- Studied German and English language and literature at Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Zürich
- Lektor in English at the University of Münster, 1975-76
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in German (1976)
- Associate Professor of German (1998)
- Professor of German (2011)
- Professor Emeritus of German (2016)
- Head of Department, Germanic Languages and Literature, 1999-2002
- Head of School of European Languages and Literatures, 2004-2007, 2013
- Head of Disciplinary Area, European Languages and Literatures 2014 (S1)
- Faculty of Arts School Governance Advisory Group member, 2017
- Chair, Translation Studies Programme Review Panel, 2017
- School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics Academic Staffing Review Committee member, 2018
- Director, University of Auckland Research Centre for Germanic Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific, 1999-2017; Co-Director, 2018-

Honours:
- Justice of the Peace (Retired).  Appointed Justice of the Peace for New Zealand, 6 February 2016.  Retired as Justice of the Peace on 13 May 2026 with a total of 4,878 clients.
- Awarded German Parliamentary Medal (Bundestagsmedaille), presented by President of German Parliament, Dr Wolfgang Thierse, on his visit to Auckland, 5 December 2003

Responsibilities:
- Co-Director (with Dr Nicole Perry) of the University of Auckland Research Centre for Germanic Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific

Qualifications:
MA (Well) PhD (Zürich)

Areas of Expertise:
- German literature from the nineteenth century to the present
- German cinema 1920-1945
- The German connection with New Zealand and the Pacific

Media Keywords:
German film, Modern German literature, Germany and the connection with NZ and the South Pacific, Language acquisition



SIGNIFICANT DISTINCTIONS

2026 Visiting Professor, Freie Universität Berlin, 1-30 April 2026
2025 Visiting Professor, Freie Universität Berlin, 1-30 April 2025
2019  Visiting Professor, Technische Universität Berlin, and Fontane-Archiv, Universität Potsdam, 1-31 May 2019
2017  Visiting Professor, University of Oklahoma, 3-8 December 2017
2017  Visiting Professor, Technische Universität Berlin, and Fontane-Archiv, Universität Potsdam, 3 Oct.-30 Nov. 2017
2016  Appointed Professor Emeritus of German, University of Auckland, 13 April 2016
2016  Invited Lecture: “Figments of the Imagination? Establishing the Historical Authenticity of Theodor Fontane’s Portrayal of the Indian Territory Mennonites in his novel Quitt (1890)”, Southwestern Christian University, Oklahoma, 15 February 2016
2016  Visiting Professor, Southwestern Christian University, Oklahoma, 12-19 February 2016
2015  Visiting Professor, Technische Universität Berlin, and Fontane-Archiv, Universität Potsdam, 1-15 July 2015
2015  Visiting Professor, Technische Universität Berlin, and Fontane-Archiv, Universität Potsdam, 1 August-21 December 2015
2014  Visiting Professor, University of Oklahoma, 16-24 July 2014
2014  Visiting Professor, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University, 28 July-1 August 2014
2014  Vista Linda Foundation Scholar in Residence, University of Salamanca, Spain, 13-18 September 2014.
2014  Visiting Professor, University of Hawaii Manoa, 14-18 February 2014.
2012  Professorial Inaugural Lecture, University of Auckland, 18 September: ‘“The Magic Lake”: Fontane’s last novel The Stechlin (1899) and its message for the twentieth century and beyond’.
2012  DAAD Visiting Research Professorship, Technische Universität Berlin, April-June 2012.
2012  Invited Lecture: ‘Fontane’s Landscapes with special reference to Effi Briest’, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University, 16 February 2012
2012   Invited Lecture: ‘German Interest in the Pacific 1840-1918’, Department of German, Duke University (North Carolina), 6 February 2012.
2011    Letter of commendation (8.3.2011) from Austrian Foreign Minister Dr. Michael Spindelegger following his visit to New Zealand, February 2011.
2011    Invited lecture: ‘The German Legacy in Tonga’, Germanics Lecture Series, University of Washington Seattle, 7 January 2011
2009  DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst /German Academic Exchange Service) Visiting Professor grant for research at Universities of Frankfurt, Bayreuth, Greifswald, July 2009
2007  Visiting Professor, University of Bayreuth (lecturing in Masters in Modern German History)
2007  Luckner Medal, presented by Graf Luckner Society, Halle, Germany, for recognition of research on von Luckner
2001  Letter of commendation (23.8.2001) from the President of Germany, Dr Johannes Rau, following his visit to the University of Auckland
1998, 2002 DAAD Visiting Research Professor, Technische Universität Berlin
1998, 2002 Pro Helvetia (Swiss Arts Council) Grant, Thomas Mann Archive, Swiss Federal University (ETH), Zürich
1986 DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst /German Academic Exchange Service) Visiting Academic, University of Münster
1981  Academic Visitor (Akademischer Gast), Thomas Mann Archives, Swiss Federal University (ETH), Zürich
1978 Teachers College Diploma (Christchurch Teachers College, Secondary Division)
1972-74 Swiss Federal Government Postgraduate Scholar (Bundesstipendiat), University of Zürich
1971  Eichelbaum Prize (best student in any modern language other than French), Victoria University of Wellington
1970  Awarded A.T.C.L. (Associate of Trinity College London) in Speech and Drama
1970  Emily Lilias Johnston Scholarship (outstanding student in final year of Bachelor’s degree), Victoria University of Wellington



