Continuing a tradition that dates back more than 30 years, Berkeley's German Department is proud to present contemporary authors from German-speaking countries. Some of the famous authors who have given readings at Berkeley include, in the 1960s and 70s, Günter Grass and Heinrich Böll (both later Nobel Price winners), Peter Handke, Heiner Müller and Walter Kempowski. In the early 1980s, Martin Walser taught German conversation (!) here and fictionalized his Berkeley experience in the best-selling novel of 1985, Brandung. Christa Wolf, Monika Maron, Adolph Muschg, and Gabriele Wohmann also came to Berkeley in the 1980s. More recent visitors include Durs Grünbein, Cees Nooteboom, Jeanette Landers, Meike Wetzel, David Wagner, Tobias Hülswitt, Thomas Hettche, Zafer Senocak, and Hans-Jürgen Treichel. In Spring 2004, readings are scheduled by Hugo Loetscher, Esther Dischereit, and Gregor Hens. The department is especially proud of two of its own Ph.D.s (both of them in Germanic linguistics) who became celebrated and critically acclaimed writers: Herbert Genzmer and Gregor Hens.