History 234 - Nazi Germany

(Offered as HIST 234 and EUST 234) This class is an introduction to the history of Nazi Germany from 1933-1945. Through readings and class discussion, we will cover topics such as the Holocaust, Nazi ideology and aesthetics, daily life in the Third Reich, women under Nazism, Nazi foreign policy and World War II, and the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial.  In addition, we will discuss themes that range well beyond the Nazi dictatorship: What is the relationship between aesthetics and politics?  How do dictatorships function?  What constitutes political resistance?  How and why do regimes engage in mass murder?  We will examine a wide variety of primary-source documents (including films, memoirs, and diaries), as well as secondary historical accounts of the Nazi era. Two class meetings per week.

Limited to 30 students. Spring semester. Professor Epstein.

How to handle overenrollment: History majors, then seniors, juniors, and so on

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: The course will involve significant writing assignments, including 2-3 analytical papers, and one ten-page research paper. Attendance and participation in all class sections are required.