SERVICE


Faculty of Arts:

• School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics Academic Staffing Review Committee member, 2018
• Chair, Translation Studies Review Panel, 2017
• Member of Faculty of Arts School Governance Committee, 2017
• Assistant Dean (IT & E), Faculty of Arts, 2007 (Sem. 1)
• Faculty of Arts Research Committee, 2002-2006; May 2009-March 2011
• Member, Faculty of Arts Partnership Committee, 2005-2009
• Assistant Dean, Faculty of Arts, 1997-1998
• Member, Continuing Education Advisory Committee, 2005-7
• Member of Internal PBRF Humanities Panel, 2003

Research Centre for Germanic Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific:

• Director, 1999-2017; Co-Director, 2018-
• Series Editor, Germanica Pacifica (academic monograph series of the Research Centre for Germanic Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific, published by Peter Lang International Academic Publishers, Berlin.), 2000-2021; Series Co-Editor, 2022-
• Series Editor, Germanica Pacifica Studies, 2005-
• Series Editor, Working Papers of the Research Centre for Germanic Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific, 2002-

School of European Languages and Literatures:

• Head of School, 2004-7, 2013
• Deputy Head of School, 2001-2002, July 2008-Feb. 2009
• Acting Head of School (6 separate occasions, April, June, July 2010, April 2011)
• Chair, Board of Undergraduate Studies, Feb.-Dec. 2010
• Chair, Board of Graduate Studies, July-December 2011
• Chair, Board for Research, 2001-2003, 2007 (Sem. 1)
• Research Advisor, 2008 (Sem. 2)-2011
• Ethics Advisor, 2009-2011
• Research Plus Champion, 2010-11

School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics

• Head, European Languages and Literatures, Jan.-July 2014
• School Executive member 2014

Department of German and Slavonic Studies:

• Head of Department, 2008-2010
• Head of Department, Germanic Languages and Literature, 1999-2002
• Acting Head of Department, Germanic Languages and Literature, 1997-1998
• Head of Department, Russian, 2001-2002

University:

• Member of External Review Panel, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, University of Auckland, 8-11 April 2014
• Coordinator, Graduating Year Review, University of Auckland Diploma in Languages and Certificate in Languages, April-June 2013
• Arts Faculty Representative, UoA Board of Studies for General Education, 2011-2012
• Arts Faculty Representative, UoA IT Committee, 2007 (Sem. 1.)
• Member, Europe Institute Management Board, 2007-2015
• Member of European Institute Steering Group, 2006-7
• Sub-Professorial Representative, Auckland University Press Board, 2001-2002

Executive Member, TLANZ: Tertiary Languages in Aotearoa New Zealand, March 2013-June 2014

Member, Steering Group, DAAD Alumni Association (met Wellington 28 November 2010)

Member, 360° Auckland Abroad Student Interview Panel, 2009

Member, AISEC Student Interview Panel 2008

Panel Member, Programme Review, European Languages and Cultures, Victoria University of Wellington, 12-14 September 2005.


PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND AFFILIATIONS:

• Member of Advisory Board (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat), Jahrbuch für Europäische Überseegeschichte (University of Bayreuth, published by Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden)
• Member of peer review panels for Peter Lang International Academic Publishers (Berlin); Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien (Papers of the Anthropological Society in Vienna, founded in 1870, one of the oldest academic journals in Austria); Seminar: a Journal of Germanic Studies (University of Toronto), German Quarterly (Duke University), Itinerario (Cambridge), Postgraduate Research Papers on Language and Literature (University of Melbourne) and European Studies Primary Text Series (Victoria University of Wellington).
• Member of book review panel for Monatshefte (University of Wisconsin Press) and Anthropos (Bonn, Germany)
• Member, Auckland Goethe Society (Inc.); President, 2000-2012
• Member, Wellington Goethe Society (Inc.)
• Member, Theodor-Fontane-Gesellschaft (Potsdam)
• Member, Thomas-Mann-Gesellschaft (Zürich)
• Member, Österreichisch-Südpazifische Gesellschaft [Austrian South Pacific Association] (Vienna)
• Member, Mennonitischer Geschichtsverein [Mennonite History Association], (Bolanden-Weierhof, Germany)
• Member, Graf-von-Luckner-Gesellschaft [Von Luckner Society] (Halle, Germany)
• Member, Australasian Universities Language and Literature Association
• Member, Fellowship of Samoa Specialists
• Treasurer, German Drama Company, 1980-2015


CONFERENCE PAPERS AND INVITED LECTURES SINCE 1999:

1. CONFERENCE PAPERS

 “Ludovica Schultze’s 1916 Report to the German Colonial Office on German Samoa under New Zealand Occupation”, 29th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Association for European History, “Dark Horizons:  New Directions in European History”, held at the University of Auckland, 8-10 July 2025.

“Best of Enemies? Anglo-German Relations in German Samoa as reflected in German Reports from the Early Stages of World War I”. Conference “Best of Enemies? Anglo-German Relations and Empire”, Flinders University, Adelaide, 22-23 June 2023.

“Frida Peemüller’s Memoirs of German Samoa 1910-1920: Critical Edition”, German Colloquium, Victoria University of Wellington, 11 February 2022.

“Fontane’s use of the Great Flood painting in the Senzke Village Church as his model for Sophie’s Old Testament Scene in Die Poggenpuhls (1896)”, German Colloquium, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 14 February 2020.

“The Role of Tonga’s Constitutional Monarchy in Preserving Tonga’s Independence during the European Colonial Era in the Pacific,” Conference “Monarchy in the Age of Empire”, Flinders University, Adelaide, 23-24 July 2019.

“The German Connection with the Pacific, 1843-1918: Samoa, New Zealand and Tonga”. Keynote address at conference ‘Asia and the Pacific in German Culture’, University of Hawaii Manoa, 14-15 February 2014.

“Deutsche im Pazifik. Kontakte und Beziehungen im 19. Jahrhundert unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung von Neuseeland, Samoa, Tonga” (Germans in the Pacific: Contacts and Relations in the 19th Century with particular reference to NZ, Samoa, Tonga). Keynote address at Annual Conference of Deutsch Pazifische Gesellschaft (German Pacific Association) in Sondershausen, 27-29 June 2013.

“The German Legacy in Tonga’, “Germanness Beyond Germany’ Conference, Antipodean East European Study Group, School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, 24 September 2011.

“Contrasting Landscapes in Theodor Fontane’s Frau Jenny Treibel (1892)’, 36th Australasian Languages and Literature Association Conference, Auckland, 7-9 February 2011.

“Die Spuren des Rathenau-Attentates in Thomas Manns Zauberberg” (Traces of the Rathenau assassination in Thomas Mann’s Zauberberg), opening session paper, 9 September 2010, “Internationale Aspekte I: Wirkungen der deutschen Literatur” (International aspects I: Effects of German Literature), Conference “Wechselwirkungen: Deutschsprachige Literatur und Kultur im regionalen und internationalen Kontext”, (Interrelationships: German language literature and culture in its regional and international context) University of Pécs, Hungary, 9-11 September 2010. Also chaired session “Internationale Aspekte II: Das Fremde in der deutschen Literatur” (International aspects II: The Foreign Element in German Literature), 10 September 2010.

“The impact of the assassination of Walther Rathenau on the composition of Thomas Mann's Zauberberg”, German Colloquium, Victoria University of Wellington, 8-9 April 2010.

“The historical connections between Germany and New Zealand”, plenary address, DAAD Alumni Conference "Bridging the Distance - New Zealand and Germany in Dialogue", University of Auckland, 20-21 March, 2010

“Early German Settlers in the Pacific and their Descendants”, keynote address, 5 July 2009, New Zealand Studies Association 16th annual Conference “New Zealand, Germany and the (Post) Colonial Pacific”, University of Frankfurt, 3-5 July 2009. [Revised and expanded English language version of address to 2007 Berlin German Historical Museum conference]

“Hermann Krone’s Account of the 1874 German Expedition to the Auckland Islands: Heritage Significance and Literary Record”, Ferdinand Hochstetter and the Contribution of German-Speaking Scientists to New Zealand Natural History in the Nineteenth Century, International Symposium hosted by the Research Centre for German Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific, University of Auckland 1-2 September 2008

“Die frühen deutschen Siedler im Pazifik und ihre Nachkommen” [The Early German Settlers in the Pacific and their Descendants), keynote address, 14 September 2007, Conference: “Der Traum vom Paradies? Das deutsche Reich in der Südsee” (Dream of Parsdise? The German Empire in the Pacific“, Berlin, German Historical Museum, 13-14 September 2007

“The European Connection with Tonga”, European Union Centres Network Conference “Knowledge Identities and Governance: Challenges for Contemporary Europe”, University of Auckland, 9-10 November, 2006

“Count Felix von Luckner’s 1938 Propaganda Visit to New Zealand: Consequences for von Luckner and for National Socialism in New Zealand”, keynote address at “National Socialism in Australasia” Conference, University of Queensland, 23 to 25 September 2006

“The German Diaspora”, Researching Europe: Scoping Workshop, University of Auckland 6 June 2006

“Whatever really happened to von Luckner’s Seeadler in 1917?”, Second New Zealand-European Studies Conference, University of Auckland, 28-30 August 2003

“The Arrival of the Modernists: the impact of German-speaking émigré architects who arrived in New Zealand in the 1930s, with special reference to Ernst Plischke and Helmut Einhorn”, School of European Languages and Literatures Research Seminar series, May 2002

“Ernst Plischke’s Town Planning: a Case Study”, Displacement and Creativity: Refugees and New Zealand in the Twentieth Century, Symposium, University of Auckland, September 2001

“The Impact of German-speaking Architects Ernst Plischke and Helmut Einhorn on New Zealand’s Urban Landscape”, Writing Europe’s Pasts, 13th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Association for European History at the University of Auckland, July 2001

“Felix von Luckner: Dichtung oder Wahrheit?” [Felix von Luckner: Fiction or Truth?], keynote address, Symposium to Mark the 10th Anniversary of the German Day of Unity, German Society of New Zealand, Auckland, 1 October 2000

“Fontane’s use of the Berlin landscape in Irrungen, Wirrungen”, AULLA Conference, University of Auckland, February 1999



2. INVITED LECTURES:

“New Perspectives on Fontane. Fontane’s Changing Attitude to War as reflected in his novel Quitt (1890)”, Fontane Bicentenary Lecture to Goethe Society Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington, 11 September 2019.

