HIST 224: Germany and Europe, 1871-1945 (Fall 2007)
MWF, 10-10:50, Diamond 122
Raffael Scheck
Miller Library 250
e-mail: rmscheck@colby.edu
Office Hours: MWF, 11-1; or by appt.
The fast and unexpected reunification of Germany in 1990 has made concerned
foreigners and self-critical Germans wonder whether the aggressive and troubled history
of the first modern unified German state (1871-1945) might bear upon the new state's
attempts to define its future role in Europe. The shadows of the past are haunting
political discourse about this subject, but, conversely, the drastic changes in Europe
since 1989 have increased historical distance to the traumatic events before 1945. A
look back at Germany from 1871 to 1945 therefore seems doubly urgent. How did
German culture and society differ from other European models? Did the belligerent
unification of Germany in 1864-1871 influence its later history? Was the Third Reich with
all its terrors and crimes inevitable? Was it inextricably linked to German tradition in
general and to the outcome of the First World War in particular?
To provide a basic summary beyond the lectures, I have written a textbook on my
personal page on Colby's home page (http://colby.edu/personal/rmscheck).
Given the class size, this will be predominantly a lecture class, but the lecture
format is informal and discussion is encouraged during all classes and outside of class. I
will make special room for discussion on the essay deadlines, so that we can discuss the
readings in more detail.
Course requirements include attendance at all class meetings, two one-hour
exams, two essays on two of the assigned books except the online textbook (4-7 pages),
and a final examination. The essays will be due on the date for which the book is
assigned (see schedule). You have to do either essay 1, 2, or 3 and either essay 4, 5, or
6; so you have to do one of the first three essays. Special instructions will be handed
out. The final grade will be calculated as follows: essays, 15% each; exams, 15% each;
final, 30%; attendance, 10%.
POLICIES:
Missing class: The college has adopted a strict policy regarding unexcused absences.
You can fail a class after only one unexcused absence. Please let me know ahead of
time if you have to miss a class. The first unexcused absence will lead to a warning
report, the second can lead to dismissal from the class. Attendance is a course
requirement.
Essay deadlines: Essays have to be handed in before or during class on the day of the
deadline assigned to the book of your choice. Late essays will be graded harder.
Submission of essays through e-mail: Under certain conditions you can submit your
paper through e-mail as an attached file: 1) Send your file by e-mail as an "attached
document." Note: my computer reads only MS Word files. 2) Name the file according to
the following pattern: HI224.Your last name (i. e. for Lisa Miller's essay: "HI224.Miller"). I
will send you a comment with grade through e-mail. I grade e-mail papers first.
Paper comments: I use a code for many standard comments (see my home page). This
applies to electronic and traditional papers.
1
SCHEDULE
Date:
5 September
7 September
Topic:
Overview
Why did Germany remain
divided for so long?
Assignment:
Scheck (online textbook),
A.1 to A.3
10 September
12 September
14 September
Unification through war
Germany under Bismarck
The dismissal of Bismarck:
end of an era?
17 September
19 September
21 September
The new course: Weltpolitik
The Tirpitz Plan
Tradition vs. modernity:
Politics, culture, and society
before 1914
Scheck, B.2
Scheck, B.3
Scheck, B.4
24 September
Did Germany cause World
War I?
Toward German
hegemony?
Society and politics under
the strains of war
Scheck, C.1; Clark, Wilhelm
II. Essay 2 due
Scheck, C.2
EXAM I
No class: professor at
conference
No class: professor at
conference
Study for exam
Start reading Jünger
8 October
The trench experience
10 October
The sudden defeat and
revolution: 1918
The Treaty of Versailles
Jünger, Storm of Steel.
Essay 3 due
Scheck, C.4
26 September
28 September
1 October
3 October
5 October
12 October
Scheck, B.1
Lerman, Bismarck. Essay 1
due
Scheck, C.3
Scheck, D.1
15 October
17 October
The Weimar Constitution
The Republic besieged:
1918-1923
Scheck, D.2
Friedrich, Before the
Deluge, up to p. 144;
Scheck, D.3
Scheck, D.4
19 October
The quiet middle years,
1924-1929
22 October
24 October
26 October
Fall Break: No class
Weimar culture
Nazis and Communists
Friedrich, pp. 145-299
Scheck, D.6
29 October
The breakdown of the
Republic
Friedrich, pp. 300-392;
Scheck, D.7
2
Reflections on Weimar
Democracy and the Rise of
the Nazis
Establishing a dictatorship
Essay 4 due (Friedrich)
EXAM II
Building up German
hegemony in Central
Europe, 1933-1939
The Nazi society, industry,
and economy
Study for exam
Scheck, E.2
12 November
14 November
16 November
Blitz victories 1939-1941
Total war
Discrimination, eugenics,
and slave labor
Scheck, E.3
19 November
Racial murder
Bessel, pp. 69-110. Essay
5 due
26 November
28 November
The end of the war
The German Resistance
30 November
Family recollections
3 December
5 December
7 December
Evaluations/The hour zero
The partition of Germany
Reflections on divided
Germany, 1949-1990
Scheck, chapter F
12-17 December
Final Examination Period
Note: it is against faculty
rules to allow students to
take a final before the
scheduled date and time
31 October
2 November
5 November
7 November
9 November
Scheck, E.1; Bessel, Life in
the Third Reich, up to p. 15
and pp. 41-67
Scheck, E.5; Bessel, pp.
17-40
Scheck, E.4
Schlabrendorff, They
Almost Killed Hitler. Essay
6 due
3