The course introduces the history of relations between Germans and Jews. Emphasis will be put on the time from 1871 through the 20th century, and into the present. The conditions of Jewish life will be regarded against the backdrop of changing political, cultural, and social circumstances in Germany. We will discuss questions such as: What was the German way of the Jewish Emancipation? What led to the ethnic cleansing of German and European Jews by the Nazis? How has the relation between Jews and Germans after 1945 and the German reunification of 1990 respectively changed? Is there a renaissance of Jewish culture and life taking place today? What roles do xenophobia and anti- Semitism continue to place in society?
Prerequisites:
None
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
Understand that there is a 2000 year-old German-Jewish history, which cannot simply be reduced to the Holocaust. In fact, there are many periods in history where Germans and Jews lived in peace together, as well as times where religious and cultural differences existed.
Speak about what led to the Holocaust and other attempts to eradicate the Jews.
Understand what led to a post-1945 democratic Germany and the role the Allies played.
Analyze why there has been a Jewish Renaissance since 1990, what problems there are for modern Jews in Germany, how this plays out politically, and what this has meant for the minority.
Understand that Anti-Semitism has a long history in Europe, and what problems this poses today.
Method of presentation:
The class will consist of a mixture of lectures, discussions, excursions and film screenings.
Independent work and oral participation are especially important.
The important contemporary and historical Jewish sites will be visited (New Synagogue, Oranienburger Strasse, Centrum Judaicum, Jewish Museum).
We will also visit monuments to Jewish history, rebellion and persecution in Berlin. The central questions during these trips should be what purpose they serve/ who are they for? When, why and by who were they built? Participants will discuss their ideas in class and present the outcome in small groups.
Students are also required to read short texts for each class, which will be distributed in the form of a reader.
Required work and form of assessment:
Exams: There will be both a written Midterm and Final exam where the topics of the entire course will be covered.
Oral Assessment: Student participation will be considered and will be assessed. In addition each student must do a presentation to self-chosen topic.
Written work: Two short essays – one topic chosen by the student and the other to be given in conjunction with one of the excursions – and also to be turned in.
The goals of the course will be reached through the mixture of teaching methods described here as well as the transparent grading procedure, which are closely related to one another. The final grade is based on: Midterm (20%), written work (25%) and Final (25%), Oral participation and presentation (30%).
content:
Introduction. From living together, against one another and next to one another: German and Jewish Life.
The Emancipation of the Jews in Germany: From the Enlightenment of Moses Mendelsohn to emancipation as a German citizen.
From Jewish Life in the German Empire to the End of World War I. Reforms and Emancipation of the Social and Political Position of the Jews.
From religious to racist Anti-Semitism: Hatred of the Jews and the origin and development of Zionism.
Jews in Politics, Culture and Science during the Weimar Republic.
National Socialism and the Holocaust: The Rise of Hitler, Racial Anti-Semitism.
The Process of Social Exclusion and discrimination to isolation and persecution.
World War II and the extermination of the Jews in Europe: The Jewish Rebellion (‘Baum’ Group and the German-Jewish rebellion, Women’s Protest on Rosenstrasse).
Jewish life in Germany from 1945 to 1989.
We’re back! Jewish life since 1990 in the reunited Germany: The end of the seeking redress and Germany’s reconciliation with Israel.
Current topics on the German-Jewish relationship, German self-image and Jewish Self-confirmation.
The connection between racism, xenophobia and Anti-Semitism today and in the Past.
Required readings:
READER: Deutsche und Juden, Ausgewählte Texte. IES Berlin, 2007.
Recommended readings:
Benz, Wolfgang/ Bergmann, Werner (Hrsg.). Vorurteil und Völkermord. Entwicklungslinien des Antisemitismus. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung 1997.
Gay, Ruth. Geschichte der Juden in Deutschland: Von der Römerzeit bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg. München 1993.
Longerich, Peter. “Davon haben wir nichts gewusst!“ Die Deutschen und die Judenverfolgung 1933-1945. München: Siedler 2006.
Nachama, Andreas/ Schoeps, Julius H./ Simon, Hermann (Hrsg.). Juden in Berlin. Berlin: Henschel 2001.
Schneider, Richard Chaim. Wir sind da! Die Geschichte der Juden in Deutschland von 1945 bis heute. Berlin: Siedler 2000.
The course introduces the history of relations between Germans and Jews. Emphasis will be put on the time from 1871 through the 20th century, and into the present. The conditions of Jewish life will be regarded against the backdrop of changing political, cultural, and social circumstances in Germany. We will discuss questions such as: What was the German way of the Jewish Emancipation? What led to the ethnic cleansing of German and European Jews by the Nazis? How has the relation between Jews and Germans after 1945 and the German reunification of 1990 respectively changed? Is there a renaissance of Jewish culture and life taking place today? What roles do xenophobia and anti- Semitism continue to place in society?
None
By the end of the course, students are able to:
The goals of the course will be reached through the mixture of teaching methods described here as well as the transparent grading procedure, which are closely related to one another. The final grade is based on: Midterm (20%), written work (25%) and Final (25%), Oral participation and presentation (30%).
READER: Deutsche und Juden, Ausgewählte Texte. IES Berlin, 2007.