Gregory Baer

Gregory W. Baer is Chair of the Modern Languages Department and a Professor of Modern Languages. He joined the Carthage faculty in 1996.

Prof. Baer’s teaching and scholarship center on two primary areas: 20th century German culture and foreign language pedagogy. As a Germanist he has focused on the literary and filmic writings of Jurek Becker and has taught, published, and presented on representations of the Holocaust, East German film, and German identity. Prof. Baer’s scholarly work in the realm of pedagogy focuses on the use of communicative theories in the teaching of vocabulary. In 2011, Baer was honored with Carthage’s Distinguished Teacher Award.

A recipient of grants from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and a two-time Fulbright Fellow, Prof. Baer has studied and done archival research in Munich, Potsdam and Berlin, and lived in Germany for more than 12 years. He is also passionate about helping students pursue grants and fellowship and has worked with several German majors who have competed successfully in national competitions for DAAD Undergraduate Scholarships (to help finance study abroad) and Fulbright Teaching Assistantships in Germany (for teaching English in Germany after graduation from Carthage).

Prof. Baer has held several administrative roles during his time at Carthage, including Director of the Honors Program, Director of Faculty Development, and Coordinator of the Self-Study for Accreditation. He continues to lead New Faculty Orientation and helps to integrate new professors into their new roles at Carthage.

• Ph.D., M.A. — Germanic Languages and Literatures, Washington University (St. Louis)
• B.A. — Lewis and Clark College

• GRM 3080: Defining a Nation—Germany since Bismarck
• GRM 3090: German-Speaking World: Cultural and Intellectual Life
• GRM 3110: Interpreting Written Texts in German
• MLA 1010: Modern Literature in Translation: Representations of the Holocaust
• MLA 675X: Memory, Monuments, and Museums: Material Culture and the Creation of the Past

• Foreign Language Pedagogy
• 20th Century German Literature
• GDR Literature and Film
• Holocaust in Literature and Film

• DAAD Group Study Visit Grant for the J-Term study tour “Representations of Germany’s Past.” 2016.
• DAAD Group Study Visit Grant for the J-Term study tour “Urban Culture in London and Berlin.” 2005.
• Checkpoint Charlie Foundation Grant for the J-Term study tour “Urban Culture in London and Berlin.” 2005. 
• DAAD Fellowship, Berlin, Germany. 1993-1994.
• Fulbright Travel Grant, Berlin, Germany. 1990-1991.
• Germanistic Society of America, Quadrille Ball Grant. 1990-1991.
• Fulbright-PAD Teaching Assistantship, Munich, Germany. 1986-1987.