Having been born and brought up in Germany, I moved to England in 1967, where I have lived and worked ever since.
 
My academic qualifications are:

1958: B.A. in American literature and American history (Fulbright scholar at Truman State University, Mo., USA)
1960: Fellow of Salzburg Seminar in American Studies, Salzburg, Austria
1965: first state examination in philosophy and English (University of Bonn, distinction)
1967: Dr. phil. in philosophy (University of Bonn, magna cum laude)
1984: M. Phil. in German studies (University of Bath)

While my 3 children were small, I worked as a freelance translator of philosophical publications and as part-time lecturer in German at Bristol University. In 1976 I joined the University of the West of England (then Bristol Polytechnic) as a lecturer. 20 years later, I was awarded a personal chair in German studies and took on the post of Director of Research for the Faculty of Modern Languages and European Studies, which I held until my retirement in 2002. Prior to eventually being made Emeritus Professor, I was awarded the title of Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences. 

My external roles have included:

Founder Member of Association for Modern German Studies (AMGS) (1983)
Panel Member of AMGS (1983 - 2003)
15 external examinerships at universities in Great Britain and Ireland
membership of :
the UK Heads of German Steering Group (1994-2001)
the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Panel for German and Related Languages in the UK (1995-96)
the British Arts and Humanities Research Board / Council (AHRB/AHRC) for Languages and Linguistics (2002-2005)
Specialist Adviser to the RAE Panel for German and Related Languages in the UK (2001)
Chair of Women in German Studies (WIGS) (1995-2001)
Member of Advisory Board of the electronic journal German as a Foreign Language (2000 - )