In December of 2019, a group of German students had gotten into a comfortable rhythm of chatting about German every day before class in Phillips Hall. In those moments, we weren’t trying to start a movement or innovate within our department; we were simply drawn to each other because of our love for the German language. It was during one of those pre-class chats that Das Blatt was born. As a team, we wanted to share our passion for German with our campus and allow our fellow students to see German as an outlet for personal expression. With a small but dedicated team, Das Blatt has now been realized as an online publication, showcasing the work of passionate English and German speakers from the University of Iowa. The motto of our publication is “Im Stil unsere Zeit,“ and in the spirit of this phrase we have attempted to capture the unprecedented nature of this semester through the cover art of this edition. Throughout the trials and errors that came with this process, we have moved forward with a steady belief that exposure to language and culture is a bridge to a truly interconnected world. We are so excited to present our first volume of Das Blatt to you. We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the UI German Department’s faculty and staff as well as partner faculty across the University who have supported and collaborated with us to make Das Blatt a reality.  We hope you enjoy the fantastic submissions we have received, and once you’re done reading, consider joining us. We want to extend an invitation to you to engage with foreign language, experiment with it, and help it find a place in on our campus and in your life.  

With that, make sure to remember... 

“Die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt” 

-Ludwig Wittgenstein 

-Mit herzlichen Dank und schönen Grüßen 

Ihr Das Blatt Team