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1 10 72 https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/c1d3e0249ef7f016033b5d72c0ba69e9.jpg 51e932373978f8b9c8186e6487f8245b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Yearbook Photo Timeline https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/5b70b383ccb93ed7c095682c7e29a704.JPG 86cd02957402df174994a9b4d7f7fd91 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Women's March in Washington Timeline https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/4680d5ce0f30fbc06476389e58a62175.jpg 7d5f7b72e107c92c93bf687d3fae4e7a Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data screenshot of website Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG website screenshot Description An account of the resource shot of Statements page Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Beth Muellner Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024_12_10 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource jpeg https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/0c487289ac763916de5b5f7af20bb010.jpeg 296a323000eeea9a2ce7c965cc0e6e1e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG Presidents Past and Elect for Timeline https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/5750d913fdfe716c7ea77a285cc6fc23.jpg a73aaf848ee5adaaad7413ea550c78e2 https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/345171c33c873549cc6620db10b65f82.JPG 2b3c01888d9a12bb7acbeaaaf9e7dd39 Document Miscellaneous text documents, including newsletters, calls for papers, printed promotional materials, etc. Text Any textual data included in the document Oct. 20 Dear Pat, Enclosed a $5 check to help finance Rinser's visit. I wish I could contribute more, but I am on a leave of absence without path this year, so... See at the MLA. Alles Gute Marc Silberman Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Undated Note from Marc Silberman Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Silberman, Marc Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Unknown Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Still Image Description An account of the resource Oct. 20 Dear Pat, Enclosed a $5 check to help finance Rinser's visit. I wish I could contribute more, but I am on a leave of absence without pay this year, so... See [sic] at the MLA Alles Gute Marc Silberman Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Unpublished Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Beth Ann Muellner, digitized Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource eng Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mar 20 Year Unknown from Marc Silberman https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/f59c6781b999d86f55738f422faacdd0.pdf 489e28b843ed2d14a6dbcedcc9d39e0c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG Newsletters Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lennox Files, Wisconsin Historical Society Women in German Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 - 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Newsletters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 1978 Newsletter Subject The topic of the resource Congresses; Feminism; Germanists Description An account of the resource WOMEN IN GERMAN Mailing address: 818 Van Hise Hall, Madison, WI. 53706 Number 16 September 10, 1978 Subscription fee: $2.00 per year ($1.00 if unemployed) All of us are well aware that the Women’s movement is going strong. We still would like to report on some striking events illustrating the ongoing struggle. Those of us who spent the summer in West Germany witnessed over 10 million women, including traditional housewives and radical feminists, expressing their support of a lawsuit against Stern magazine’s blatant sexism. The West German feminist journal Emma launched an attack in response to Stern’s cover-photos which depict women in a variety of degrading poses. Emma’s ten plaintiffs appealed to the German Presserat, charging Stern with violating statute 9 of the code which prohibits the press from publishing in either word of picture that which offends moral or religious propriety. A suit was filed with the Hamburg country court charging the publication with abusing the individual’s right to freedom. Stern’s editor-in-chief, Henri Nannen, attempted to discredit the plaintiff’s accusations. Stern argued that women could not be violated as a monority since they constitute the majority of the FRG population. The other representatives of the established press condemned the Emma supporters by arguing that only those women who reach “abnormally” toward men could possibly object to the Stern cover-page. Although the outcome of the trial was not favorable to the plaintiffs, the case was not a defeat to the Women’s movement since it grought the issue of sexism to court and the public was forced to witness that a large number of women will no longer passively accept overt sexism. The other striking even just happened some weeks ago in the United States. On August 16, a bill to extend the time limit for ratification of the ERA to June 30, 1982, was approved by the House of Representatives. The House vote was a significant victory for ERA supporters, who saw only a slim chance of winning the necessary ratification votes of 3 or more states before next March. National NOW Time magazine in its issue of July 1978 lists all organizations that support the ERA extensions. It is most important to take a public stand on AATG which will hold its next conference in an unratified state (Illinois). Express your concern by writing to: AATG Administrative Office 523 Building Suite 201 Route 38 Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034 -2- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 We urge you to consider boycotting the next AATG conference. If you really have to attend, we suggest you hit ‘em where it hurts by keeping your expenditures to a minimum! Bring food; stay with friends. The passage of the ERA extension was certainly an important victory, but let’s not fall into an unrealistic optimism! Be alert that conservative forces undermine progressive movements and challenge many rights we have struggled for. A serious attack is now underway through the “Briggs-amendment,” which would require that California schoolboards fire or refuse to hire any openly gay teacher or anyone who supports the civil rights of gay people. Another serious attack is the restriction on federally funded abortions which is already in effect in may states. Pro-choice and anti-abortion forces are gearing up for another confrontation as Congress prepares further restrictions on Medicaid funding for abortions. As you see, it is most crucial to rally your efforts on every issue affecting the advances of our struggles. WIG CONFERENCE Program details for WIG Workshop session, Saturday, September 23 REMINDER: Panelists who will need special equipment, such as tape players or slide projectors, for their presentations, are asked to so inform Audrone Willeke (GREAL, Miami University, [redacted] as soon as possible 9:00-10:30 am FEMINIST APPROACHES TO TEACHING GERMAN LANGAGE AND LITEATURE (coord. Pat Russian, Detti Ledochowski) Brief presentations (20 min) to provide conference participants with concrete ideas and techniques for feminist pedagogy, with emphasis on overcoming difficulties of implementing a feminist approach at traditional (male!) institutions. The sessions will be structured to encourage active involvement by the audience and to enable participants to integrate their own experiences and techniques with the contributions of the three panelists. Panelists: Marjorie Tussing, California State University at Fullerton. “Overcoming Sexism in the Language Classroom.” Judith Scheid, University of Minnesota. “Self or Ideology? Approaches to Self-Realization in the Teaching of Christa Wolf.” Charlotte Amster, Dartmouth College. “Prostitution as False Liberation: Teaching Turn-of-the Century German Drama.” -3- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 11:00 am- 12:00pm WOMEN AND AESTHETICS (coord. Sara Lennox, Pat Herminghouse) Part I: Theoretical Trends Brief presentations of recent developments in aesthetics theory based on annotate bibliographies and text excerpts which will be available to conference registrants. Panelists will report on recent developments in American and European criticism. Subsequent group discussion will be directed towards questions such as : Can critical theory accommodate women’s writing as viable “alternative”? To what extent can one speak of “Politics of form”? Can one even speak of a female aesthetic in literature without tackling the problem of language itself? Panelists: Leslie Adelson (U.S.A.), Helen Fehervary (FRG), Pat Herminghouse (GDR) Sara Lennox (France) Recording Secretary: Ingrid Weigand (12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch) 1:30 – 2:30 WOMEN AND AESTHETICS (coord. Sara Lennox, Pat Herminghouse) Part II: Text Analysis How doe female theories of language and literature translate into practice? What distinguishes male and female writing style? Three analyses of recent texts will provide a concrete basis for exploring the possibilities and limitations of feminist criticism. Panelists: Johanna Moore and Beth Weckmeuller (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee): The Problem of Language in Verena Stefan’s Häutungen Judith McAlister Hermann (Ronnenberg, West Germany): Christa Reining’s (entmannte?) Bildersprache Sandy Frieden (University of Houston): Male and Female Perspectives: Peter Hadnke’s Die linkshändige Frau and Brigitte Scwaiger’s Wie kommt das Salz ins Meer Recording secretary: Ingrid Weigand -4- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 3:00-4:30 pm WOMEN AUTHORS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (coord. Kay Goodman, Elke Frederiksen Brief presentations (10 min.) to be followed by discussion. Questions prepared by the panelists and other handouts (text excerpts, bibliographies) will be distributed in advance with the purpose of stimulating discussion. Panelists: Gertrud B. Pickar, University of Houston. “The Image of Woman in the Works of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff.” Chrisiane Zehl Romero, Tufts University. “Das Eigene Zimmer—Im Schloss.” A discussion of noble women among female writers of the nineteenth century (Ebner-Eschenbach, Francois, Hahn-Hahn, Hillern). Dolores Whelan, Torrington High School, Conn. “Die Schriftstellerin im deutschen Lustspiel vom Ende des 19. Bis zur Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts.“ 7:30-9:30 pm CONTEMPORARY WOMEN’S CULTURE (coord. Evelyn Beck, Gisela Strand) A round table presentation of West German Women’s Culture in contrast and comparison to that of the United States. Panelists will explore the large question “What is Women’s Culture, whom does it serve?” by focusing on a number of specific manifestations of Women’s Culture, including such topics as women’s literature, journals, art, theater, bookstores, restaurants and Kneipen, as well as living arrangements. We will be making connections between the women’s movement and women’s culture and will also explore the questions “How can Women’s Culture be a force for social change?” and “How successful has it bee in this respect in West Germany and the United States?” Panelists: Miriam Frank, Wayne Country Community College, Detroit, MI Naomi Stephan, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN Nany Vedder-Shults, University of Wisconsin, Madison Evelyn Torton Beck, University of Wisconsin, Madison Gisela Strand, Hope College, Hope, MI To be followed by live entertainment from Miriam, Naomi, and Nancy, with participatory obligation for all WIGS. To be followed by a dance, also a form of women’s culture! -5- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 Agenda items for Business and Planning meeting, Sunday September 24 9:00-10:30 am WOMEN IN GERMAN: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? (Moderators: Audrone Willeke, Jeanette Clausen) Members of the Ad Hoc Steering Committee will present ideas and proposals to stimulate discussion and encourage resolution of many crucial issues facing WIG. Those of us involved in planning this year’s conference feel strongly that WIG needs a more representative reading to assess accurately membership needs and desires. Please structure your travel plans to include participation in this important business meeting. It is essential that decisions be made at the conference, since no other meeting during the year affords us the time for such thorough deliberations. 1. Increase in WIG membership dues to finance activities 2. Creation of a five-number WIG Steering Committee, to be elected at the September conference each year 3. Selection of 1979 conference site 4. Establishment of a procedure for selecting topic for annual MLA session (and also AATG session?) prior to MLA convention 5. Planning for Luise Rinser’s trip a) financing Rinser’s trip b) WIG responsibilities during Rinser’s four-day visit c) liaison between WIG and MLA German section during convention d) planning opportunities for WIG members to interview Rinser, discuss research projects, etc. during her visit 6. Proposals for small WIG outreach projects for 1978-79, to be undertaken by WIG members in a specific regional area (by an “Arbeitsgruppe” of WIG faculty and/or graduate students at a particular university, or by members sharing research interests) a) Bibliography of German women writers in English translation retyped, updated, offset printed—available free to all WIG members but sold to German departments and other interested individuals b) Short guide to selection of non-sexist (i.e. least sexist) German textbooks; general questions German departments and faculty should consider before selecting any textbook for classroom use—available free to all WIG members but sold to German departments and other interested individuals c) Textbook Alert—list of German textbooks WIG finds particularly objectionable and urges departments and individuals to avoid using, sent free to everybody who requests list and without request to all major German departments 7. Additional agenda items as time permits: what are your concerns for the future of WIG??? 10:30-12:00 Evaluation of 1978 Workshop-Retreat, plans for next year -6- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 PPERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SURVIVAL AS A WOMAN GERMANIST Discussion session: Friday, September 22, 9:00-10:00 P.M. All of us have encountered problems in our attempts to survive personally and professionally as women Germanists. As discussion leader for this session I urge all people planning to attend the September WIG Conference to review for themselves the most significant pressures they have confronted and how they have tried to cope with these pressures. What has been successful for you, and what has failed? By sharing our individual experiences with one another, perhaps we will be able to expand our personal strategies for survival and success. This session will emphasize not the exchanging of personal “horror stories,” but the sharing of short-term solutions to our long-term problems. The following questions might be useful in preparing for this session. <ol> <li>What problems have you encountered being the only woman in your department, being the only feminist in a department with other tenured or untenured women who are indifferent to or hostile to feminism?</li> <li>How have you coped with being at a university where there is little or no professional, personal, or political interaction among women faculty? Have you found alternatives among women students, in the community, etc.?</li> <li>Do you experience overt discrimination and harassment in your department and/or at your university because of your sex? How is this demonstrated? Have you tried to take steps to minimize this discrimination?</li> <li>What problems have you encountered being a working wife and mother, lesbian, single parent, unmarried heterosexual woman in an overwhelmingly married male university community? How has tis adversely affected your professional life, your personal life (not implying that the two are separate)? What ways have you devised to handle these problems?</li> <li>Do you feel increasingly alienating from the academic profession as a woman and a feminist? What steps have you taken personally and professionally to reduce this alienation?</li> <li>How has the job crisis in Germanistics and the specific budgetary restrictions and tenure policy of your department influenced your career prospects and plans? Have you taken concrete steps to expand your professional options, in order to improve your chances for survival? Have you seriously considered leaving Germanistics? What career alternatives are you investigating?</li> </ol> Pat Russian -7- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 BOOKS GUTEN MORGEN. DU SCHÖNE. FRAUEN IN DER DDR. PROTOKOLLE By Maxie Wander (Berlin, GDR: Buchverlag Der Morgen, 1978). The FRG, Austrian, and W. Berlin edition (Darmstadt and Neuwied: Luchterhand), 214 pages, 24,--DM, was authorized by Maxie Wander, approved by the original publisher and contains introductory remarks by Christa Wolf. Nineteen GDR women, ranging in age from 16-74, forthrightly relate their past and present experiences as well as their aspirations to Maxie Wander, who recorded and edited these conversations before she died in November, 1977. The women interviewed reveal their position, role and development within the GDR: in the family, at school, at work and in politics, as well as in relationships of love and sex. Several women affirm the importance of guaranteed work in the process of self-realization in their country. Others question certain attitudes, modes of living and behavior and forms of relationships. The women, while affirming the society in which they live and work, seek and demand greater realization of their individual needs as women and developing personalities in the GDR. We as readers are often confronted with depictions of reality and corresponding visions of what would be desirable in a further creative individual and societal development in socialism. The resulting book would encourage consideration not only of questions raised by these women but also of possible answer. Coming out in Spring 1978! GERMAN WOMEN WRITERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Elizabeth Rütschi Herrmann Edna Huttenmaier Spitz (Pergamon Press, Inc.: Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, New York 10523) This is a college-level anthology of short stories in English translation by outstanding women who wrote in German during the course of this century, covering among other topics radical persecution, political guilt and women’s experience and position in society. Each of the sixteen selections is prefaced by a biographical sketch and notes on the works of the author. The book also contains an extensive introduction to the general history and the development of literature by German women. A selected bibliography will guide the reader to further study in the field. Aimed at courses in German Studies, Comparative Literature and Women’s Studies, this volume can serve either as a text or as a supplementary reader and it provides new material for feminist literary studies and criticism. -8- W. I. G. Number 16 September 10, 1978 Don’t miss the special Feminist Issue of New German Critique, (Nr. 13, Winter 1978)! The issue includes articles on the West German Women’s Movement, Women in GDR, Feminist Publications in the FRG, Summer Universities for Women, and Women and Film. In addition there’s an excerpt from Ulrike Prokop’s Production and the Context of Women’s Daily Life and an excerpt from Moore and Weckmueller’s translation of Verena Stefan’s Häutungen. Among the most useful parts of the issue are the translation of Christa Wolf’s “Self-Experiment” (“Selbstversuch”) and the first part of a two-part annotated bibliography of relevant publications in German. ANNOUNCEMENT REMINDER: Don’t forget that Luise Rinser will be at the MLA in New York for the second of three Women in German sections on December 29. Rinser will not only speak but participate in a discussion for the length of the second session, a discussion which will be moderated by Pat Russian. Rocky Moutain Mordern Language Association annual conference, 26-28 Oct. 1978, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Phoenix. Address: Maureen Ahern, Dept. of Foreign Languages or Don L. F. Nilsen, Dept. of English; executive director of RMMLA Ingeborg L. Carlson, Dept. of Foreign Languages, editor of the Rocky Mountain Review Don L. F. Nilsen, Dept. of English, all located at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281. MMLA Program, German II: Literature after 1700 (Taft Room) Saturday, 4 November 1978 9:45-11:15 am Topic: Neglected Genres Chair: Renny Harrigan, Univ. of Wisc./Milwaukee Secretary: Elizabeth Walter-Echols, Berea College 1) “Goethe and Autobiography,” by Kay Goodman, Miami Univ./Ohio 2) “Women and Fascism: The Lost Generation of Women Writers in Post-War Germany,” by Pat Russian, Providence, Rh. I. 3) “Documentary as Dialogue: Women’s Documentary Literature in the FRG,” by Nancy Vedder-Schults, Univ. of Wisc./Madison 4) “Historisches Erzählen der Gegenwart: Alexander Kluges Neue Geschichten (1977) zwischen Dokument, literarischer Prosa and Filmskript,“ by Friedrich Achberger, Univ. of Minn. 