Semester in Italy

Brunnenburg invites a return to the Early Poems, written when Pound himself was still a student.

Photography compliments of Jack Zerbe, program leader Spring '05

"That castle stands the highest in the land
Far seen and mighty.
Of great hewn stones....'Li Bel Chateau'"

Mary de Rachewiltz
Discretions

The Program in Brunnenburg

The Brunnenburg Semester offers students a unique opportunity to combine study and work while living in a 12th century castle in the Italian Alps. Each Tuesday students participate in a workday on the farm and surrounding vineyards, which belong to the castle. The castle is situated above the spa town of Merano near the Austrian border. This location puts students within weekend reach of Munich, Vienna, Verona, and Venice, among many other places,. The castle belongs to Mary de Rachewiltz, the daughter of American poet, Ezra Pound, and serves as an international Pound study center as well as the home of a museum of alpine agricultural history. Students study Pound's poetry with Mary, and Agro-archaeology and Medieval Saints and Heroes with her son, Siegfried de Rachewiltz, to take advantage of the castle's setting in the historically rich, bilingual and multicultural South Tyrol region. There is no foreign language requirement, but students are encouraged to study German or Italian on their own before going.

The castle "croft" can accommodate fourteen Guilford students. For meals students shop in the village of Dorf Tirol, using a stipend provided by the program, and do their own cooking.

The semester involves many short trips, often by foot, in the South Tyrol region. In addition there are excursions to major cities such as Rome, or Florence, or Vienna or Venice depending upon the plans for a particular year.

The Courses

Students must take a minimum of 13 credit hours from the following list:

Orientation: (GST 250) Introduction to the historical background of the area, the problems related to the German-Italian cultures in the South Tyrol, and issues pertaining to Ezra Pound. Also focuses on observation skills, coping with culture shock, and adapting to another culture. (1 credit; required)

Saints and Heroes of the Middle Ages: (HIS 250) An examination of medieval culture through a study of the cult of the Saints, Christian iconography and epic poetry. This course uses the Brunnenburg Castle as well as surrounding churches, cathedrals, monasteries and other castles for the study. (4 credits, required) Siegfried de Rachewiltz

Agro-Archeaology: (SOAN 250) An introduction to the history and prehistory of agriculture, drawing from the resources of the Tyrolean Alps. Biweekly field trips. An examination of the impact of changes in agriculture on the social and religious realm as reflected in myth, legends, customs, and beliefs. (4 credits, required) Siegfried de Rachewiltz

Ezra Pound's The Cantos: (ENG 250) A study of Pound's poetry with special emphasis on his epic poem, The Cantos. The analysis relates history to the various cantos, and addresses questions about the relationship between The Cantos and Pound's vision of politics and economics. (4 credits, required) Mary de Rachewiltz

An additional course will be offered in the faculty leader's area of expertise. This course will change with each semester program. (4 credits)

Expenses

The basic cost of the Semester in Brunnenburg, from late January through early May, is usually the equivalent of a full residential semester at Guilford in Greensboro, plus airfare. (Unfavorable exchange rates may require the addition of a surcharge in order to maintain the quality of the program.) This includes all instruction, fees, housing, program-related travel, and meals. Additional expenses will depend upon your own preferences. All federal, state, and college financial assistance, with the exception of work-study funds, is applicable to the Spring Semester in Brunnenburg. Competitive Board of Visitors scholarships are available to defray travel expenses.

Application*

If you will be a sophomore, junior or senior next spring, you are invited to pick up an application form from either the Guilford faculty leader or the Office of Study Abroad Programs located in the International Center. The faculty leader will begin interviewing applicants after the application deadline of September 15.

*Students must have special permission from the Study Abroad Director to participate in more than one semester abroad program.