Course Syllabus Fall, 2017
History 240 Nazi Germany
Location/Time: SSHE 211, TTh, 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
3 Credits
Prof. Daniel Franke
Office:
SSHE 131
Phone:
804-862-6100 ext. 8580
Email:
dfranke@rbc.edu
Office Hours:
WF, 1-2 pm; T-Th, 8:30-9:20 a.m.
Course Description:
Three hours lecture; three credits. A survey of the history of Nazi Germany, beginning with the context
of 19th-century Europe, Imperial Germany, and World War I, and ending with the debates over the
meaning and memory of the regime after its defeat in 1945. Students will consider in particular the way
the Nazi Party gained political power, maintained control, and implemented policies of terror and
genocide with the complicity and cooperation of Germans and peoples throughout Europe. Finally,
students will consider how the military, society, industry, and individuals were implicated in the
Holocaust and how the memory of these horrific events has been debated since 1945.
Course Objectives:
• To prepare you for university transfer by studying the past in the liberal arts tradition.
• To develop a working knowledge of Nazi Germany, how it came to be, how it functioned, and
its significance to modern history.
• To develop critical thinking and reading abilities through questions, debate, discussion,
activities, source analysis, and written argument.
• To develop a spirit of inquiry and appreciation of the historical method that you can use to
inform and enrich your life and studies.
Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
• Understand the origins, narrative, and ends of the Nazi movement, the Nazi state, and the
Holocaust.
• Identify key dates, names, places, events, ideas, and movements in the history of Nazi
Germany.
• Evaluate a variety of historical sources on Nazi Germany for their credibility, position, and
perspective.
• Identify major interpretations of the Nazi State and the Holocaust (historiography).
• Conduct historical research using primary and secondary sources.
Required Texts and Resources:
• [Book] Wolfgang Benz, A Concise History of the Third Reich.
• [Book] Christopher Browning, Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final
Solution in Poland
• [Other Readings] PDF files or weblinks to online readings
• [Media] Documentaries, informational videos, etc.
Note: YOU SHOULD BRING THE REQUIRED TEXTBOOK TO ALL CLASS MEETINGS!
Course Requirements:
This course requires you to attend class regularly, participate in class, complete three writing
assignments of increasing complexity, complete four discussion-based classes, and complete a final
exam consisting of a digital presentation.
The following are required assignments. You must complete all of these in order to pass the course, if
you are taking the course for credit:
Paper 1 WW1 and Weimar
225 points
Paper 2 The Nazi State
225
Paper 3 War and Genocide
450
Final Exam
300
Historical argument with at least six primary source
examples supported by secondary source analysis
2000 words
Research and write a historical argument with at least six
primary source examples supported by secondary source
analysis and external research
2000 words
Research and write a historical argument with twelve primary
source examples, secondary source analysis support, a
counter-argument, and external research
4000 words
Complete a multiple-choice exam and a digital presentation;
present part of that presentation
Attendance Policy:
Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. Each student is allowed absences
without penalty for the number of hours equal to the contact hours for a course. For example, a student
is allowed three (3) hours of absence from a three (3) credit hour class. It is the responsibility of the
student to make up missed work for such absences; and being absent does not excuse a student from the
responsibility to complete any work or assignment on time.
Students more than 15 minutes late may be counted as absent. Further, if a student enters the class late,
it is their responsibility to make sure the professor adjusts their attendance. The professor will not stop
class activities to go adjust the roster. Students absent for more than the three (3) absences allowed will
lose ten (10) points per absence off the final class grade, and may be dropped from the class.
Classroom Behavior:
• A significant part of your course grade consists of “participation.”
• These points are entirely at my discretion, and reflect my evaluation of your behavior in class.
• Remember, when you’re in class, you are constantly being evaluated. It may not look like it, but
I’m constantly reading, assessing, and noting your behavior.
• Simply showing up doesn’t get you points—professional behavior does! This is basically
common-sense stuff: don’t carry on side conversations with your friends, don’t blatantly ignore
either the my lecture or your comrades’ discussions or contributions to the class, and so on.
Electronic Devices and Technology
•
Electronic devices can be very useful, or very disruptive.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use of electronic devices is not banned per se; we will be using technology a lot in this class.
However: I reserve the right to ban electronic devices if I feel it is necessary to preserve an
effective learning environment in the classroom.
And, importantly: If your use of electronic devices is disruptive, you will be dismissed from the
classroom and fail your participation grade for that session.
• “Disruptive” here means, but is not limited to, being visibly distracted from the
conversation, lecture, or other activities of class due to content on your screen, and
playing sounds on your device.
• If you are dismissed three times in the semester, you will automatically fail the
course.
No wearing headphones
No cellphones out, unless being used for a classroom assignment.
After three infractions, students will fail the course.
