Ask students to write
down a definition of the word "folksong."
Put some of their ideas on the board.
Tell students that folksongs are commonly
conceived as popular songs usually of unknown origin, known
for their simple structure, plain language and unsophisticated
melody. It can further be said
of folksongs, that they are a cultural thread woven through
centuries of time, connecting people of a common language through
music and poetry. The changes of a society are reflected in
their folksongs. Recurring themes are love, joy, sorrow, patriotism,
nature, occupations and political trends.
FOLKSONGS ARE A LIVING PART OF
THE CULTURE THAT CONTINUES TO BOND A PEOPLE EVEN AFTER POLITICAL
BOUNDARIES SEPARATE THEM.
Give students background
on the folksong Das Ännchen von Tharau
In 1636, a young
girl (17 years old, named Anna Neander) was getting married
to a minister, Johannes Partatius. Simon
Dach, a baroque poet who was born in Memel,
(1605-1659), was invited to the wedding. He fell in love with
Anna Neander and wrote a poem about her: "Ännchen
von Tharau."
The original poem was written in Plattdeutsch,
and was later put into Hochdeutsch by Johann Gottfied Herder
in 1778. Simon Dach's works were also translated into Lithuanian.
In 1912 a statue of Ännchen von
Tharau was erected in honour of the poet, Simon Dach in Klaipeda
(Memel). It got lost (destroyed) during the war and was replaced
by a bust of Hitler in 1939. In
1989 members of the "Ännchen von Tharau Verein" (club),
founded by "vertriebenen Memelländern", (Germans who were
driven out of the Memelland) and exiled Lithuanians, erected
the new statue of Ännchen von Tharau.
Introduce the song one phrase at a time to the
students and repeat until they have learned the song. Die folgende
VOKABELLISTE
könnte nützlich sein.
Bitte
beantworten Sie diese Fragen:
- Vergleichen Sie das Plattdeutsch
mit dem Hochdeutschen. Welche Ähnlichkeiten können
Sie sehen?
- Bitte übersetzen Sie die Verse
ins Englische (in Gruppen)!
- Im letzten Vers beschreibt der Dichter
die Voraussetzungen für eine gute Ehe. Was sind sie?
- Dieses Gedicht wurde im siebzehnten
Jahrhundert geschrieben. Finden Sie, daß diese Vorraussetzungen
für eine gute Ehe noch heutzutage gelten? Bitte erklären
Sie!
- Was, meint der Autor, macht das
Leben zur Hölle?
- Wie stellen Sie sich Ännchen
von Tharau vor? Beschreiben Sie dieses Mädchen in vier
oder mehr Sätzen, oder malen Sie ein Bild von ihr!
REFLECTION
(Standards Targeted)
| 1.1 |
Students use language,
to answer questions about the folksong. |
| 1.3 |
Students work
in groups and present ideas & pictures they've drawn
to class. |
| 2.1 |
Students learn
about customs in Germany - folksongs. |
| 2.2 |
Students read and interpret
"Plattdeutsch." |
| 3.1 |
Students will
become familiar with map of Europe and determine location
of "Tharau" in 1600s and today. (Geography/History) |
| 4.2 |
Students discuss male/female
relationship in German society as presented in the song
and compare it to American society then and now. |
| 5.2 |
Students enjoy
learning a folk song thereby using the language for enrichment. |
|