PROPOSAL NAZI GERMANY AND THE HOLOCAUST
The scope of this course is to trace the origins, chronology, and events of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, to examine the NSDAP’s (Nationalsozialistische Deutscher Arbeiter Partei, or National Socialist German Workers’ Party, hence Nazi) early years after World War I through 1945, its impact upon society, government, laws, methods, actions, policies, including mass murder and conquest. Students will examine, discuss, and analyze several main issues, such as:
Was the average German knowledgeable or even accepting of Nazi policies and actions? How did the Nazis plan and execute the Holocaust?
Was the Holocaust well planned and executed, or did it simply evolve as a by-product of World War II?
What impact did the Holocaust have upon non- Jews? Was Hitler instrumental in the Holocaust or not?
Who was responsible? We will also examine the historiographical debate surrounding the ideas of functionalism and intentionalism. This course contributes to the graduate degree program in that it provides examination of the Holocaust as part of World War II Nazi Germany but also as part of World War II and the Holocaust on a global scale. Assignments in the form of discussions, a book examination, and a research paper will serve as learning activities and as assessment measures based on the course learning objectives.
