Sylabus
Central European Jewry on the path to destruction
The aim of this course is to examine the place of Jews in Central Europe between the end of the World War I and the end of World War II. In the first part of this course, we will discuss Jewish experience in interwar Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary - with a focus on their place in the surrounding gentile society and on creation of their political, national and religious identity. In the second part of this course, we will study the destruction of Jewry in this region; we will be targeting all forms of anti-Jewish prejudices leading to Shoa (that is, from discrimination until destruction). In the last part of the course we will explore whether - and if, then to what extent - the Holocaust is unique.
Recommended readings:
Ezra Mendelssohn, The Jews of East Central Europe between the World Wars (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987).
Richard Levy, ed., The Antisemitism in the Modern World: An Anthology of Texts (Sources in Modern History) (D.C. Health, 1990).
Jacob Katz, From Prejudice to Destruction: Anti-Semitism (Harvard University Press: 2005).
Raul Hilberg, Destruction of the European Jews (Holmes & Meier Publishers: 1985).
Zygmund Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust, (Cornell University Press: 2001).
Working papers on contemporary anti-Semitism: Anti-Semitism Worldwide, http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/annual-report.html
Aims and Objectives: to understand core problem areas in the modern history of Central European Jewry to be able to analyze and interpret racial theories (and compare its occurrence in the 19th and 20th century) to comprehend the development of modern anti-Semitic sentiments in the 20th century to be acquainted with and be able to critically evaluate core theories in interpreting anti-Semitism and holocaust in the historiography
Assessment: 25 % coursework, active participation and attendance 25 % oral in-class presentation 50 % final paper
PLEASE NOTE that students will recieve a detailed course outline in the first class.