“Figments of the Imagination? Establishing the Historical Authenticity of Theodor Fontane’s Portrayal of the Indian Territory Mennonites in his novel Quitt (1890)”, Southwestern Christian University, Oklahoma, 15 February 2016.

“Early German Settlers in the Pacific and their Descendants”, History Department, University of Hawaii Manoa, 18 February 2014.

“Deutsche im Südpazifik: Kontakte und Beziehungen im 19. Jahrhundert unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Neuseeland, Samoa, Tonga” (Germans in the South Pacific: 19th Century Contacts, with particular reference to New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga), Sondershausen Museum, 23 May 2012.

“Fontane’s Landscapes with special reference to Effi Briest”, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University, 16 February 2012

“German Interest in the Pacific 1840-1918”, Department of German, Duke University (North Carolina), 6 February 2012.

“Austrian Connections with New Zealand”, Austrian Society, Auckland, 29 October 2011.

“Contrasting Landscapes in Theodor Fontane’s Irrungen, Wirrungen and Frau Jenny Treibel”, School of European Languages and Literatures Research Seminar Series, University of Auckland, 30 March 2011.

“The German Legacy in Tonga”, Germanics Lecture Series, University of Washington Seattle, 7 January 2011.

“Fontanes literarische Landschaften”, Fontane Public Lecture Series, Theodor Fontane Archiv, Potsdam, 18 January 2011.

“Contrasting Landscapes in Fontane’s Berlin Novels Irrungen, Wirrungen (1888) and Frau Jenny Treibel (1892)”, School of European Languages and Literatures Seminar Series, UoA, 29.3.2011.

“Fontane’s Landscapes, with particular reference to Irrungen, Wirrungen”, Seminar Series of the School of Asian and European Languages and Cultures, Victoria University of Wellington, 11 June 2009.

“Landscapes in the Novels of Theodor Fontane”, Auckland Goethe Society, 28 July 2008.

“Count Felix von Luckner in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands”, West Auckland Historical Society, 17 April 2007.

“State of Shock: German Cinema in the Weimar Republic 1920-1930”, CCE Winter Week on Campus lecture, University of Auckland, 27 June 2005.

“Centre for the Study of New World Societies: Exploring Contours and Content: Germanic Connections Research Centre as a Microcosm”, Transnational Symposium on New World Societies, University of Auckland, 9 November 2004.

“Von Luckner’s Activities in the South Pacific”, Waikato University Continuing Education Group, Te Aroha, 10 December 2003.

“The Influence of F. W. Murnau’s Der Letzte Mann on the Cinema of Alfred Hitchcock”, Auckland Goethe Society, 30 April 2003.

“Felix von Luckner, Kommandant der ‘Seeadler’ im 1. Weltkrieg in Neuseeland und im Südpazifik” [Felix von Luckner, Commander of the Seeadler in the First World War, in New Zealand and the South Pacific] International Centre, Technische Universität Berlin, 20 August 2002.

“The Arrival of the Modernists: German-speaking émigré Architects in New Zealand”, New Zealand National Library Auditorium, 13 December 2001, in conjunction with the National Library exhibition “From Georg Forster to Denis Adam: 200 years of German-New Zealand Connections. From the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library.” Recorded for the Alexander Turnbull Library Oral History Centre.

“Von Luckner Mysteries”, Palmerston North Goethe Society, Palmerston North, 25 May 2000.

“The Tin Drum by Günter Grass”, Auckland Goethe Society, Auckland, 6 June 2000.

“Günter Grass, Nobel Laureate: His Life and his Works”, Günter Grass Symposium (organised by New Zealand Book Council and the Goethe Institute), National Library, Wellington, 15 June 2000.

“Münchhausen as Novel and Film”, joint Auckland Goethe Society and German Society of New Zealand meeting, Auckland, 29 September 2000.