“Die Zeitung triumphiert!”: Connecting Media Cultures Through Poetry Analysis

ABSTRACT

This praxis‐oriented paper presents a case study of integrating media literacy with foundations of literary analysis in an intermediate German language course. Drawing on the theoretical framework of symbolic competence, the study addresses contemporary concerns about media saturation and its social and psychological effects on young people by connecting these issues to historical literary perspectives. The authors describe the implementation of Kurt Tucholsky's poem “Gebet des Zeitungslesers” in a third‐semester college German course, demonstrating how Weimar‐era satirical literature can illuminate enduring anxieties about information overload and media consumption. Through a four‐stage instructional design, students engage with the text's literary and performative qualities, historical context, and thematic relevance to contemporary digital media culture. The study shows how literary analysis can develop students’ ability to decode symbolic systems and help them to position themselves critically within power structures that shape media consumption. The paper argues that incorporating media as a cultural topic, as such, rather than merely as a teaching tool, addresses urgent pedagogical needs in an era of digital media saturation while demonstrating the continued relevance of historical literary works for understanding contemporary cultural phenomena.