Probably no other art movement has been as varied in its artistic styles as Expressionism. And, although Expressionism was only a part of the Avant-garde art movement that became popular in the early part of the 20th century, Germany was its cultural and creative center. This course will provide an overview of German Expressionism painting from post-World War I through the public humiliation of the artists and the destruction of their works by the Nazi Party's National Socialist Society for German Culture. The course will also study the German Expressionism films made during the Golden Age of German Cinema and the influence of German Expressionism filmmakers on Hollywood films of the 1940s and 50s.

The learning objectives and topics to be covered in the course are as follows:

1. develop an understanding of the society of post-World War I Germany, the political and personal repercussions of the conflict, and how those factors influenced the German people, artists, and politicians.

2. learn about the beginnings of the movement, how the style of Expressionism changed after the war, and the basic elements that define German Expressionism

3. gain an understanding of the post-World War I art scene in Germany's major cities: Berlin, Munich, Dresden, and Vienna.

4. gain knowledge of the two schools of German Expression (Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter), the styles of each, and the philosophical differences between them.

5. study the lives and art of the most well-known German Expressionism artists, and learn to recognize their individual works.

6. learn why German Expressionism was labeled "degenerate art" by the Nazi Party and of the events leading up to...and resulting from... Entartete Kunst.

7. gain an understanding of Hitler's own early frustrations at becoming an artist, how Expressionism differed radically from his own style of painting, and the effect this part of his life may have had on the destruction of German Expressionism.

8. study the Golden Age of German Cinema; the films and the directors.

9. learn how the film-noir films of the 1940s and 1950s (considered to be the most American of Hollywood films) were actually the legacy of German Expressionism film writers and directors who immigrated to the United States.

Upon completion of the course, you will plan a trip to Germany that includes some or all of the places mentioned in the study of German Expressionism. This can be either an actual journey or a virtual journey to be shared with others in the online community. And, a major learning objective of the course will be to become aware of those signs which foretell loss of artistic freedom of expression and the ways in which this freedom can best be protected.