The Saint Louis University German Department was anything but silent. When 3741 Laclede, more commonly known as the German Language House, was not occupied by German speakers last year for the first time in the seven-year history of the language houses, the department sprung into action.

“Recruitment efforts for that year [2005-2006] were lagging due to a transitional period in faculty. The department was concentrating on hiring a new professor, who would also serve as the liaison to the German House,” Modern and Classical Languages Chair Reinhard Andress, Ph.D., said.

German professor Evelyn Meyer, Ph.D., was hired in August, 2006. She took on the responsibility this year to reinstate the German House and plan cultural events for students studying the German language. Soon, brightly colored posters advertising open houses at the German House dotted the walls of Ritter Hall, informational meetings were planned and professors passed out pamphlets.

Last year, the main reason the German House sat vacant was timing. The deadline to sign up to live in a language house is early in the spring semester, and last year it was only after the first week of classes.

“Students are trying to get organized at the beginning of a semester and do not start thinking about housing until much later,” Meyer said.

Additionally, Andress said, “There is no overlap from year to year. Each year, the language departments must start anew with recruitment efforts.” The group of students studying German is traditionally smaller than those taking French and Spanish courses, which makes efforts to fill the German House slightly more difficult. The early deadline also limited a pool of students that would be likely to live in the houses-those studying abroad.

Meyer was able to work with the department of housing and residence life, which partners with the department of modern and classical languages, in order to make the deadline for housing in the German House later in the semester. The two departments came to an agreement and the deadline this year was moved to mid-February.

Verena Hufgard, the new foreign language teaching assistant in the German House, has taken over Meyer’s previous duty of planning events and has several ideas in mind to keep interest in the German House alive. Weekly kaffeestunden, or coffee hours, are held at the house, and plans for movie nights and cultural discussions, accompanied by authentic German food, are in the works. The residents of the house also plan to attend the “Perceiving Napoleon” discussion with the residents of the French House.

“There are only five of us living there, so the atmosphere in the house is like that of a family,” Hufgard said. Residents speak German from breakfast until about 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening. Events are almost always held in German, and Hufgard hopes to keep the tradition alive. Probst!