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Coalition of Women in German (Taft Room) Business Meeting Chair: Renny Harrigan, Univ. of Wisc./Milwaukee -9- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 TREFFEN SCHREIBENDER FRAUEN a conference report by Tobe Levin We’re having winter this July in Munich, and while suffering from a sore throat and February feet, I look back on those two hot days in Bremen, June 3 and 4, 1978, with an intense longing. Not only for the warmth of the sun, but also for that more metaphoric heat, the high that comes from exchanging views with other women on a subject of the utmost importance to me – the meaning that one’s feminist commitment has for the way one reads and writes. We came – more than two hundred of s – from all over West Germany and West Berlin, many out of a sense of isolation and a desire to draw strength from our numbers, to gain encouragement in our hope of “coming out” as writers, to empty the drawers of dusty manuscripts, and to ask such questions: why has autobiography taken such a predominant place in women’s fiction? What is the relationship of the material and psychological reality of women’s lives to the forms and contents of their work? What is the therapeutic or healing function of writing for the individual writer and how can the demands of readers be taken into account by texts intended primarily to bring the author to self-discovery? In Bremen we were also part of a tradition that has already made its mark on the West German feminist movement. This was the third gathering of its type, the first having taken place in Munich in May, 1976, and the second in Cologne in October, 1977. The earliest conference for “writing women” was organized by Verlag Frauenoffensive and was motivated by the need for a frank appraisal of the quality of incoming fictional manuscripts, the majority of which could not be published because of their low literary standard. Women seemed to be telling the same tales of woe, in the same clichés, over and over again. There was a distinct lack – not of talent, but of direction. It was therefore felt that a broadly-based discussion of the craft and techniques of poetry and fiction should be initiated, and that Frauenoffensive was in the best position to do this. At the same time, the editorial staff hoped to increase their own understanding of criteria to be applied in judging manuscripts. As they explain in their Journal Nr. 5 – Aufständische Kultur, Frauenoffensive wanted to reject the inhumane, form-letter approach to contributors practiced in the male world of publishing (‘… passt aber leider nicht in unser Verlagsprogramm…’). Instead, they wanted to be able to show contributors how their work might be improved. As a feminist press, therefore, their interest in their authors extended well beyond the boundaries of business. From the very beginning, they recognized the complex function of writing in the women’s movement: as communication, entertainment and instruction for the reader, but also as a process of self-healing and self-discovery for the individual author. A frequent problem, however, was a lack of coordination between these two aspects: a work whose importance for the writer might be obvious, often failed in its responsibility to the reader. -10- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 In the December, 1977 issue of Emma, the poet Frederike Frei, reporting on the second “Treffen” in Cologne, seems to have perceived a similar tension there between the differing needs of writers and readers. On listening to original poems, she realizes that this is less a forum for passing critical judgment on the quality of readings as it is an occasion for providing the poet with emotional support and encouragement. And she doesn’t disapprove of this. One the contrary, she believes: Es muss gar nicht jedes Gedicht an die Öffentlichkeit. Wichtiger ist, dass man sich selbst öffnet. Das Innerste zu Äusserst zu kehren ist ebenso revolutionär wie das Unterste zu Oberst. And should imperfect pieces nevertheless appear in print, she feels that they too, by virtue of their imperfection, can play an important role in stimulating consciousness. Comparing a poem to a letter, she remarks: “’Schlechte’ Stellen, Worte, in denen ich mich um Bewusstsein bemühte, durchgestrichene Sachen (be)rühren mich mehr als perfektoide, lassen mich länger nachdenken. Es geht nicht ums Ergebnis, es geht um den Prozess.“ A similar view has been expressed by the editors of schreiben, a young feminist literary magazine born last November, 1977, with a present circulation of over one thousand. The co-workers on the schreiben staff organized the gathering in Bremen, and published the third issue of their magazine in preparation for it. In schreiben 3, the majority of contributions deal specifically with the subject of writing. As editor Maureen Lister comments: “Wir wollten über das Schreibprozess reden, welche Rollen spielt Schreiben in unserem Leben? Wie, wo und wann schreiben Frauen? Welche Funktion hat das Schreiben für die Frauen die uns Texte schickten?‘ Schreiben als Selbst-Barstellung und Lebenshilfe, oder Schreiben als Arbeit?“ (personal commmunication) These questions gain in importance when we realize that, although the majority of contributors to schreiben are women whose work has already appeared in other feminist as well as non-feminist publications, the magazine is meant to provide a forum for women who do not (yet) write professionally, especially housewives, mothers, teachers, women in the “feminine” professions, whose reflections on their past, their relationships, their environment, in short, on their biographies, appear to bring them to a new kind of awareness. If therefore “the tool of revolution is consciousness” (Jill Johnston), the writing has an important revolutionary role t play in women’s lives. As Inge Buck notes in her radio to play in women’s lives. As Inge Buck notes in her radio talk on the Bremen “Treffen” for RIAS I (manuscript copy): Schreiben war für viele die erste heimliche Widerstandshandlung gegen Unterdrückung und Selbstverlust. Die eigenen Aufzeichnungen öffentlich vorzulesen und mit anderen Frauen darüber zu sprechen war für viele der zweite Schritt aus der Isolation ihres Ehealltags oder eines reduzierten Daseins. -11- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 But by placing our autobiographies at the center of a feminist aesthetic, we do incur certain dangers, in particular the tendency for this one mode to monopolize women’s literary production. And, indeed, the question of autobiography and its role in movement literature was either implicit or explicit in nearly all the suggested discussion-group topics. These included (I am quoting from the flyer): (1) Bestandsaufnahme weiblicher Themen und Schreibmuster: das Autobiographische; (2) Frauenlieder/Frauentexte; (3) Schreibende Frauen sind nicht die Sonntagsmalerinnen der Literatur; (4) Französische Theorien weiblichen Schreibens. Irigaray, Cixous, etc.; (5) Christa Reinigs Sprache: Spezifisch weibliche Sprachmuster? [Vorbereitungspapier by Juditch McAlister Hermann]; Dänische Frauenliterature; and (7) Was gefällt uns an Virginia Woolf? Everyone agreed, the menu looked really appetizing. But because all groups met at the same time, one’s portion of the picnic was usually limited to one, or at most, two dishes. I began with Irigaray and Cixous, but soon moved to the shade of another tree where the discussion focused directly on autobiography. I was sorry to have had to give up my original choice because, as a camparatist in French and German, I am happy to welcome the texts from Paris into the discussion of theory in Germany. But in Bremen I was disappointed at the generally low level of acquaintance with and understanding of the French theories among those nevertheless eager to talk about feminine creativity in its relation to the female body, to sexuality and the unconscious. However, as Karin Petersen reports in Courage (July, 1978), a vague awareness of the French-women’s positions on these points did stimulate a discussion on censorship. Most participants felt that it is not enough to confront the reader with a text whose primary purpose is the revelation of the writer’s own unconscious. This is merely a preparatory step to writing for a more general audience. “Auch das automatische … begriffen wir als Vorstufe. Sich hinsetzen und ‘unzensiert’ den Gedanken Überlassen, Alles, Klischees, Wunsche, Augenblickseinfalle erlauben, ohne Anspruch, ohne Mitteilungsbedürfnis, den Kopf entschlacken sozusagen, den inneren Dreck zulassen. Und dann beginnt die Arbeit des Schreibens erst…“ The group into which I migrated was of a similar opinion. Most of us were students and teachers of literature, those who tend to read and write about, rather than to write, literature. Our self-assigned task consisted of examining selected articles from schreiben 3 (the writings on writing), in the light of criteria we attempted to establish in our discussion of Verena Stefan’s Häutungen Agnes Smedley’s Tochter der Erde, and Jutta Heinrich’s Dan Geschlecht der Gedanken. In contrast to these models, we found in certain schreiben texts an overemphasis on technical problems together with a lack of concern for specific content. Or, as Christine Garbe writes in Courage, “das W i e wird wichtiger als das W a s.” And she continues: “Wir waren uns darin einig, -12- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 dass Texte, die die krude Alltäglichkeit b l o ss reproduzieren, quasi abfotografieren … uns langweilt, nichtssagend erscheint, unsere begrenzte Zeit und Energie unnötig in Anspruch nimmt.“ In sum, writing may well serve an important function for the writer; but she should recognize her responsibilities toward the reader as well. For the reader is making clear demands: we want a greater degree of variety and experimentation. In a recent letter Christine Garbe gives a representative opinion of the conference when she writes: “… am besten und wichtigsten für mich auf dem Treffen war die Erfahrung, dass es viele andere Frauen gibt, die – ebenso wie ich – etwas haben gegen einen sehr eingeengten Begriff von ‘Frauenliteratur’ (Autobiographie, Nabelschau), dass wir kein neues Dogma (Selbsterfahrung oder so) haben wollen, sonder Lust am Ausprobieren der verschiedensten Gegenstände und Stile (Ironie, Distanz, Sarkasmus, etc.) Das fand ich sehr erfrischend und ermutigend.“ Luisa Francia-Thomele, Frauenoffensive reader and co-author of the screenplay “Das zweite Erwachen der Christa Klages,” agrees. In Bremen, she had hoped to come across possible manuscripts for Frauenoffensive’s program. But she found the general tenor of readings there to be not significantly different from the preceding conferences. She sensed a continuing failure to begin with firm concepts drawn from feminist theory, followed by two additional problems: first, a lack of clarity in the designation “Frauentexte”; and second, a stagnation of the old debate as to whether writing is an “effusion of feeling” or a craft which must be learned. In sum, the feminist aesthetic as practiced in Bremen was still an aesthetics of pain, and in this it failed to present us with anything new. At the same time, however, voices could be heard calling for more sophisticated modes of expressing both our pain and our hope. There was general approval of the use of language in “Die Schwarze Botin” for example, the Berlin feminist quarterly whose name is intended to suggest black humor. In their pages an important place is reserved for satire, regarded “als Ausbruch aus der Trauer,… [als] Möglichkeit, sich Über Trauer hinwegzusetzen.” (Nr. 3, p. 2) Indeed, there are alternatives to tears. Look at Irmtraud Morgner, Chirsta Reinig, Margot Schröder, or Elfriede Jelinek. Comedy exists in movement literature, but it remains relatively rare. Bremen was perhaps the most zealous call hus far for an increased allegiance to the laughing muse. For additional information concerning all three “Treffen schreibender Frauen” see: Frauenoffensive Journal Nr. 5 – Aufständische Kultur (1976): may be ordered from Frauenoffensive, Kellerstrasse 39, 8 München 80. Price: 4 DM 50 Frederike Frei. “Betrifft: Schreibender Frauen“ Emma (Dez. 1977) Nr. 12, p. 61. Karin Petersen, Christine Garbe. „Die gelben Socken und ihre Grenzen: Treffen schreibender Frauen am 3./4. Juni in Bremen“ Courage 7 (Juli 1978) pp. 28-9. The fourth issue of schreiben will be devoted to pieces read at the Treffen and can be ordered from Redaktion schreiben, frauenliteraturzeitung, Weserstrasse, 83, 282 Bremen 70. Tobe Levin Steinickeweg, 4 8 München 40 -13- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 RESEARCH QUERIES 1. During my upcoming sabbatical leave I will be working on a long-term project entitled “The Image of the Widow in German Literature.” The first task will be a search for major and minor widows in German literary works of all ages. I would appreciate it very much if anyone coming across such figures would share the information with me. Irmgard C. Taylor [redacted] 2. I am working at the University of Tübingen on women in 18th-century Germany and the presentation of women in Lessing’s comedies. If you