European Studies 213 - All the Glitter and the Gold: Decadence and Destruction in Weimar Germany

(Offered as GERM 214, EUST 213) In this course, we will explore the complex history, contested legacy, and contemporary resonance of Weimar Germany, from the murder of Rosa Luxemburg in 1919 to Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. Was this dynamic interregnum in Germany’s political history merely a prelude to catastrophe, or can we understand it instead as a site of daring political and social experimentation in which radically different visions of democracy, authority, mass politics, and public welfare were all negotiated? Reading and watching widely across primary sources, including films, essays, speeches, news articles, and novels, we will explore this tumultuous 15 year period. Conducted in English, with German majors required to do a substantial portion of the reading in German.

Fall semester: Visiting Professor Catherine McNally.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: close reading of texts and visual materials; careful analysis of historical, literary, and cultural sources; and regular reading and viewing assignments. The course places an emphasis on critical thinking, analytical writing, and sustained written work, as well as active participation in class discussion and occasional oral presentations. Students are expected to engage thoughtfully with complex ideas, support their interpretations with evidence from course materials, and consider how cultural texts reflect and respond to their historical and social contexts.