“Order of Merit indirectly honours an endangered species: I am the surviving dodo”

Professor of German Ewout van der Knaap receives high German distinction

Prof. dr. Ewout van der Knaap ontvangt Bundesverdienstkreuz van ambassadeur dr. Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut. Foto: Elbert Besaris
Professor Ewout van der Knaap receives the Bundesverdienstkreuz from Ambassador Dr. Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut. Photo: Elbert Besaris

Ewout van der Knaap, Professor of German Literature and Culture at Utrecht University, received the ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’ from the hands of the German Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dr. Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, on September 24th. This ‘Cross of Merit on Ribbon in the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany’ is a prestigious German distinction. According to the ambassador, Van der Knaap “has become an important bridge between Germany and the Netherlands, well beyond the realm of German studies.”

Economic and cultural ties with Germany

Van der Knaap is widely active in his field. Through numerous publications, lectures, and projects, he has made German subjects accessible to both his colleagues and a wide Dutch audience. “Germany is important to the Netherlands for economic and political reasons,” said Van der Knaap, “and there are also strong cultural ties with German-speaking regions. It is important for young people to come into contact with this and thus gain a better understanding of Europe.”

Society still has not fully realised how much language studies enhance job market opportunities and that it’s not all about becoming a teacher.

Language studies under pressure

The Bundesverdienstkreuz is a prestigious German honour awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in political, social, or cultural fields. Van der Knaap recognises the award’s significance for his discipline as well: “The Order of Merit indirectly honours an endangered species. I am the surviving dodo. The analogy of “survival of the fittest” is that the number of study programmes has only increased, meaning my field is being devoured, and paradoxically, diversity is at risk of being lost.”

This is a concerning trend, according to Van der Knaap. In his 2021 inaugural lecture, he remarked that “German-speaking countries and cultures are too important to be left to historians.” He asserts that “Germanists possess the knowledge and critical insight to interpret and analyse German-speaking cultures and linguistic phenomena. German studies facilitate collaboration across academic disciplines and national borders.”

Prof. dr. Ewout van der Knaap spreekt na ontvangst Bundesverdienstkreuz. Foto: Elbert Besaris
Photo: Elbert Besaris

Call for recruiting German-speaking students 

Van der Knaap advocates a step in the internationalisation of education that runs counter to current government policy: “Language studies should be allowed to recruit internationally. For instance, if German-speaking students could pursue a university degree in German in the Netherlands, it would offer many possibilities. German-speaking students also find it very easy to learn Dutch and will experience intercultural and societal added value from their choice. In the long term, this would also be beneficial for the labor market.”

Campaign for language and culture studies

Van der Knaap emphasises the importance of language studies as a foundation for other disciplines. “Without strong bachelor's programs, that foundation is not possible.” According to him, there are also opportunities to increase enrollment, though it requires patience.

“Society is still unaware of just how much language studies boost career prospects, and that it’s not all about becoming a teacher. The government doesn’t force school leavers, as it did in the GDR, to pursue fields where there are current professional shortages,” says Van der Knaap. “If that were the case, more young people would study mathematics, Dutch, German, and French. If we don’t want that, then other incentives are needed.”

German-speaking countries and cultures are too important to be left to historians.

In addition to the Ministry of Education, Van der Knaap believes that the position of the German language should also be a priority for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy. “A long-term government campaign 'choose language and culture' will ultimately support language and culture programs, and school counselors and parents can already help guide students more effectively.”

High school teachers as ambassadors

“It is also important that German teachers teach their subject not only with knowledge and enthusiasm but also with self-awareness and advise students accordingly. Less than a third of students are encouraged by their German teachers to pursue a language study, according to a survey.”

“And with nearly 19,000 pre-university diplomas with German, you would expect the potential for studying German to be very large. If we could get just 1% of them to enroll annually, we would be content. Ultimately, we would also combat the immense teacher shortage.”