German 351: The Naked Truth: Crisis and Dissolution in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna
Taught in English
How was gender portrayed in Vienna 1900, and what did people do to resist and undercut rigid
definitions and stereotypes? Why were healthy expressions of sexuality forbidden during this
time? How does a society react when their stable, comfortable world begins to collapse? What
do you do when language fails and you can no longer describe your thoughts and feelings? This
course, The Naked Truth: Crisis and Dissolution in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna, seeks to hold up a mirror
to Vienna at the turn of the century, examine these urgent questions and use them as a lens to
understand contemporary society. We will engage in an interdisciplinary exploration of the
literature and the visual culture this time period against the backdrop of the decline of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire and the aftermath of its disintegration into World War I. With an emphasis on
the relationship between different disciplines (literature, art, critical theory, history and psychology)
the course will be organized around major themes from the period, such as sexuality, gender,
decay, and the crisis of identity and language.
Through written, analytical responses as well as creative individual and group projects, students
will have the opportunity to delve into other cultural aspects of the city, both from the turn of the
century and contemporary Vienna.