have any material on this topic could you please send it to me? Susanne Kippenberger [redacted] LETERS “Every time the Women in German comes I feel a real life because I gather so much important information from it. Keep it up! I wish I could go to the annual retreat sometime but it’s just too far from California. I shall wait patiently till MLA comes to the West Coast again.” Edna Spitz Stanford, California It’s letters like this that help us generate the time and energy in takes to get the WIG out. Feedback is vital. So keep your responses coming. Any suggestions you have for improvement will be gladly considered. And remember, you too can write for WIG. All you need do is put pen to paper, and don’t forget to mail it. And if you’d like to have the next conference in California, look for a site. See our site requirements reprinted below. CONFERENCE SITE It is imperative that we find a site for the fourth annual Women in German conference on the weekend of our conference which is just days away. It was our original intention to rotate the conference site. However, cheap and relatively -14- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 accessible sites, available when we need them, do not spring into full blown out of nowhere. Therefore, we are asking each of you to check your own area and find out whether a suitable location for the Fourth WIG Conference might be available on your campus or in your vicinity. (The Conference is usually held on a weekend in late September, one that does not conflict with the Jewish high holy days.) If you think your location might have adequate facilities, here are some questions that could serve as guidelines for your exploration: Are there overnight facilities for 40-50 people? Are there facilities close to the meeting rooms? If not, is transportation available Is there a convenient food source – cafeteria, a reasonable caterer, a kitchen for our use? What would the estimated cost per participant be? This year we are able to provide room and board for the entire weekend for 16.00 per person. Is the entire conference site easily accessible? Can transportation to and from airports be arranged? Are there people in the area or on your campus who would be willing to help with the arrangements in advance and during the conference? Please bring as much concrete information as you can to Ohio. If you yourself are not able to attend the conference but would like to host it in 1979, please send the information either to the WIG newsletter or to the 1978 conference planners immediately. Be imaginative, we do not need fancy facilities. Most of us have been bringing sleeping bags and airmatteresses to Ohio, and have found it a refreshing change of pace. WIG Read your label and renew immediately when numbers match SUBSCRIPTIONS Enclosed, please find my $2 ($1) for a year’s subscription to Women in German. Send your check to: Women in German, German Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Name _______________________ Address ________________________ ------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was prepared by Evelyn Torton Beck, Yvette Braell, Nadia Donchenko, Viktoria Harwig, Biddy Martin, Marsha Meyer, Sara Markham Pietsch, James Steakley, Gabriele Strauch and Christa Stutius. -15- W. I. G. September 10, 1978 Women in German Workshop/Retreat Please register immediately. Registration Form Name _________Telephone ____________ Mailing Address _____________________________________ I wish to register for the Women in German Workshop/Retreat on September 22-24, 1978. ( ) $16. registration fee is enclosed ( ) $10. if graduate student or unemployed. Make check payable to Women in German. Accommodations desired: ( ) at the camp lodge—women only. ( ) I will bring a folding bed I understand that I need to bring a sleeping bag or air mattress. ( ) at a motel—-please send information. Transportation plans: ( ) I will arrive by car ___________(day and approximate time) ( ) I will arrive by plane at the Cincinnati between 3-5 pm on Friday. ( ) I would like to be taken to the airport on Sunday for a 2 pm or later departure ( ) I would like assistance to organize a group for car rental from the Cincinnati airport ( ) I would like assistance to find other people driving from my area to Oxford, Ohio. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (4 x 9) so that we can send you further instructions, and mail to Women in German Workshop/Retreat, Dept. of German, Russian, and East Asian Languages, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056. Note: We would like to remind you that at the last WIG Conference we had only limited bed space. So, this time to be sure to bring your folding bed, air mattress or sleeping bag a long to make it comfortable for yourself. Or if you have a tent, bring it along! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Torton Beck, Evelyn Braell, Yvette Donchenko, Nadia Harwig, Viktoria Martin, Biddy Meyer, Marsha Markham Pietsch, Sara Steakley, James Strauch, Gabriele Stutius, Christa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Women in German Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978/ 09/10 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Women in German Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1978_Sep Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Miami University, Oxford, OH N 25° 52' 43'' W 80° 11' 46'' Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No copyright - United States</a> https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/35f9198e7a8296c3baed89e5209a8da2.pdf 5bd5ad14f81055fcf3f1bae617f8c462 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG Newsletters Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lennox Files, Wisconsin Historical Society Women in German Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 - 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Newsletters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 1977 Newsletter Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Congresses; Germanists Description An account of the resource <div class="WordSection1"> WOMEN IN GERMAN Number 12 September 12, 1977 Subscription fee: $2.00 per year ($1.00 If unemployed) If it's September, it must be tine for our Women in German Conference Retreat (this year once again in Oxford, Ohio). This has become a tradition with Women in German, and certainly one worth keeping alive, for our conference provides more than an opportunity to share information and ideas; while these of course are important, they are not enough. Our conference retreat allows us to put feminist theory into practice—which means that we combine the personal with the political. That we not only talk and discuss (not argue, discuss), but we dance and sing and laugh together. What we are trying to do is make the words Virginia Woolf wrote in 1938 truly obsolete: "If people are highly successful in their professions they lose their senses. Sight goes. They have no time to look at pictures. Sound goes. They have no time to listen to music. Speech goes. They have no time for conversation. They lose their sense of proportion—the relations between one thing and another. Humanity goes. . . . And so competitive do they become that they will not share their work with others though they have more than they can do themselves, [emphasis ours] What then remains of a human being who has lost sight, sound and sense of proportion? Only a cripple in a cave. . . . How can we enter the professions and yet remain civilized human beings?" (Three Guineas: New York, 1938, pp. 131-32) We have found that our conference so nourishes us in this respect, that we take from it enough energy, and confidence, and joy in our work to sustain us the rest of the year. Our published list of Women in German subscribers was a first step in helping people find each other. The conference cements these connections. Read on for further details. RETREAT Basically we adhere to the program as outlined in the last newsletter. We want, however, to give you some more specific information. Christa and Viktoria have ordered Volker Schlöndorf's film "Strohfeuer" (Free Woman), which we will show and discuss on Friday evening, September 23. For the evening after the symposium, September 24, we have planned a discussion of three pieces by Gabriele Wohmann, "Der Bruder", "Der Fall Rufus", "Die Witwen oder eine vollkommene Lösung". Please read them if you have time. Sunday morning, September 25, is open to your suggestions. Thus far, we have been contacted by several women who want to share information: - Elke Fredericksen will talk about her summer research in the two Germanies - Pat Herminghouse and Evelyn Beck will discuss their experiences with teaching'German Women Writers". - Maria Ledachowski (University of Chicago), who has just returned from Austria, will talk about the women's situation there. In addition, she </div> -2- <div class="WordSection2"> has discovered a "neglected feminist", the Frenchman Poulain de la Barre from the Enlightenment. — Sara Lennox from the University of Maseachusets at Am her ft wants to raise the following issue. She read a book review of Working it Out, which reads as follows: From a review of Working It Out: 23 Women Writers, Artists, Scientists and Scholars Talk About Their Lives and Work in The New York Times Book Review, September 4, 1977, p. 9: ' Working It Out is a celebration of women, each of whom discovered, at a critical point in her coming of age, that not being "one of the boys" is, after all, hardly cause for complaint. The book speaks directly to an emerging consciousness (not just among feminists) that the traditional professional provinces of men, in which women are now mixing in greater numbers than ever before, must accomodate the special rhythms and patterns of women—and not the other way around. Indeed, if these personal essays are at all representative of current thinking, it would seem that androgyny is no longer quite the fashion it was just a few years ago. The evidence is that women no longer seek to measure their own worth by traditional yardsticks. The single chapter by a professor who cheerfully admits having consciously choses to forgo marriage and family life in order to pursue her intellectual and professional interests seems strangely dated in this respect. Do you, as well, feel that Germanistik should change to meet the demands and needs of women in the profession? Orshould we adapt ourselves to the style and customs of the "old boys"? If Germanistik is in need of change, what kinds of changes should take place? How could "Women in German" encourage this accomodation? Again, bring your “bid" and "new" bibliographies on women for distribution and exchange. If you would like to contribute something to the Sunday morning gathering, please let Christa or Viktoria know. And be sure to bring records for the party on Saturday night. In the last newsletter, we promised a surprise for the conference in Oxford. To he quite frank, the nature of that surprise was a mystery to us then! Now we have quite a surprise for you! THIRD WOMEN IN GERMAN CONFERENCE Gisela Bahr won't be at Miami next year and there is some uncertainty about whether the conference could be held at Miami again. Would YOU like to have it at your university? Proceedings of the papers of the WOMEN IN GERMAN STUDIES CONFERENCE can be obtained for $ 2.00 (individuals) and $4.00 (institutions) from Kay Goodman, Dept. of German, Russian and East Asian Languages, Miami Unversity, Oxford, Ohio 45056 -3- SYMPOSIUM WOMEN AND GERMAN