HS/PO 351 - Struggles for Democracy: A History of Modern Germany

Germany´s path to democracy has been marked by revolutions, wars, divisions, and (re)unifications. Drawing an arc from the failed 1848 revolutions to today’s unified federal democracy, this course offers a history of modern Germany with a focus on Germany’s democratic struggles. Through academic coursework, site visits, and a methodology workshop, students will trace continuities and ruptures, dead-ends and evolutionsthat have shaped Germany’s history of democracy and continue to reverberate in today’s Germany. Rather than providing a complete overview of German history, students will explore periods and moments in German history that define the nation’s path towards democracy and unity, starting from the revolutions of 18148-49 to the rise and fall of the German Empire, the evolution and dissolution of the Weimar Republic, Nazi dictatorship, post-war division with two German state models, and the emergence of a reunified Germany and its ongoing challenges. At the same time, students will tackle the relationship of government and opposition, the role of political parties and movements, the place of women in Germany’s democratic struggle, and the resiliency of today’s democratic system. Berlin, a city that has witnessed dictatorship and liberation, division and unification,serves as the perfect backdrop for understanding this turbulent history. Designed for students interested in history and politics, this course provides a unique opportunity to examine Germany’s democratic struggles, analyze the emergence of Germany’s current political system, its impetus and contestations, and foster a deeper understanding of contemporary challenges to democracy worldwide