College Seminar (101-7-24)

Topic

Resisting the Nazis

Instructors

Benjamin Frommer
847/491-7191
Harris Hall Room 237

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-343: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

Resisting the Nazis

During the Second World War millions of Europeans made the decision to resist domestic terror and foreign occupation. They acted out of a range of motives, personal and collective, and in a myriad of ways, from armed violence to passive noncompliance. Some resisted from the start; others when they were personally threatened; and many only when Nazi defeat became imagineable and then inevitable. Some who once opposed fascism decided to bend to it, while others later joined the resistance, or played a double game from the start. Many, regardless of their choice, paid the ultimate price for it, while others gained from their decisions. From the Nazi seizure of power to postwar efforts to seek justice for crimes against humanity, this course will examine the dilemmas, ethics, and consequences of resistance agains the Nazis and their Axis partners among state officials, soldiers, and civilians. We will read firsthand testimony and secondary scholarship and watch both documentaries and feature films that grapple with the dilemmas of resistance during the Second World War.

Registration Requirements

First-Years Only

Learning Objectives

To understand the ethical dilemmas and consequences of resistance to the Nazi regime and its Axis allies during the Second World War.

Evaluation Method

Evaluation will be based on class discussion, weekly journals, and three papers (on the assigned materials).

Class Notes

History Major Concentration(s): European
History Minor Concentration(s): Europe

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Only History majors and minors can currently enroll in this class. Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required