Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures University of Toronto
Letter from the Chair
Stefan Soldovieri
Dear Friends of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures,
It has been another eventful year, and I am just delighted to share with you this 15th edition of our newsletter, highlighting the inspiring work of our students, faculty, and staff.
As mandated by the Faculty of Arts and Science, this year we will be collaborating on the development of a strategic plan to guide us through the next five years. The plan follows on the heels of our 2021-22 cyclical review and will build on the initiatives that emerged following a faculty retreat in spring 2023. The plan will also need to respond to a new faculty-wide budget scheme that puts heightened emphasis on expanding enrolments.
Undergraduate Report
Reflections on the 2024-25 Academic Year
Hang-Sun Kim, Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies
From award-winning students to groundbreaking teaching initiatives and collaborative events, 2024–25 was a year of shared success and growth.
Undergraduate Student Profile
Finding Community Through German Studies
Brian Finn
Finn reflects on how the German Department fostered his growth as he built community, explored literature, taught in the Multilingual German Lab, and presented research internationally.
Graduate Report
Intercultural Skills in Strong Demand Among Employers
Angelica Fenner, Associate Chair of Graduate Studies
From international research and conferences to award-winning theses and new student arrivals from Canada and abroad, our graduate program continues to foster intercultural expertise and scholarly excellence.
Doctoral Graduate Profile
Becoming a Hopeful Pessimist
Elisabeth Lange
From in-depth literary research to teaching and facilitating internships, Elisabeth Lange’s doctoral journey embodies intellectual growth and collegial collaboration.
Yiddish Report
Creativity in and Beyond the Yiddish Classroom
Yiddish students brought language and literature to life through creative projects, including a 3D Vilna pop-up book, dance workshops, and puppet plays, alongside research and translation fellowships.
Graduate Profile Yiddish
Dancing My Way Through Yiddish Language and History
Emily Glass
Through her MA in Yiddish Studies, Glass explored language learning, pedagogy, and cultural heritage, culminating in a public workshop on Yiddish dance.
Affiliate Faculty Profile
New Book on Plurilingualism by
Professor Enrica Piccardo
Professor Enrica Piccardo’s new book, Autoethnographies of Plurilingualism, explores how language users navigate and reimagine their multilingual identities.
New Co-Edited Volume by
Professor John Zilcosky
Alternative Temporalities, co-edited by Dr. Zilcosky, Teresa Valentini, and Angela Weiser, showcases essays on how storytelling can creatively and critically transform temporality.
Beyond the Hype –
Practical uses of generative AI in the language classroom
Marje Zschiesche-Stock’s workshop showed students and instructors how to integrate AI strategically into language learning.
Alumni Profile
Walker Horsfall
Horsfall researches how astronomy, geology, and medicine shaped Middle High German poetry and credits U of T for preparing him to teach both medieval and modern German.