Central European Jewry on the Path to Destruction - JMM424

• Title: Central European Jewry on the Path to Destruction
• Guaranteed by: Department of Russian and East European Studies (23-KRVS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2012
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (20)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: Hana Kubátová, M.A., Ph.D.

Syllabus

Last update: KLAMKOVA (29.09.2010)

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.