Readings in Modern European History: The History of the Holocaust

The horrors of the Holocaust defy normal comprehension, but as students of history we will examine the political, social and cultural forces, which turned the unimaginable into devastating reality. Topics include the question of what enabled ordinary Germans to perpetrate genocide; the nature of institutionalized prejudice and cultural consent in the so-called German racial state; the traumatic impact Holocaust violence on the survivor; the reason why some became actively involved in resistance, while others remained passive bystanders and still others collaborators; and lastly, how the Holocaust remains a point of reference for western society and culture. 3 hr. sem.