Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of major debates concerning the history of late-nineteenth and twentieth century Germany. Themes may include the nature of German modernity, interpretations of the Third Reich, or German memory after the Second World War. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 401 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught.

COURSE DETAILS:

The Holocaust: Origins, Implementation, Legacy

This seminar explores one of the seminal events of the modern era, the Holocaust. We will seek to answer four main questions over the semester: what conditions made the Holocaust possible? How was the Holocaust implemented? Where did the Holocaust happen? How has the Holocaust’s legacy evolved over time, including into the twenty-first century?

This genocide is a central part of modern German history, but its contours extend beyond Germany as well. As we examine the Holocaust, we will pay particular attention not only to its historical context but also to its geography: the physical places and spaces where the genocide was carried out, and where it is remembered. Other subjects we will explore include racism and antisemitism in Europe; the impact of the First World War’s violence and dehumanization on its participants; the rise of Nazism in Germany and legalized discrimination against Jews; the outbreak of the Second World War; deportation, ghettoization, and the evolution of a “final solution”; the relationship between war and genocide; the experience of the Holocaust as determined by gender and age; post-war attempts to deliver justice; public discussions of collective memory and memorialization; and the evolution of Holocaust and genocide studies as a field of study.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: