In 2019, the Institute of German Studies celebrates its 50th anniversary. The institute pioneered new forms of research. When it was founded, the study of cultural phenomena was an innovation still in its early stages. Students flocked to the courses offered under the institute’s umbrella because they promised new interdisciplinary approaches. Today, the first generation of students who earned their Ph.D. in German Studies have retired from successful careers. I have just been contacted by Jay Rosellini, professor emeriti at Purdue and Suffolk University, who announced the publication of his latest book with the speaking title, itself a quote, “In Germany I became a Freethinker.” To look back at this past can fill us with pride and with confidence for the future.
Words from the Director