STUDIES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND COMPARATIVE APPROACH Co-chairs: Kay Goodman, Miami University Ruth H. Sanders, Miami University 8:30 – 9:00 Coffee and Doughnuts 9:00 -10:00 Lucy Morros, the Lindenwood Colleges, The Impact of German Thought and Culture on Madame de Stael’s Thinking about Women Deborah Hertz, University of Minnesota, Madame de Stael’s Counterparts: Literary Salons in Berlin, 1800. Panel: Susan Cocalis, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; Deborah Hertz; Lucy Morros; Marie-Claire Vallois, Miami University 10:00 -10:30 Break 10:30 -11:30 Heidi Tewarson, State University of New York at Stony Brook, The Woman Question in the Early Work of Alfred Döblin Renny Harrigan, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, The Stereotype of the Emancipated Woman in the Weimar Republic Panel: Renny Harrigan; Heidi Tewarson 11:30 -12:00 Evelyn Beck, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Songs of the Women’s Movement 12:00 - 1:30 LUNCH 1:30 – 2:30 Patricia K. Fessenden, Ohio State University, More Than a Question of Numbers: Women Deputies in the German National Constituent Assembly and the Reichstag, 1919-1933 Jacques R. Pauwels, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, German Women University Students, National Socialism and the War, 1939-1945 Panel: Patricia K. Fessenden; Jacques R. Pauwels; Leila Rupp, Ohio State University 2:30 – 3:00 BREAK 3:00 -4:00 Christine Cosentino, Rutgers University/RUCCAS, Frau und Staatsbürger in Volker Braun’s Schauspiel ‘Tinka’ Helen Fehervary, Ohio State University, Women and the Aesthetic of the Positive Hero in the GDR Panel: Gisela E. Bahr, Miami University, Christine Cosentino Helen Fehervary; Sara Lennox, University of Massachusetts Amherst DEPARTMENT OF GERMAN, RUSSIAN AND EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES in cooperation with WOMEN IN GERMAN -4- MEETINGS 1. NEMLA: The women’s movement in Germany was the topic of the Women in German Caucus at the North East Modern Languages Association annual convention, held April 21-23 at the University of Pittsburgh. Co-chairpersons Sara Lennox and Irmgard Taylor reported on the current state of the women’s movement in Germany and made available sample copies of the new women’s magazine Emma and other recent publications. The group also discussed women’s literature courses and research possibilities, and exchanged information about the other activities of Women in German. Those present decided to announce no theme for next year’s Women in German caucus at NEMLA, but rather to have an open general discussion. Hannelore Lenning, Russell Sage College, and Ruth Sanders, Miami University, will co-chair. The meeting is to be held March 23-25, 1968 at SUNY Albany, specific time not yet announced by NEMLA. Watch this space for details! 2. MLA: Section 489 will present Women and Literary Circles in the Nineteenth Century I. Program is arranged by Women in German. Presiding: Susan L. Cocalis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Helen Cafferty, Bowdoin Coll. 1. "Dem Reich der Freiheit werb‘ ich Bürgerinnen!" The Heady Rise and Fall of Louise Otto’s Frauenzeitung, Ruth-Ellen Boetcher Joeres, University of Minnesota. 2. Frau Annekes Libertiner Kreis; Maria Wagner, Rutgers University Discussants: Elke Frederiksen, University of Maryland; Luverne Walton, University of Missouri; Katherine Goodman, Miami University, Ohio. Section 528 will present Women and Literary Circles in the Nineteenth Century II, also arranged by Women in German. Presiding: Helen Cafferty, Bowdoin Coll, and Susan L. Cocalis, University of Massachusetts. 1. Women: The Other. Laura Marholm's Veiw and the Friedrichshagen Writers* Colony; David R. Hume, University of Louisville. 2. Lou Andreas-Salome: An Ambivalent Feminist and her Association with the "Freie Bühne"; Linda S. Pickle, Westminister Coll. Discussants: Marilyn Scott-Jones, University of North Carolina; Cynthia Walk, University of California, San Diego; Katherine Goodman, Miami University, Ohio. Section 489 is scheduled at 1:00 to 2:15 at Room 414 in the Conrad Hilton. Secion 528 will follow at 2:45 to 4:00 in the same room. 3. MMLA: The Marxist Forum at the MMLA will deal with the topic, Application of Marxist Feminist Criticism. Three papers will be presented: "Marxism and the Women'8 Question, An analysis of the anthology Liebe Kollegin from the Werkkreis Literatur der Arbeitswelt", presented by Christa Stutius and Viktoria Harwig. The second paper is a criticism of Doris Lessing's Golden Notebook in an attempt to develop a feminist/Marxist literary criticism. -5- The third paper presents a discussion of the class consciousness of black American women as a part of their religious background, illustrated by Bernice Regan, by Sweet Charity (rock group) and by Sara Wright’s This Child’s Gonna Live. Sorry, but we don't know the names of the women giving the second and third papers Chairpersons are Renny Harrington, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and Renate Holub, University of Wisconsin, Madison. The exact time and locations are not yet known, but the MMLA starts on October 27, 1977 and will be in Chicago. . LETTERS We apppreciate receiving letters like this and thought we would share it with you. To whom it may concern: I’ve been in Germany, specifically Hamburg, for almost the past two years and was really delighted to see your publication once I got back to the U.S. It’s really something quite different***-and admirable. I read with interest your listing of Frauenbuchläden, Frauenverlage and so forth. I’d like to contribute one more to the list of women's bookshops: there's one in Hamburg called "Die hälfte des Himmels" and it's located very close to the Uni on SchlüterstraSe 79, 2000 Hamburg 13. If anyone is interested in ordering the very good Frauenkalender '78, which is put out by Renate Bookhagen, Gudula Lorez, Ursula Scheu and Alice Schwarzer, it can be purchased at the following address: Frauehkalender Selbstverlag/ c/o Ursula Scheu, Breitenbachplatz 17, 1000 Berlin 33. I think it costs between DM 6 and DM 8. It's usually available in just about every bookstore near an Uni. Thanks again for a really interesting Women in German. Sincerely, Hazel Blumberg </div> -6- <div class="WordSection3"> REVIEWS: Women and the Fantastic in Recent GDR Literature: The Case of Irmtraud Morgner Leben and Abenteuer der Trobadora Beatriz with its 700 pages is the most complex and ambitious piece of writing by a woman about women to come out of the GDR thus far. It might be called a feminist's Dr. Faustus, not only because of its bold use ofmontage technique, but also because of the striking parallels between the relationship of Laura and Beatriz in this work (their secret identity) and that of Adrian Leverkühn and Serenus Zeitblom in Mann's novel. Beatriz' "Gute Botschaft der Valeska" has the same key significance at the end of the novel as does Leverkühn's final composition. The paper analyzes how Morgner has tried to respond to the historical fact of women's exclusion from history by creating a fantastic situation in which an historically verifiable woman troubador, who found life unbearable in male-dominated medieval society, returns to life during the Paris May revolution of 1968 and encounters the disappointing reality of a contemporary woman's life in the GDR, "das gelobte Land". Morgner*s use of the fantastic is shown as her attempt to reverse the historical expropriation of women by recreating at least a legendary "history", much of it in a humorous vein. The novel contains a vast amount of commentary on questions of literary theory and women's emancipation, which is not equated with her integration into the production process. But despite technical similarities, Mbxper's novel differs from Mann's Dr. Faustus in an important and conscious way; whereas Mann's polished style and tightly integrated work was the product of carefully regulated working habits, protected by a devoted wife and the life style of the privileged class, Moaner has deliberately transformed the problems faced by a woman writer who does not nave a wife into a literary principle which frees women from having to write according to forms which men have developed through the centuries; "Frauen können diese Formen entwickeln , , , das verlangt Arbeit von Generationen. . . . Der Anfang ist notwendigerweise experimentell. Die Form muß den Proceß der Wahrheitsfindung mit zeigen können." Patricia Herminghouse Washington University What distinguishes Irmtraud Morgner from GDR women writers like Kirsch, Wolf, and Reimann is the theoretical, polemical nature of her work and her attempt at such a global analysis as is her montage-Roman: Leben und Abenteuer der Trobadora Beatriz. Leben und Abenteuer is a wonderfully imaginative and challenging attempt to analyze literately the introduction of women as subjects of history. Both in its construction and its affect on the reader, Morgner’s work achieves precisely that dynamic relationship between concrete reality and subjective ideal so vital to the struggle of the human subject to become an agent of change. Morgner places her challenge to centuries of objectification and exploitation in an historical context and it is her historical perspective that provides the source of her humor and optimism. Her view of the relationship between the problems of women and larger developments in society is perhaps most accessible in her own words, taken from an interview with Karin Huffzky of the Federal Republic: -7- "Ich glaube, daß die Menschwerdung der Frau als gesellschaftlichfc- Veränderung erst nach der sozialistischen Revolution wirklich beginnen kann. Und zwar nicht automatisch. Mit der Abschaffung der Ausbeutung des Menschendurch den 'Menschen‘ ist nicht automatisch die Ausbeutung der Frau durch den 'Menschen' abgeschafft. ..." The underlying compositional element is the legend which takes shape around the life, the adventures and the death of Beatriz. Where the legendary, the mythological, the utopian meet the complex conditions of change as they exist in reality, the central dialectic of the novel begins to develop. Beatrix' idealism and fanatical zeal are relativized through her Spielfrau Laura who represents the more realistic, the more historically conscious side of what will become one single character with the death of Beatriz near the end of the novel. Through Laura's modifications of Beatriz' vision, as well as through those of numerous other episodes and characters from GDR life, the social process through which change occurs becomes visible, and the fantastic, the vision that Beatriz has introduced has informed GDR reality with a refusal to accept the present as unalterable. Therein lies the meaning of positive subjectivity for Morgner. Morgner approaches personality and emancipation through productivity and work in the broadest sense. It is in the juxtaposition of different time periods and different economic systems that she lends the concept of work and its impact on the role of women a sense of process. Always aware of the progress made toward full equality in the GDR, Morgner establishes a context for immediate reality, presenting it as a process out of a past that must be reconstructed for women's appropriation of their own history and sexuality, and in relation to a future that will have to bring new possibilities for human relationships and productivity through technology and through what she calls the 'emancipation of the erotic.' Leben und Abenteuer is an important work for women in the West as well as for the