As you browse through our website, you will find information about our myriad activities – the Berlin summer program, the Brown Bag Series, the graduate student conference, the ever-popular film nights, the Professional Development Days for high school teachers, the Declamation Contest for area students. Generous support from Lillian Rodig Maxwell has enabled us to bring eminent scholars to Rutgers for the prestigious Rodig lecture and seminar series. Last year’s speakers included Robert Holub and David Wellbery, and we look forward to hosting Rüdiger Campe and Nicholas Boyle this year. Charlotte M. Craig’s generous support has allowed us to invite distinguished senior scholars to campus for a semester: Jane K. Brown was our Charlotte M. Craig Distinguished Visiting Professor last spring; Lynne Tatlock will be joining us for spring 2006. Our Craig/Kade scholars and writers in residence program, initiated by a grant from the Max Kade Foundation and generously enhanced by Charlotte Craig, brought Carmen-Francesca Banciu to Rutgers last fall; this year’s guest will be Dr. Daniela Strigl.

When I came to Rutgers two years ago, I was extremely impressed with how much the German Department does. I continue to feel truly privileged to work with such terrific colleagues. Sadly, this year brings the departure of Professor Bill Donahue, whose tremendous dedication and hard work have strengthened the Rutgers German program immeasurably. A heartfelt thanks to Bill – we wish you all the best in your new position at Duke. This year also marks the retirement of our cherished colleague Hildburg Herbst, whose distinguished service to Rutgers spanned 25 years. We miss you Hildburg, and trust you are enjoying some well-deserved R&R! We are delighted to welcome visiting assistant professor Eric Jarosinski to our faculty this year.

We do need your help to promote German Studies at Rutgers. Please consider making a donation to our German Academic Excellence Fund, which provides scholarship support to our students and helps fund many other activities. Please contact me at the German Department if I can be of any assistance in discussing your contribution.

With all best wishes for the academic year 2005-2006,

Martha Helfer

Chair, Department of Germanic, Russian and East European Languages and Literatures
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
64 College Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8541, USA