COURSE SCHEDULE
Topics and Readings

Readings are required. They should be completed by the start of the class of the day for which they are assigned.
Indicates Click here to link to questions for the discussion.

Friday, August 27: Introduction

Part 1: Nazi-Germany and the Holocaust

To learn more about Nazi-Germany click on Hitler's Germany To learn more about the Holocaust click on US Holocaust Memorial Museum or on  Yad Vashem Memorial Site

Monday, August 30: Nazism: The Ascension to Power, Ideology & Politics
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 1-5, 7-22
Tuesday August 31: Film: "Triumph of the Will" "The Lion King"
Wednesday, September 1: Nazi Culture
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 26-40
Friday, September 3: World War II
Read: Hoffmeister, 41-50

Monday, September 6: No Class - Labor Day
Tuesday, September 7: Film: "Europa, Europa" 
Wednesday, September 8: Continuation of film: "Europa, Europa"/ Discussion of film and readings
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 45-50 & Lipstadt, Washington Post (copy)
Friday, September 10: What is genocide? Why study the Holocaust? How does this relate to me?
Read: Marrus, pp. 9-25 (copy)

Monday, September 13: Group presentations: Holocaust Literature

• Anne Frank: The Diary (2 groups)
• Elie Wiesel: Night (1 group)
• Primo Levi: Survival in Auschwitz (1 groups)
• Art Spiegelman: Maus (1 groups)

Essay 1: Write a reflection paper on the Holocaust and your visit to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. (Due on Monday, September 20)

Monday, September 20: Guestspeaker: Dr. Armin Mruck, Towson University. Topic: 60th Anniversary of the Plot to Assassinate Hitler (July 20, 1944)
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 50-65
Evening Film and Pizza: "Copenhagen," 6 p.m. in Decker Auditorium
Tuesday, September 21: Film: "The White Rose"
Wednesday, September 22: Discussion of "Copenhagen" and "White Rose"
Friday, September 24: Exam 1: Hoffmeister, Chapter I, pp. 1-65

Part 2: From Devastation to Economic Miracle

To learn more about German history after WWII click on German-Information-Center then click on History or  click on Germany History after 1945 and then click on Lectures 33-40

Monday, September 27: The immediate postwar years: The "Zero Hour"
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 67-84
Tuesday, September 28: Film: "The Marriage of Maria Brown" Part 1
Wednesday, September 29: Occupation and Division of Germany
Read: Fulbrook, pp. 204-211 (handout)
Friday, October 1: Film: The history of Germany 1945-1949

Monday, October 4: Era of reconstruction: Personalities and the Economic Miracle
Read: Hoffmeister, 99-108
Tuesday, October 5: Film: "The Marriage of Maria Brown" Part 2
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 137-149
Wednesday, October 6: Discussion of film and readings
Friday, October 8: Exam 2: Hoffmeister, Chapter II&III, pages 67-84, 99-108, and 137-149 and handout by Fulbrook

Part 3: The Cold War: From Berlin Wall to the early Eighties

To learn more about The Cold War click on Germany During the Cold War and then click on Lectures for January 20, January 27and February 3. To learn more about the Student Rebellion, Violence, Terrorism click on Baader-Meinhof

Monday, October 11: The Erection of the Berlin Wall, The Student Rebellion
Read: Gordon, pp. 184-189 (handout)
Tuesday, October 12: Violence, the Police and the Yellow Press
Film: "The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum" or "Marianne and Julianne"
Wednesday, October 13: Discussion of film and readings
Read: Hoffmeister, 159-179
Friday, October 15: No Class: Submit your 2. essay by 2 p.m.

Write Essay 2: Compare the '68 student movements in the USA and Germany. (Due on Friday, October 15)

October 18 and 19: Fall Break - No classes

Wednesday, October 20: Germany and Europe
Read: Hoffmeister, 108-115 and handouts
Friday, October 22: Internet activity: Explore the EU on the Internet

Part 4: The German Democratic Republic: The Other Germany

To learn more about the history of the German Democratic Republic click on GDR History and then click on Lectures for February 3 and 12 Adolf Hoffmann has a very good site with pictures. (Chapter 1-6) If you are interested in information on life in Berlin during the wall click on Life in Berlin in 1983 On Nazi and East German Propaganda click on Propaganda

Monday, October 25: The German Democratic Republic: The Other Germany
Read: Thomas, pp. 203-232 (handout)
Tuesday, October 26: Internet or Film on the GDR
Wednesday, October 27: Guest Speaker: Politics and Culture of East Germany
Friday, October 29: Women and Socialism
Read: Irene Böhme: Women and Socialism: Four Interviews (handout)

Part 5: Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Coming to Terms with the Past)

Monday, November 1: "Vergangenheitsbewältigung" (coming to terms with the past)
Read: Bernhard Schlink: The Reader - Part 1 (pages 3-83)
Tuesday, November 2: Film: "The Nasty Girl"
Read: Hoffmeister, pp. 95-98; 211-213; 243-251, and handouts
Wednesday, November 3: Discussion of film and readings
Friday, November 5: Coping with the past in The Reader "The Reader"
Read: Bernhard Schlink: The Reader - Part 2 (pages 87-218)

Write Essay 3 discussing the topic "Coping with the past in The Reader and The Nasty Girl" (Due on Monday, November 8)

Part 6: Unification and Germany Today

To learn more about German Unification click on A. Hoffmann's page Unification 1990 and check out chapters 7-10.  A. Hoffmann has also a web site 5 years after Unification. Check also the following sites on the Berlin Wall: A Personal Account of The Fall of the Berlin Wall A short history of the wall. Links about the wall. A collection o essays and pictures. For more recent information on Germany and especially a weekly radio program, click on Germany Today Radio and make sure you have the Audio RealPlayer installed. Install RealPlayer

Monday, November 8: History of Unification
Read: Hoffmeister, 253-265 and handouts
Film: "The Wall" Germany 1961-1989
Tuesday, November 9: From Division to Unification: The Wall as a Movie
Film: "The Promise"
Wednesday, November 10: Discussion of film and materials
Friday, November 12: The aftermath of German unification
Read: Hoffmeister, 265-275

Choose a topic, write and turn in paper proposal for final essay on Monday, November 15 (1 paragraph, typed! Post it on Blackboard!)

Monday, November 15: Guestspeaker: Youth Culture in Germany Today
Tuesday, November 16: Film: "Goodbye Lenin," a film about young people from former "East Germany"
Wednesday, November 17: Exam 3: Hoffmeister, Chapter IV, V, VI and handouts
Friday, November 18: Meet in groups of 3 with Steph to discuss your 2. group presentations

Monday, November 22: History of German Americans
Tuesday, November 23: Internet Activity on German Americans

Turn in first draft of final essay by November 23

November 24-28: Thanksgiving recess

Monday, November 29: Conference with individual students to discuss your paper draft; Steph meets with groups to discuss their 2. group presentation

Tuesday, November 30: Group presentations II: (Facts about Germany, 394-496 or in Cultural Life, pp. 11-234

• Group 1: Literature, Fine Arts and Music
• Group 2: Theater, Film and Television
• Group 3: Customs and Festivals

Wednesday, December 1: Group 4: German School System
Friday, December 3: Group 5: Guestworkers and Minorities in Germany

Turn in final draft of final essay by Monday December 6

Monday, December 6: Internet Activity: St. Nicholas Day in German-speaking Countries
Tuesday, December 7: Guest speaker or Film
Wednesday, December 9: Review, Evaluation and Reflection
Friday, December 10: No class