Declamation Rules

Entry Limit: Three contestants per level, per school: Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, & Adv. 

Length and Time Limits:
Level 1:  16-24 lines OR 1-2 min.  Level 2:  20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 min.   Levels 3 & 4:  24-46 lines OR 2-3 min.

The selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in German.  It may not be a translation from a non-German speaking author, even if it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g., Kishon. Piece may be edited to fit time or line limits (see above).  Prose Memory is dramatic interpretation, but without costumes and props.  The contestant may use one chair and may move during the presentation.  The title of the selection and the author must be listed along with the name of the student performing it on the alphabetical student list at the time of registration.  At least two copies of the selection must be presented to the judges at the contest.  

Prose Memory selections may not be used as Prose Reading selections or vice versa by the same person. A student also may not perform the same poem or prose selection that he/she has performed in any previous year.

Click here to download the critique sheet for Poetry Memory.

Click here to download the critique sheet for Prose Memory.

Preparation Tips: Practice entering the room confidently, greeting the judges, and handing them their copies. Make sure to SAY THE TITLE AND AUTHOR before you start reciting, and try to make eye contact with the judges periodically during your piece.

Teacher Tips:

• Create a collection of suitable poems and prose pieces.  Number the lines on each piece.  Arrange your collection by length, if you print them and put them in a binder. If you judge one of these categories at contest, keep your judges’ copies for your bank!
• Build a collection of digital recordings of the pieces, either read by you or a native speaker. You can use Audacity or another recording software. One suggestion is that when making a recording, first read the piece through once “normally,” then go through the entire piece explaining the literal meaning and any insights you have about interpretation plus highlighting common pronunciation pitfalls, then read it a second time very slowly and distinctly, and finally read it a third time as dramatically as you can.
• Meet individually with students to listen to them recite their pieces and/or have them record it for you digitally. Just before contest, have them recite it in front of the class to get used to doing it in front of an audience.

This event is submitted and judged virtually. The entry is due one week prior to contest day. Websites will be updated each year to reflect the submission due dates.  Instructions for uploading the entry will be published on the contest website and/or distributed to teachers each year.

Entry Limit: 3 contestants per event (Poetry & Prose), per level (Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4), per school

Length and Time Limits:

• Level 1:  16-24 lines OR 1-2 min.
• Level 2:  20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 min.
• Levels 3 & 4:  24-46 lines OR 2-3 min.

The selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in German.  It may not be a translation from a non-German speaking author, even if it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g., Kishon. Piece may be edited to fit time or line limits.  Poetry/Prose Reading is judged on the basis of reading and not on any interpretation by the contestant, other than the use of voice changes, eye contact, facial expressions, and some use of hands.  No props or costumes may be used.  The contestant may not walk around.  The title of the selection and the author must be listed along with the name of the student performing it on the alphabetical student list at the time of registration.  

Prose Reading selections may not be used as Prose Memory selections or vice versa by the same person. A student also may not perform the same poem or prose selection that he/she has performed in any previous year.

Click here to download the critique sheet for Poetry Reading.

Click here to download the critique sheet for Prose Reading.

Submission Process:

1. Record yourself reading the selection (or have someone else record you). Don’t forget to say the title and author. You may do as many “takes” as you want until you’re satisfied with the result, but the submitted recording must be a single continuous unedited take, not a spliced-together compilation of the best parts of multiple takes.
2. Upload the video of your reading to YouTube or Vimeo.
3. Create a single Word document or Google Doc, etc. with the full text of the selection, including title and author.  To get the text of your reading selection into the document, you can cut and paste it if you have access to an electronic version of the piece or simply take a (clear!) picture or pictures of the text if you are working from a hard copy and paste the picture(s) into the document.
4. Include a title page with your name, your school, the name and level of the event, e.g., “Poetry Reading 2,” and a hyperlink to your YouTube/Vimeo recording. **If you are concerned about privacy and want to password-protect your video, include the password with the hyperlink in the document.
5. Convert this document to a PDF file and upload it according to the instructions provided. Do NOT upload the video itself; the judges will access your video via the link that you include in the PDF.

Preparation Tips: Practice speaking confidently! Have your copy of your piece in a sturdy folder so you’re not standing there holding a floppy piece of paper. Make sure to SAY THE TITLE AND AUTHOR before you start reciting, and try to make at least occasional eye contact with the camera during your piece.