Special Education Needs
Please notify me if you have any special education needs; the class will be fully educational for
everyone, without exception. Your and my responsibilities are spelled out in the Office of Special
Services guidelines: http://www.rbc.edu/student-handbook/x-compliance/
Grading:
• The following scale represents the letter and number equivalents used for assignments:
A
100% to 90%
B
< 90% to 80%
C
< 80% to 70%
D
< 70% to 60%
F
< 60% to 0%
• The final grade is calculated based on the following percentages:
Participation
150
10%
Paper 1 WW1 and Weimar
225
15%
Paper 2 Nazi State
225
15%
Paper 3 War and Genocide
450
30%
Discussion Classes
150
10%
Final Exam
300
20%
______________________
________
___
Total
1500 points
100%
Papers and Digital Projects
• There are three papers and one digital project required to pass the class, as discussed above.
• The first two papers must incorporate the assigned book chapters for that unit or block, as well
as at least 50% of all materials on the syllabus and covered in class. These materials are
described in detail in the individual paper assignments. You are also expected to consult
primary and secondary sources, as specified in the assignments.
• Length: The first two papers will be of 2000 words, minimum, each. The third paper will be
minimum 4,000 words.
• All papers will be submitted electronically through TurnItIn via Canvas.
• The three papers together account for 60% of your grade.
•
•
•
There will be several in-class digital exercises that students will construct in class, to help
construct useful materials in support of the papers.
The final exam project will build on the techniques learned in the digital exercises during the
semester.
The digital project portion of the final exam counts for 20% of your grade. It will reflect on a
specific question or questions that come from your research.
Late Work:
• There are no “quizzes” per se, though I may decide that it is necessary to give quizzes should
class preparation seem to be lacking.
• The readings and materials listed should be completed by the date listed on the schedule.
• This is necessary for your successful completion of the paper assignments, so if you do
not prepare it is actually your loss.
• However, if you arrive class not having prepared the materials, you will receive a
“zero” for participation for that class. You should stay, however, to obtain whatever
benefit you can from the materials and concepts covered.
• Paper assignments: Late papers (papers not submitted at the *start* of class) may be submitted
up to two class periods late. They lose 10% of the assignment points per class period late.
Papers will not be accepted, except on a case-by-case basis, after 2 late class periods.
Final Examination:
The final exam for this course will consist of a presentation of a digital project that you
Important Dates:
• August 14
• August 18
• September 4
• October 7-10
• October 27
• November 22
• November 23-26
• December 4
• December 7
Fall Classes Begin
End of add/drop period
Labor Day; no classes
Fall Recess
Last day to drop/audit or withdraw from College without academic penalty
No classes
Thanksgiving Recess
Last day of classes
Final Exam
Changes to the Syllabus:
The professor reserves the right to alter the syllabus during the course of the semester in order to
respond the needs of the class or to any unforeseen circumstances.
Academic Honesty:
• Students are expected to abide by the RBC Honor Code, which can be found here:
http://www.rbc.edu/campus-life/honor-code/
• In all assignments, but especially in research papers and essays, you are expected to use your
own words, and to give credit to your sources where you do not (if your fellow students give
you great ideas, by all means cite them).
• I will know if you plagiarize. I know the available open source Wikipedia-like summaries out
there on the topics we will cover, and even more importantly I know how you write.
• Plagiarized assignments will receive automatic zeros.
• A student who plagiarizes a homework assignment will receive a warning. Plagiarized papers,
exams, and 2nd-offense homework will be referred to appropriate student conduct personnel.
We have latitude in how we treat plagiarism and academic dishonesty here. To see how VCU handles
the same topic, see https://students.vcu.edu/studentconduct/vcu-honor-system/.
SCHEDULE
How to read this: The first two columns have the lesson number, the date, and the theme, if applicable.
The “Classroom Activities and Materials” column shows readings or homework that must be completed
before the start of class, and indicates things that will be covered in class on the day. Deadlines for the
major assignments are indicated in the last column, in red.
Lesson
Date and
Topics
Classroom Topics and Media to be completed on
the date
Assignments Due
Extra Readings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
August 15
Course overview and policies
Introduction: ---1. Central Europe and the Great War
August 17
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss the Documentary,
Wilhelmine
Namibian Genocide and the Second Reich
Germany and
Empire
Lecture: Europe, National Identity, and the Great
War
August 22
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Clarke, selection from
War and
Iron Kingdom, “Army and State.” [pdf]
Ethnic
Cleansing
Lecture: The conduct of the First World War
August 24
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Clarke, selection from
1918: From
Iron Kingdom, “Revolution in Prussia,” and
Victory to
“Democratic Prussia” [1 pdf]
Defeat
Lecture: How the First World War Ended, and Why
That Matters
2. Weimar and the Interwar Crisis of Liberalism
August 29
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Snyder, “Introduction:
The World
Hitler and Stalin” [pdf]
Versailles
Made
Lecture: The World After the Great War
August 31
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Herff, “The
The Weimar
conservative revolution in Weimar” [pdf]
Government
and Its Critics
September 5
Note: Be ready to discuss Nazism, A Documentary
The Nazi party Reader, chapter 1 [pdf]
and its rivals
September 7
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Nazism, A
From the Press Documentary Reader, chapter 3 “The Emergence of
to the Streets
Nazism as a Mass Movement.” [pdf]
Paxton, “The Five
Stages of Fascism”
[pdf]
9
10
September 12
The Nazi Party
comes to
power
September 14
Lecture: How the Nazis Took Over: the case of
Northeim
Lecture: How the Weimar Government
disintegrated after 1929
No class; instructor at conference
3. The Nazi State and the Nazi Project
September 19 NOTE: Be ready to discuss Tyrell, “Towards
From the
Dictatorship: Germany 1930 to 1934”
Streets to the
Lecture: How the Nazis Took Over: Seizing the
State
State...
