The 50th Wisconsin Workshop is planned as a celebratory public event to honor two senior emeriti of the UW German program, Prof. Jost Hermand, who co-founded the Workshop in 1969, and Prof. Klaus Berghahn, who created the Center for German and European Studies in 1998, now in its twentieth year. Alumni are welcome to join in the exploration of their legacy in this 50th Workshop, but its aim is both retrospective and prospective. In showcasing the rich history of a Wisconsin tradition that is known worldwide for its cutting-edge agenda, we have invited young and mid-career scholars who are defining and transforming the terms of debate in the field from interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary perspectives. At the same time, we wish to recognize the work of the giants on whose shoulders we stand, specifically the contributions of Profs. Hermand and Berghahn. We see this 50th Wisconsin Workshop as an opportunity to celebrate the history of the University, of the German Department, and the continuous process of sifting and winnowing enshrined in the Wisconsin Idea.
A display in the Memorial Library lobby documents this important tradition of public engagement with scholarship that has marked the work of the founders as well as their colleagues and students who have contributed to its success.
A public faculty recital on Friday evening, 15 September, with Paul Rowe of the UW School of Music presents German songs reflecting the research interest of our two emeriti.
All events are free and open to the public
You can view the schedule for 2017 here: WW50_Final Program
Published proceedings of the Wisconsin Workshops from 1969 until 1991 are available through the open access UW Digital Library Collections: http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/German/WiWorkshop
Click here to view a PDF with the complete list of all of the Wisconsin Workshops that have been hosted through the years.