The Holocaust in History, Literature, and Film

This course approaches the Nazi persecution of European Jewry from several disciplinary perspectives. Initially, we explore the topic historically, using a variety of historical materials dealing with the history of European anti-semitism, German history from Otto von Bismarck to the accession of Adolf Hitler, the evolution of anti-Jewish persecution in the Third Reich, and the history of the Holocaust itself. We use primary sources produced by the German government from 1933-1945, by Jewish victims-to-be or survivors, documentary films, and secondary interpretations. The aims of this part of the course are to understand the basic background and narrative of the Holocaust, to introduce students to the critical use of primary historical sources, and to familiarize them with some of the major historiographical debates. We then ponder religious and theological reactions to the Holocaust, considering the historical question of the role played by the Protestant and Catholic churches and theologies in the Holocaust. The course concludes with an assessment of the role played by the Holocaust in today's world, specifically in the United States. Throughout the course, students use various literary and cinematographic sources and test their limits in helping to understand and to represent the Holocaust.