GDR. Biddy Martin University of Wisconsin The following is a summary submitted by Susan Cocalis of her talk at the Amherst conference: Recently the complaint has been voiced that women shouldn't criticize male authors for depicting the world "as it is/was," i.e., for representing a patriarchal society 'realistically.' By demanding such "positive models" from art, feminist critics would be in danger either of becoming "ahistorical" or of succumbing to the alleged aesthetic fallacies of "socialist realism" with its idealized "implausible" workers. One should not expect writers of past generations to be equipped with today's consciousness of a woman's rights. Thus the traditional postulates -8- Wahrheit und Wahrscheinlichkeit would seem to perpetuate the literary stero-types of “masculine” and "feminine” as something "natural.” Even socially critical authors, who usually expose such natural phenomena as ideological camouflage for changeable economic relationships, allow their utopian visions to be built upon the alledgedly solid foundations of "the eternally feminine." The possibility of a relativistic view of reality in this situation does not seem to enter the discussion as relevant. However the comparison of an author like Marie-Luise Fleifier to some of her male contemporaries like Brecht or the German Expressionist writers would seem to justify a feminist criticism of the latter. Fleißer was neither a feminist, nor did she ever question the basic premises of the patriarchal society of her native Ingolstadt. She only wanted to render that society realistically in her works, i.e., as she experienced it in terms of "relationships between men and women." Nevertheless, her version of reality differs markedly from that of her male counterparts, especially in her dramas Fegefeuer in Ingolstadt (1924) and Pionere in Ingolstadt (1927), insofar as she demonstrates how the "eternally feminine characteristics like "sensibility," "compassion," and "passivity" can be attenuated through the inhumane relationships of production. If men continue to treat women as (sex) objects, they shouldn't be surprised when women react to them in an "inhuman" or brutal manner. As such, they become incapable of comforting men and the entire premise of an Erlösung durch das Weib or a "feminine socialism" (d la Marcuse) is negated. Fleißer's reality is trostlos; men and women need relationships, but any attempt at communication between the sexes is futile. Both sexes seem to be condemned to a "purgatory" with no prospect of redemption. Because Fleißer adheres to a strict canon of realism or probability she disappears totally behind her figures and never criticizes the patriarchal world directly. However, her dramas offer us a measuring stick with which we can evaluate analogous relationships in plays be male authors. By comparing Fleifiers works to dramas of German Naturalism or Expressionism, we can identify hypothetical, idealistic, or utopian plot-resolutions, even in cases where the authors purport to be rendering a given social or ontological reality. In this respect FleiBer may not present us with a feminist alternative to a patriarchal society, but at least she spares ns the usual ph/fallacious utopian illusions. Susan Cocalis </div> -9- ____ REGISTRATION FORM______ I want to register for the retreat on September 23-25, 1977. Registration fee of $10.00 ( ) enclosed ( ) will be mailed later Donation to travel fund ( ) enclosed ( ) will be mailed later (Make checks payable to Gisela Bahr) I want to stay ( ) at the camp ( ) will bring a folding bed (I understand that I need to bring a sleeping bag). ( ) with friends ( ) at a motel (please send information) I shall need day care for________(no.) children, age ______________________ I expect to arrive on_____________________ ( ) by car ( ) by planet will inform you of airport (Dayton or Cincinnati), time of arrival, flight number as soon as possible. NAME ______________ TELEPHONE____________ MAILING ADDRESS ________________________ Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (4x9) so that we can send you further instructions, and mail to Gisela Bahr, Dept. of GREAL, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 ------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was prepared by Evelyn Torton Beck, Viktoria Harwig, Biddy Martin, Sara Markhan) Pietsch, Angelica Haag Shalter, Christa Stutius, and Marsha Meyer. ------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIPTIONS Enclosed, please find ray $2 ($1) for a year's subscription to Women in German« Send your check to: Women in German, German Dept., University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 NAME ADRESS Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Torton Beck, Evelyn Harwig, Viktoria Martin, Biddy Markhan-Pietsch, Sara Haag Shalter, Angelica Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Women in German Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977/09/12 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Women in German Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1977_Sep Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No copyright - United States</a> https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/03bbe6cc0442e6ddfa374df9e4b138a2.pdf 6c3d453b0073d40c772ec8a7334fffb8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG Newsletters Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lennox Files, Wisconsin Historical Society Women in German Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 - 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Newsletters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 1976 Newsletter Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Description An account of the resource WOMEN IN GERMAN Number 8 September 10, 1976 Subscriber fee: $2.00 per year ($1.00 if unemployed) Please address all correspondence to: Women in German / 814 Van Hise Hall / University of Wisconsin / Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Women in German: Coming forward to retreat. Until now, Women in German has been a thread connecting us in scattered places. Now we will come together, face to face, to strengthen these connections and to make sure that we don’t retreat into academic isolation. There is still time to register for the Women in German weekend retreat, combined with a one-day symposium, to be held at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, on September 24-26, 1976. Be Sure to register so that Gisela Bahr can take care of food and lodging accommodations; just because you know you’re coming doesn’t mean Gisela knows. There is a registration form for your convenience attached at the end of the newsletter. Here is a preview of topics to be treated on Feminism and German Studies: Revolutionary Women in Imperial Germany; Two German Women and the American Civil War; a comparison of the work of Hippel and Mary Wollstonecraft; a panel on women’s magazines in West Germany, France and the USA; a comparative analysis of sex bias in USA and GDR children’s readers (with slides); feminist theater in West Germany and the USA. When you register, be sure to enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope so that programs and driving instructions can be mailed to you. Also bring sleeping bags to the retreat. If you are arriving on Friday afternoon, come directly to the retreat, where we will be having supper together. The Women in German retreat will begin Friday evening and continue on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The symposium will take place Saturday. If anyone from the Chicago area wants a ride to Ohio, leave your name and phone number with Pat Russian’s parents: [redacted] Pat will be driving from Chicago and be coming into the city only a few days before the meeting. Her Providence address is: [redacted] For those of you who can’t attend, we will write a report of the weekend for the next issue of the newsletter. -2- MEETINGS A women’s coalition meeting at SAMLA will take place on Friday, November 5, at 4:00 p.m. in Tower Suite 16, Peachtree Center Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia. Anyone who would like to help or who has suggestions should contact Elke Frederiksen, Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. 20742. The Tenth Amherst Colloquium on German Literature will be held on the campus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30, 1977, possibly beginning with an evening session on April 28. The theme will be "Die Frau in der deutschen Literatur: Autorin - Heldin - Leserin" and papers should address themselves to relevant topics (authors, movements, or individual works) from a feminist perspective. The papers may be given in German or in English, but if they are in English the speaker will be responsible for the German translation to be used in the book publication. Normally there will be two lectures each morning and afternoon of about forty minutes in length. Depending on the topics offered, however, it may be possible to devote one afternoon meeting to one or more simultaneous forum discussions around fixed topics with short papers (10 to 15 minutes each). People interested in participating should submit their suggestions and a one-page outline by October 1. All communications should be sent to Wolfgang Paulsen, German Department, Herter Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass. 01002 REPORT FROM AATG The "Sexism in Textbooks" section was a huge success. It was not only well attended, but extremely exciting as well. The three papers were enthusiastically received by the audience, which included editors of major Germanistik journals and some textbook writers. One of these writers publicly recognized the sexism of his text and announced that he would change the offending passages in the next edition. Basically everyone present agreed that there was a clear need for further re-assessment of textbooks. There was also a Women in German meeting at the AATG which lasted three hours and was well attended. Plans for sessions at next year's AATG were discussed but not yet finalized. A good deal of interest was evidenced. It became clear that not enough information on who these writers are, is easily accessible. Therefore we repeat our call for syllabi and bibliographies pertaining to German women writers in the original and in translation. -3- WHAT’S IN A NAME? In February 1975 we changed our name from Women in Germanistik to Women in German (see issue No. 2). We made this change in order to include as many people as possible. As interest in our perspective has been growing, we have been told that some of our male colleagues feel excluded by our title. This question was debated at the AATG and will be brought up at the Ohio retreat. What is your opinion? Here are the two basic positions: (1) Women in German sounds as if it were exclusively for, by and about women. However, it is the name by which we are already known. (2) Any title which includes the word "feminist" (a much-suggested possibility) might exclude people who were interested in women-related issues but were not ready to call themselves feminists. Also to be considered: Should we keep the name of the coalition (Women in German) and only change the name of the newsletter? One name that has been suggested for the newsletter is German Feminist Perspectives. Those who are planning to come to Ohio should think about these positions and come with concrete suggestions, especially if you are for a name change. If you cannot come to Ohio, we would like to hear your responses to these questions as soon as possible so we can bring them to the retreat. IMPORTANT MATERIAL FROM WEST GERMANY Some of us have been to Germany over the summer, and realize how much material there is, how difficult it is to get it all together and to keep posted on recent developments in German women’s studies. So if you’ve been to Germany, or have read interesting books, new journals, pamphlets or magazines, or have seen German films pertinent to women’s studies, write down your experiences and share your information with us. Only then can Women in German continue to be a channel for communication. If you wish to get material from Germany, you can order directly from the two women’s bookshops in West Berlin: Labrys Frauenbuchladen 1000 Berlin 61 Yorckstr. 