Discussion (25 points)
12
September 21 NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 2
Dictatorship
“The Consolidation of Power” and chapter 3
“Crisis and Triumph of Dictatorship” [textbook]
11
13
September 26
A New World
War and Crisis
Paper, 2000 words
(200 points)
Kershaw, “Führer
without sin: Hitler
and the ‘Little
Hitlers’” [pdf]
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 4
“Society and the Nazi State” [textbook]
Optional: Bergen, “From Revolution to Routine,
1933-1938”
Lecture: Race Laws and Concentration Camps
Documents from Nazism: Documentary Reader
14
September 28
The Churches
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 5
“The Hitler State” [textbook]
Lecture: Religion and the Nazi State
Documents from Nazism: Documentary Reader
15
October 3
Indoctrination
16
October 5
Camps
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 6
“Economic and Social Policy” AND Lower, “The
Lost Generation of German Women” [pdf]
Documents from Nazism: Documentary Reader
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 7
“Terror and Persecution” [textbook]
Optional: Wachsmann, KL: A History of the Nazi
Concentration Camps, chapter 2 “SS Camps” [pdf]
17
October 10
Fall Break
Kershaw, “The
Führer versus the
Radicals: Hitler’s
Image and the
‘Church Struggle’”
[pdf]
Lecture: Geography of Terror
No class
Mallmann and
Paul, “Omniscient,
Omnipotent,
Omnipresent:
Gestapo, Soceity
and Resistence”
[pdf]
18
19
October 12
Romancing the
Army
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 8
“Discontent and Opposition” [textbook] AND
Nazism, A Documentary Reader, chapter 26 “The
Regime and the Armed Forces, 1933-1936” [pdf]
4. War, Genocide, and the Breaking of the Nazi State
October 17
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Benz, chapter 9
Persecution
“The Persecution of the Jews” [textbook]
Discussion (25 points)
20
October 19
Seeking War
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 10 “The
Road to War”; Nazi-Soviet Pact
21
October 24
Victory and
Atrocity
Documentary: Munich
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Bartov, “Savage War:
German Warfare and Moral Choices in World War
II.” [pdf]
22
October 26
Class Trip
October 31
Radicalization
23
Lecture: The first war, 1939-1940
Virginia Holocaust Museum
Barnett, “Who is a
Bystander?” [pdf]
Nazi State Paper,
2000 words (200
points)
Peukert, “The
Genesis of the
‘Final Solution’
from the Spirit of
Science” [pdf]
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 11 “Daily
Life in Wartime Germany and the Radicalization of
the Regime”;
Lecture: Nazi Europe
November 2
War of
Annihilation
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 12 “Total
War”
Mein Krieg, documentary
25
November 7
Holocaust
--Lecture: The Nazi Economy and the Origins of
the Wehrmacht Myth
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 13 “The
Murder of the Jews” [textbook] AND Nazism
Documentary History, chapter 38 “The Transition
to the Systematic Extermination of the Jews” [pdf]
26
November 9
Resistance
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 14
“Resistance”
27
November 14
The End of the
ThousandYear Reich
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz chapter 15
“Collapse”
24
28
November 16
Lecture: Why did Germans resist to the end?
Fury, selections
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Benz, “Epilogue”
Heer, “Killing
fields: The
Wehrmacht and
the Holocaust in
Belorussia, 194142”
TBD: July 20th Plot
Discussion (50 points)
5. Aftermath: Memory, Debate, and Resurgence
29
November 21 --Nuit et Brouillard, 1955
Coming to
--Lecture: Germany in 1945
Grips with the --Elizabeth Borgwardt The Nuremberg Idea
Horror and
Responsibility
30
31
32
November 23
The BrowningGoldhagen
Debate
November 28
New
discoveries,
Old memories
NOTE: Be ready to discuss Arendt, “Eichmann in
Jerusalem” selection
--Worse than War: Genocide [documentary]
--The Browning/Goldhagen debate
NOTE: Be prepared to discuss Smelser and Davies,
either chapter 3 “The German Generals Talk,” OR
chapter 4 “Memoirs, Novels, and Popular
Histories”
November 30
--The Unknown Soldier
Discussion (50 points)
December 6,
3:00-6:00 p.m.
Moses, “Hannah
Arendt,
Imperialisms, and
the Holocaust”
[pdf]
War, Genocide,
and Memory
Paper, 4000 words
(400 points)
Final Exam
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The mission of RBC is: To prepare students for university transfer through academically rigorous
programs grounded in the liberal arts tradition of William & Mary and to expand access to college
credentials through strategic partnerships, specialized programming, and scalable innovation.