Charles H. Helmetag *68

Charles died Sept. 1, 2025, in Newtown Square, Pa.

Born April 7, 1935, in Camden, N.J., he earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1957, an M.A. in German literature from the University of Kentucky in 1959, and his Ph.D. in German language and literature from Princeton in 1968. He studied at the Georg August Universität in Göttingen on a Fulbright grant.

Charles taught at Purdue University for two years before joining the Villanova Modern Languages and Literatures faculty in 1964, retiring in 2011. He taught all levels from introductory German to graduate courses in 19th- and 20th-century literature. He published essays on Brecht, Frisch, Hasenclever, Heyse, and Schnitzler, and presented papers at literature and film conferences in Europe, North America, Australia, and Japan.

Charles was involved in the American Association of Teachers of German, the Modern Language Association, and the Internationale Vereinigung für Germanistik. He served on the executive council of the Northeast Modern Language Association and as a reviewer for Literature/Film Quarterly. He performed in theatrical productions at Villanova and as an extra in Martin Scorsese’s film The Age of Innocence.

Predeceased by his wife Ruth, Charles is survived by children Steven and Diana, and four grandchildren.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.