German Literature and Language were studied as part of the Medieval and Modern Languages Tripos first examined in 1886. The tripos was renamed the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos in 1917. The Department was established in the early twentieth century. It has been part of the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty since 1926. The Schröder Professorship of German was endowed by a benefaction of £20,000 offered by Messrs J. H. Schröder and Co., accepted by grace of 28 October 1909. Income from the fund in excess of that required for the stipend, which was not to exceed £800, was added to a fund for the furtherance and study of the German Language and Literature in the University in any way recommended by the General Board and approved by the Senate. In 1913, Otto Beit gave £2000 for the purchase of German books to form a departmental library, together with £1000 of securites to defray the cost of regular purchases thereafter. The Beit Library was to be under the supervision of the Schröder Professor.