Seduction and Terror. The History of National Socialism
Date: Donnerstag/Thursday, 10-12, Room: FH 311
Beginn/Start: 16 October 2025
The ‘thousand year Reich’ that Hitler promised when he became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 lasted but 12 years. During this time, however, Hitler and his Nazi Party came to dominate European and even world affairs, terrorizing vast numbers of Germans, launching a devastating war, and orchestrating the murder of approximately six million Jews and many more millions of other “undesirable” minorities. Yet Hitler and the Nazi Party gained the active support and involvement of most Germans and could only be destroyed by joint effort of outside forces.
This course offers an overview of the history of National Socialism, focussing on two key elements of Nazi power: terror (against all proclaimed enemies of “the people”) and seduction (of all who belonged to the “community of the people”)
The course will be taught in English and German, historical sources and academic literature will be provided in English and German, too. Ideally, the course is to be combinded with the BA level course "History of the Holocaust" as we do not focus on anti-Jewish discrimination and persecution. Both seminars combined count towards 6 ECTS pts. It's restricted to BA students only. International students are very much welcomed. Dates of excursions to historical sites related to the seminar topic will be discussed in class.
Readings: Richard Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich, London 2003; Richard Evans, The Third Reich in Power, London 2005; The Third Reich at War, London 2008; Ian Kershaw, From Hell and Back: Europe, 1914-1949, London 2015; Mark Mazower, Hitler's Empire: How the Nazis Ruled Europe, New York/Toronto, 2008.
- Trainer/in: Marcus Funck