Teacher Tips:

• Create a collection of suitable poems and prose pieces.  Number the lines on each piece.  Arrange your collection by length, if you print them and put them in a binder. If you judge one of these categories at contest, keep your judges’ copies for your bank!
• Build a collection of digital recordings of the pieces, either read by you or a native speaker. You can use Audacity or another recording software. One suggestion is that when making a recording, first read the piece through once “normally,” then go through the entire piece explaining the literal meaning and any insights you have about interpretation plus highlighting common pronunciation pitfalls, then read it a second time very slowly and distinctly, and finally read it a third time as dramatically as you can.
• Meet individually with students to listen to them recite their pieces and/or have them record it for you digitally. 

Here are some examples of useful anthologies or sources of German poetry:

• The Penguin Book of German Verse, ed. Leonard Forster, ISBN 0-14-058546-X
• Deutsche Gedichte: Von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, ed. Benno von Wiese, ISBN 3-464-57000-2 (Cornelsen)
• Listen & Enjoy German Poetry (book and CD), ISBN 978-0486996721
• This site has several modern authors and each includes a pdf version of a Leseprobe as well. http://www.litrix.de/buecher/belletristik/deindex.htm

Many thanks to Christopher Wickham and Silke Schade, UTSA and Evelyn Saucier, retired from Westwood HS, for compiling the following list of ideas. 

Poetry Level 1:

• Der Panther (Reading)
• Einen Brief soll ich schreiben  (Reading)
• Sachliche Romanze (Reading)
• Fallersleben: Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit (Memory)
• Du (Memory)
• Erziehung (Memory)

Poetry Level 2 or 3:

• Heine: Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch
• Hofmannsthal: Was ist die Welt?
• Rilke: Herbsttag
• Lasker-Schüler: Mein blaues Klavier
• Van Hoddis: Weltende
• Kästner: Sachliche Romanze
• Der erste Schnee (Reading – Level 2)
• Mein  Kind (Reading – Level 2)
• Hund und Katze (Reading – Level 2)
• Max und Moritz  (Memory – Level 2)
• Wer sagt das Mädchen (Memory – Level 2)
• Mein Bär (Memory – Level 2)
• Mein Berlin  (Reading – Level 3)
• Wiegenlied  (Reading – Level 3)
• Nachtgedanken  (Reading – Level 3)
• Mein Kind wir waren Kinder   (Memory – Level 3)
• Traum und Leben   (Memory – Level 3)
• Der Werwolf   (Memory – Level 3)

Poetry Level 4:

• Heine: Die Wanderratten
• Bachmann: Nebelland
• Trakl: De Profundis
• Droste: Am Turme
• Die Granadiere (Reading)
• Handstand auf der Lorelei  (Reading)
• Handschuh  (Reading)
• Das Karussell (Memory)
• Die Teilung der Erde (Memory)
• Willkommen und Abschied (Memory)

Here are some examples of useful anthologies or sources of German prose:

• Kurzgeschichten (Cideb), ISBN 978-88-530-0052-1
• Lesehefte: 55 gewöhnliche und ungewöhnliche, auf jeden Fall aber kurze and Kürzestgeschichten (Klett), ISBN 3-12-261070-1
• Collections of short stories by Franz Hohler or Heinrich Hannover
• The following link has a list and articles about several new(er) German authors. The articles will give teachers an idea what to expect, and a link at the bottom of each article often include a Leseprobe. http://www.goethe.de/ins/eg/prj/mal/jda/dtl/deindex.htm

Many thanks to Christopher Wickham and Silke Schade, UTSA and Evelyn Saucier, retired from Westwood HS, for compiling the following list of ideas. 

Prose Level 1:

• Grimm: Der süße Brei
• Grimm: Die Sterntaler
• Bichsel: Der Milchmann
• Özdamar: Ein japanisches Sprichwort sagt…
• Purzelhans (Reading)
• Der süße Brei  (Reading)
• Der Bauer und der Esel (Reading)
• Der  Schulinspector zu Besuch (Memory)
• Der Bauer und der Dieb (Memory)
• Alis Probleme (Memory)

Prose Level 2:

• Ein schlechter Tag (Reading)
• Friedrich und der Kaffee (Reading)
• Friedrich der Große und Mendelssohn  (Reading)
• Friedrich der Große  (Memory)
• Kannitverstan  (Memory)
• Münchhausens Abenteuer  (Memory)

Prose Level 3:

• Emil  (Reading)
• Der König von Sachsen  (Reading)
• Das Loch im Strumpf (Reading)
• Der Arzt erzählt  (Memory)
• Gutes Wort, Böse Tat   (Memory)
• Schildbürger und Dummheiten   (Memory)

Prose Level 4:

• Das steinerne Brot  (Reading)
• Der Bauer und der Teufel  (Reading)
• Das Verlorene Gesicht  (Reading)
• Sterntaler  (Memory)
• Martin Luther  (Memory)
• Wie Eulenspiegel auf dem Seil lief  (Memory)