German Literature and its Others . Survivors, artists, historians, film-makers, religious leaders, writers, politicians, have all given expression to their understanding of the Holocaust. Museums, exhibitions, and memorials also convey Holocaust history, commemorate its victims, and serve as public warning. We will compare how the public memory of historical events can forge a sense of belonging or civil society across boarders, social class, and generations. Because the discussion of historical memory demands a knowledge of historical fact, the course will cover basic issues of the Nazi extermination of the Jews.
Special attention is given to the role of the ordinary person.
With the array of source material involved in the Holocaust memory, this course also exposes students to non-traditional forms of historical inquiry.