Visiting Scholars Focus
Visiting graduate student and Marietta-Blau-Scholar Roman Hutter (MA, University of Vienna) notes that the interdisciplinarity and high quality of research in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures were crucial to his decision to spend the year in Ann Arbor. Hutter’s research is on Central and Eastern European history of the twentieth century, with particular attention to cultural policy during the Cold War. His dissertation will explore transatlantic relations between West Germany, Austria, and the USA during the Cold War. Especially pertinent for Hutter is the case of the Romanian secret service co-opting Romanian-German writers by forcing them to spy during visits to German-speaking countries. Happily, Hutter received a dissertation fellowship from the Botstiber Foundation which will allow him to spend an additional year with the Department!
I was able to make more contacts and friends than I thought would be possible. The intensive discussions with professors from the Department about my dissertation topic and the support of my work in Ann Arbor were overwhelming. It's the mix of intellectual atmosphere and extreme friendliness that makes this department a unique place for scientific exchange.
