An introduction to important periods and problems of nation-building, state-formation, and democratization in Germany from the 19th to the 21st century in a comparative European context. The main periods cover the pre-unification era before 1871, Imperial Germany, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Divided Germany after World War II, and the new United Germany. The main focus is on various concepts and models of state, nationhood and democratization. Using examples from France, Poland and particularly Germany, the course aims to explain the nation building process.
Learning outcomes:
Students should be able to:
Identify the most important periods and problems in nation building, state formation and democratization in Germany starting at the 19th century. Especially important is the ability to see and understand the link between unity and freedom in Germany’s nation-building.
Understand what the German nation is, what constitutes it and how the German state was formed.
Analyze what a German is, what German citizenship means and how it is defined.
Understand the link between national sovereignty in a European context and supranational organizations.
Method of presentation:
The course is based on a mix of lectures, discussions in class, excursions, and visual materials such as film.
Points of Interest to the German nation building process, such as „Wilhelmstrasse“ – a political center of the German Reich, will be visited and followed by an analysis of the decisions that were made there.
Students will have assigned readings, which are important for discussion.
Excursion to the German Historic Museum and its permanent exhibition of German History. We will particularly focus on the discussion about the self-images of the German nation.
Required work and form of assessment:
Written Exams: Mid-term and Final
Students will write two-three short papers
Active participation in class and discussions
An oral presentation on selected topics
The final grade is based on the Mid-term 20%, Final 25%, written work 25%, oral participation and presentation 30%. Class attendance is required.
content:
Germany and the National Question. Why was the Division of Germany a problem?
Political and Cultural Nationalism. Napoleon’s France and the Germans and why this legacy is important today.
Nation-State and National Identity. Bismarck and the German Reich. War at the Beginning and the End of the German Reich.
Nation and Republic. Weimar Republic as an Attempt to bring together Democracy and the German Nation-State.
Dictatorship and the National Question: the End of the German Nation-State. Hitler and the national Catastrophe.
Divided Germany: Two States – One Nation. Bonn is not Weimar. The East German State was Part of Germany
The Year 1989: The End of Communism and the Democratization of the GDR. German Unification.
Democratization and German Unification. Institutions of Germany – Importance and Responsibilities. Why is Berlin the German Capital and not Bonn or Weimar?
National Identity between Nationalism and Constitutional Patriotism. Basic Law – the Constitution of Unified Germany.
Citizenship, Ius soli, Ius sanguinis and Naturalization. What is a German and what is German citizenship?
Nation and Democracy. Democracy in Germany - a long way to the West?
Nation-State and European Unification. The Necessity of the integration of Germany in the EU. A German Europe or a European Germany?
Required readings:
Reader: Nation Building and Democratization from the 19th to the 21st Century: Germany between Western and Eastern Europe, 2007.
Dann, Otto. Nation und Nationalismus in Deutschland 1770-1990. München: Beck, 1993.
Görtemaker, Manfred. Deutschland im 19. Jahrhundert. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 1994.
Gruner, Wolfgang. Die deutsche Frage in Europa. München: DTV, 1993.
Kleßmann, Christoph. Die doppelte Staatsgründung. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 1991.
Kleßmann, Christoph. Zwei Staaten, eine Nation. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 1988.
An introduction to important periods and problems of nation-building, state-formation, and democratization in Germany from the 19th to the 21st century in a comparative European context. The main periods cover the pre-unification era before 1871, Imperial Germany, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Divided Germany after World War II, and the new United Germany. The main focus is on various concepts and models of state, nationhood and democratization. Using examples from France, Poland and particularly Germany, the course aims to explain the nation building process.
Students should be able to:
The final grade is based on the Mid-term 20%, Final 25%, written work 25%, oral participation and presentation 30%. Class attendance is required.