22 AND Lilith Frauenbuchladen 1000 Berlin 12 Kantstr. 124 Berlin now has the Berliner Frauenzeitune Courage, Bleibstr. 48, 1000 Berlin 12, with subscription rates: 3 mos / 9 DM; 6 mos / 18 DM; 1 yr. / 36 DM. There is also a women’s literary journal, Mamas Pfirsiche, published four times a year by Verlag Frauenpolitik, Monika Walter Grevener Str. 165-67, 4400 Münster, with a -4- subscription rate of 16 DM / yr. or 4 DM per issue. There is also a women's film journal, Frauen und Film, which can be ordered at the following address: Brot und Rosen, H. Lahtela, 1000 Berlin 10, Postfach 100 208 (1 yr or six issues for 24 DM; single copy, 4 DM). Verena Stefan's Häutungen (Verlag Frauenoffensive, Munchen 1975) is being widely read and has already been translated into French. It's an important feminist text which records the struggles and development of a young woman who is active in the German new left in the 1960s and becomes involved in the women's movement in the 70s. The book is autobiographical and combines memoirs, poems, analysis and introspection, in language that is vigorous, fresh, and consciously feminist. Though it is the story of one woman, it exemplifies the development of many women in West Germany and the USA. The book records the author's growing sense of self and strength. The process is as yet unfinished, but its direction is positive and affirming. SUBSCRIPTIONS We have decided that each yearly 4-issue subscription will begin in the fall. If, however, you mailed in your $2.00 last spring, then obviously just wait until next fall to re-subscribe. BACK ISSUES - NEW ADDRESSES If you need back issues of Women in German or if you have changed your address, please notify us, since the newsletter is not forwarded when sent in a bulk mailing. This newsletter was prepared by Angelika Bammer, Evelyn Torton Beck, Viktoria Harwig, Sara Markham Pietsch, and Christa Stutius. -5- ***** REGiSTRATION FORM***** I want to register for the retreat on September 24-26, 1976 Please reserve.......... place(s) in the camp. C ) send information on near-by motes. I/we expect to arrive on..................... ( )by car; ( ) by plane (give airport, time of arrival, flight number) Name(s) ..................................... Mailing address ....................................... Telephone ( )......................... Please enclose $10 per person (checks payable to Gisela Bahr) and a stamped, self-addressed envelope; mail to Gisela Bahr, Dept. of GREAL, Miami University; Oxford, OH 45056 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bammer, Angelika Torton Beck, Evelyn Harwig, Viktoria Markham Pietsch, Sara Stutius, Christa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Women in German Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976/09/10 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Women in German Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1976_Sep Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No copyright - United States</a> https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/f5265da5b245087e6460347ac3f6a8c0.jpeg c6c68ee703c9d6f04a02c964818a0e75 https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/44652ed3a954b088e2367eb4b185af69.jpeg b64be7d7d27fb7f38230eae39998e799 https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/30e5835e2f44d8e0069280268c849deb.jpeg df02945a8994b9d702ceed3109031f0c Document Miscellaneous text documents, including newsletters, calls for papers, printed promotional materials, etc. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Pamphlet on the Representations of Women in Foreign Language Textbooks Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Minnesota Board of Education Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1979 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lennox Files, Wisconsin Historical Society Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Women in literature Description An account of the resource [Cover] femme Frau mujer woman [image: drawing of woman's face; background text is a banner that runs accross the page diagonally, repeating "a world of women"] <div style="text-align:center;"> A PROJECT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT</div> <div style="text-align:center;">OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS ON</div> <div style="text-align:center;">WOMEN AND WOMEN'S LIVES</div> <div style="text-align:center;">IN OTHER CULTURES</div> Left-Most Fold: <div style="text-align:center;">PROJECT OVERVIEW </div> Secondary learning materials in the most commonly taught languages of French, German and Spanish often portray females in less capable, less significant roles. In most cases, little or no information is included on women who have lived their own lives, expressed themselves fully and fearlessly and exerted as much influence as they could -- whether in dealing with kings and emperors, or in the fields of art, science, letters or the theater. Outstanding males in other cultures are commonly recognized and studied; outstanding females are recognized on a limited basis or not at all. Supplementary units and materials are needed to raise student awareness and eliminate sex bias in the study of other cultures. A WORLD OF WOMEN has been designed and funded to help fill the void. [image: centered, logo of Minneapolis Board of Education, black square, white circle inside with black letters MPS inside] <div style="text-align:center;">Minneapolis Board of Education Marilyn A. Borea, Chairperson W. Harry Davis Carol R. Lind John M. Mason</div> <div style="text-align:center;">Philip A. Olson James W. Pommerenke Jane A. Starr</div> <div style="text-align:center;">Superintendent of School</div> <div style="text-align:center;">Raymond G. Arveson</div> <div style="text-align:center;"> Special School District No. 1</div> <div style="text-align:center;">MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 1979</div> The Minneapolis Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, merital status with regard to public assistance, or disability. [Center Fold] <div style="text-align:center;">OBJECTIVES</div> To develop student awareness of the role of females in the culture of the language studied. To increase teacher awareness of the role of females in other cultures. To increase teacher effectiveness in the teaching of non-sexist materials. <div style="text-align:center;">EVALUATION</div> Materials will be field-tested in French, German and Spanish classes on the secondary level in the Minneapolis Public Schools. <div style="text-align:center;">DISSEMINATION</div> Materials will be available to language teachers through the office of the Specialist in Modern and Classical Languages of the Minnesota State Department of Education, 649 Capitol Square Building, St. Paul, MN 55101. Materials will be available in June 1980 [Right-most Fold:] MATERIALS AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THIS ONE-YEAR PROJECT WILL INCLUDE CURRICULUM PACKETS Student Materials Non-sequential learning materials, readings and activities for classroom use in each language plus English. Teacher's Guide Teaching strategies, evaluation instruments and bibliography for further research. FILMSTRIPS Available in each of the languages and in English. DISPLAY KITS Posters to accompany the teaching materials to enhance the classroom. THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL MAINTAIN A RESOURCE LIBRARY FOR INTERESTED EDUCATORS FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MARY JANE ROE, Project Director <div style="text-align:center;">French</div> Karen Weinschenker <div style="text-align:center;">German</div> Melanie Halvig <div style="text-align:left;"> Spanish MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Modern Language Department 807 Northeast Broadway Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413 [checkbox] to pilot curriculum materials [checkbox] for evaluation report [Back Fold:] [Logo of Minnesota Council on Quality Education: stylized letters QE] Minnesota Council on Quality Education Minnesota has attained national recognition for the high quality of its education system. Reinforcing the commitment of the State, the Minnesota Legislature has appropriated funds to help local districts and communities research innovative and cost-effective ways to improve elementary and secondary education. The funds are administered by a 19-member State Council on Quality Education (CQE). Annually, the Council accepts proposals from educators and lay persons to improve local schooling. The proposals are reviewed on four criteria: innovativeness, cost effectiveness, educational significance, and procedural feasibility. After careful examination, the Council recommends funding to the State Board of Education for these projects it believes will make the best use of State monies in improving education. For more information on the Council and its programs, contact: CQE 722 Capitol Square Building St. Paul, MN 55101 612/296-5072</div> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Minneapolis Public Schools Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource eng Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context File_007 https://wig-herstory.com/files/original/725061540837d0515d6b77b960d08ba4.pdf b8215b1079b82a6836da50af92ef7142 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource WiG Newsletters Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lennox Files, Wisconsin Historical Society Women in German Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 - 2016 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Newsletters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource October 1975 Newsletter Subject The topic of the resource Feminism; Germanists; Congresses Description An account of the resource <div class="WordSection1"> NEWS FROM WOMEN IN GERMAN </div> Number 4 October 15, 1975 In her seminal essay Virginia Woolf asks what a women needs in order to create, to which she answers, "money and a room of her own." Within the News from Women in German we have been creating a space for ourselves in the context of German studies. Recently we have created another kind of space; we need no longer be reached c/o anybody; we now have our own mailbox: Women in German, German Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wise. 53706. Now that we have a space of our own, we come to the second half of the equation. Many of you have already inquired about subscription fees. Until now this hasn't been necessary, but as we reach more people and our mailing list continues to expand, we will have to collectively share the expenses. If you wish to continue to receive the newsletter, please send $2 for the academic year 1975/76 (Students and non-employed may send $1). We expect to produce four issues per year. While growth has led to greater expense, it