Course Description
Contributions of Jews and Jewish culture to the German-speaking world. Emphasis on how Jewish writers, thinkers, and artists portray their experiences and identities. Responses of Jews and non-Jews to discrimination, emancipation, assimilation, the Holocaust, and the Jewish presence in Germany today. Taught in English.
Athena Title
JEWISH EXPERIENCE
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
To acquaint students with the literary, artistic, and intellectual contributions of German-speaking Jews in the context of the historical, legal, and social position of this minority group and with the official and unofficial responses of the majority. Students will be evaluated on the basis of in-class discussions and oral presentations, extensive written assignments to be posted on WebCt, a midterm and a final exam.
Topical Outline
An Overview of the History of Jews in the German-speaking World The Jewish Spiritual Year and Life Rituals Literary, cultural, and artistic responses covering the following periods and topics: Middle Ages through the Early Modern Period Jews in 18th-Century Germany: The Struggle for Civil Rights Emancipation and the Romantic Era's Nationalism and Anti-Semitism Jewish Life in the Eastern Provinces Assimilation, Integration. Was there a Jewish German Symbiosis? Hitler's Rise to Power, Emigration, and the Holocaust Responses to the Holocaust Jews in Germany Today
General Education Core
CORE IV: World Languages and Global CultureSyllabus