institutions throughout the U.S. and Germany. Currently, there are over 50,000 entries. The database program, designed in 1992, was updated to an online dictionary version in the fall of 2009. It is also a supplement to my textbook, Theological German: A Reading Course.
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- Author: Development of an online German Cultural/History course in English with emphasis on audiovisual materials (links, picture galleries, soundtracks, timelines, etc.). This work is based on a research manuscript, coauthored with Sylvia Kunze in 1981: German Cultural Perspectives: A Short Illustrated History of German Culture.
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- Author: Changes of the Christ Image in Folk Art, is a study based on a paper presented at the AFL, Pittsburg, 1980. Research is based on significant holdings of folk art at 36 German museums and archives. 850 slides and other visual materials are being processed for a web/book publication.
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- Author: A web online publication on the socio-psychological implications of cartoons from Native American Publications: ‘Want to Go Anywhere, Did You, Chief?’ This work was done in cooperation with the UCLA American Indian Studies Center, and is based on two papers presented in 1974 and 1989.
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- Author: ArchivesWriter is a software application designed for handling the archiving needs of small to medium-sized institutions of higher learning, originally designed for the Andrews University Archives and Records Center.