has also brought with it increased Involvement among our readers. We are very encouraged with the positive and supportive feedback that you have sent us and with the recognition we have received in othe publications. With regard to feedback, our new column, Dialogue, (see Newsletter 3, p. 2) did not provide the kind of response we had hoped it would. You may remember that we raised some crucial questions concerning Christa Wolf's and Karin Struck’s views of women; very likely the intervening summer vacation had something to do with your lack of response, but we nonetheless would like to get Dialogue going this fall. Our interest in Wolf and Struck may not coincide with yours. Of course this column is open to any other controversial issues you may wish to raise. We also have another new plan for the newsletter. In this issue we are starting a listing of Research in Progress, a column that will describe work that people are doing. This will help us locate resource people in specific areas and will allow people working on similar projects to contact one another. In this respect we are fortunate, for this year, associated Women in German meetings have been set up for the MLA, MMLA and AATG. For specific details concerning these meetings see the Announcement column in this issue. Face to Face: A Weekend Conference of Women in German? For well over a year now we have been receiving queries about the possibility of a weekend meeting of women in German. Although we will be getting together at the MLA AATG and MMLA, these brief business sessions cannot possibly replace a weekend of it depth seminars, discussion and workshops on topics of immediate interest to us. Th on the one hand, it seems clear that a two or three day conference would be a stimulating and valuable learning experience; on the other, it is equally clear that suet a meeting would take a good deal of advance planning and organization. In the past, whenever this topic was brought up in informal conversations, there was always discussion about which part of the country would be best, when would be the best time, how much would it cost, etc. We believe that if we are really ever to have such a conference, the time has come to go beyond such abstract questioning. It is our feeling that if anyone (or any group of people) feels ready to organize a conference of women in German, she (or they) should simply step forward and, in consultation w. -2- as many others of us as possible, make whatever arrangement seems to make the most sense. We should take care to keep the venture as cheap as possible or no one would be able to attend. Obviously all of us would be willing to share in the planning and serve as contact/resource people, but someone(s) must take the initiative. Therefore, we suggest that anyone seriously interested write to the newsletter and we will put people in contact with each other and will also publish any ideas that are sent in. This topic will also be raised at all the business meetings Of our group. What do you think of the idea of a workshop weekend? Would YOU be willing to organize It? Send feedback and concrete suggestions as soon as possible. Meeting face to face is an exciting idea that probably should not be delayed much longer. <div> Announcements </div> There will be a Coalition Of Women in German meeting at the 7th annual MMLA conference in Chicago (November 6-8, Palmer House). The Women in German meet at 1:30-3:30 on November 7 in Parlor A. Chairperson: Patricia A. Herminghouse The Topics are: Evaluation and Discussion of the. Newsletter The Sexism in Textbooks Project Other New Projects The Possibility of a Spring Meeting (see page 1 of this newsletter) At the MMLA, there will also be a number of presentations in the section on Women and Literature which are of interest (10:30, Saturday, November 8, in the Private Dining Room 18). . Chairperson: Agate Nesaule Krouse The topic is: Biography, Autobiography and Diary For those in German literature, the contribution of Richard L. Johnson, Indiana University - Purdue University, should be noted. Ha will discuss: "Becoming a Woman Writer: Gabriele Reuter’s Autobiography and Biographies". An Organizational meeting of Women in German will take place in Washington during the 43rd annual AATG meeting (November 27-30, in the Washington Hilton). r This meeting will be on November-29 at 4:30-5:30 in the Farragut Suites. Chairperson: Patricia A. Herminghouse At the AATG there will also be a panel discussion on the subject of Women and GermanistIk. Chairperson: Gisela E. Bahr The presentations are: "A Feminist Approach to German Literature," Joey Horsley, University of Massachusetts, Boston "Does Liberal Rhetoric + Legal Reality “Kinder, Küche, Kirche?", Susan L. Cocalis University of Massachusetts, Amherst "Separate and Unequal: ’The Ladies Auxiliary* of Contemporary West German Literature," Pat Russian, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island "Die Schwierigkeiten der Frau, Kunstlerlin zu sein", Karin Struck, author of Klassenliebeand Die Mutter Women and Germanistik meets at 2:45-4:15 in Jefferson West. A third meeting of Women in German is planned for the MLA convention this year In Sar Francisco (December, 1975). At this time we haven’t received notice of its location of date, so look for details in your official program. At the same conference there will be a seminar on how to teach "Btirgerllches Trauer— spiel," from a feminist perspective focusing specifically on Marla Magdalene and -3- Kabale und Liebe. The discussants will be Naomi Stephan (Valparaiso), Barbara Drygulski Wright (University of Connecticut) and Judy Harris (Berkeley), and the seminar will be coordinated by Pat Russian (Brown) and Pat Herminghouse (Washington University). According to the two Pats, the session looks very exciting. Additional Announcements 1) We are glad to announce that Unterrichtspraxis is devoting its entire spring issue to the theme of women in German. Now’s the time to put the finishing touches on that article or to sit down and review that new book you’ve been mulling over. We all have expertise, and there’s never a better time than now to share it. 2) We’d like to remind all of you that if you move and wish to continue receiving NEWS from Women in German, we need to know your new address. Contact us soon so that we can update our files. Sexism in Textbooks Slide-Tape Show A Slide-Tape presentation, Sexism in Foreign Language Textbooks (27 min.), prepared by Rhoda Stern, CUNY, documents and analyzes sexist content and photographs in recent textbooks by 16 publishers. The show is available for rental ($35) and sale ($300) from WOWI, Women on Words and Images, [redacted] . Ms. Sterr cites examples of under-representation of girls and women as well as sex-role stereotyping in textbook dialogues and stories. German language texts discussed on the tape are: <ol> <li>Deutsch für Anfänger (Appleton-Century Crofts, 1971)</li> <li>German A-IM, Level 1 (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974)</li> <li>Kinder lernen Deutsch (Hübner Verlag, 1973)</li> <li>Anfang und Fortschritt; An Introduction to German (Macmillan, 1973)</li> <li>German: A Structural Approach (W.W. Norton, 1970, shorter ed.)</li> <li>Wir Lernen Deutsch. German for the First Year (Scott Foresman, 1974)</li> </ol> New Cultural Reader An attempt was made by a collective of graduate students in the Department of German at the University of Wisconsin to create an Introductory cultural reader for the first semester of German. The Madison Collective had three goals in mind: 1. to develop reading proficiency in German at the beginning level, 2. to aid students in developing a critical perspective on the modern German states and German history, and 3. to introduce materialistic concepts, such as class, which students could apply to their own situation in the United States. The collective made every effort to avoid sexism and to unmask it in society. With these goals in mind, the collective attempted to break down stereotyped views by taking a closer look at what is often accepted as German culture. The two German states are equally treated and are seen from a critical perspective. This text is currently being used in Madison on an experimental basis in first semest German. There will be a discussion of this Cultural Reader at the MMLA meeting in Chicago, Palmer House, on Saturday, November 8, at 8:30-10:00 in the Forum on Marxism and Literary Studies in the Crystal Room. -4- Examples of the text (photo-offset, paperbackbound) will be available at the meeting; limited numbers of copies are also available through Madison Collective, c/o Christa Stutius, Dept. of German, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706. We ate particularly interested in receiving a feminist response to our effort. Interested people are invited to criticize this text on the evaluation forms accompanying it. Research in Progress Feminist theatre "Alternative Theatre and Politics in the 1960*8 and 1970*s:' A Feminist Perspective" is the subject of a joint paper being prepared by Evelyn Torton Beck, Betsy Edelson and Nancy Vedder-Shults. The paper will be a comparative study of feminist theatre in this country and in West Germany within the context of radical theatre in the past two decades. It will be presented on November 21 at the Wisconsin Workshop, the focus of which this year will be "History and Drama in Germany." Most of the information about feminist theatre has and is being gathered by a questionnaire distributed to anyone working in or familiar with women’s theatre groups. Evelyn, Betsy and Nancy are interested in sending out these questionnaires to anyone who would have information on such activity. Please contact them at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, German Dept. as soon as possible if you are interested in a questionnaire or have any other material on feminist theatre, especially in West Germany. Women and Children in the GDR During a visit to the GDR in the summer of 1975, Donna Slepack researched day care facilities there, comparing them to centers in the FRG. In a brief article she describes the comparative advances day care has made in the GDR and .appends useful, very recent statistical data on day care attendance and women’s labor force participation in both Germanies. Donna also has a report on a conversation with one of the leading GDR writers of children’s literature regarding the role of the writer in removing patriarchal attitudes, a description of a children's literature conference and various materials on the role of women in the GDR. Donna is very interested in sharing this information and can be reached at [redacted] This newsletter was prepared by Angelika Bammer, Evelyn Torton Beck, Jeanne Howell, Christa Stutius and Nancy Vedder-Shults. Enclosed, please find my $2 ($1) for a years subscription to Women in German. Send your check to: Women in German, German Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706. Name:__________________ Address: ________________ Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bammer, Angelika Torton Beck, Evelyn Howell, Jeanne Stutius, Christa Vedder-Shults. Nancy Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Women in German Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975/10/15 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Women in German Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng ger Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1975_Oct Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NKC/1.0/">No copyright - United States</a>