2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
GERM2100 Victims and/or Perpetrators? Remembering the Second World War in Germany
20 creditsClass Size: 18
Module manager: Dr Stephan Petzold
Email: s.petzold@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2017/18
Pre-requisite qualifications
Successful completion of level 1This module is mutually exclusive with
GERM3250 | Perpetrators and/or Victims? Remembering the Second World Wa |
This module is approved as a discovery module
Module summary
The Nazi past continues to occupy a prominent place in public perceptions of and debates in Germany to this day. This module examines the different ways in which the legacy and memory of the Nazi past, the Second World War and the Holocaust have shaped Germany since 1945. It investigates how three different German societies – the FRG, the GDR and post-reunification Germany - have tried to deal with and confront the Nazi past, andthey have remembered,and forgotten, particular aspects of that past. The changing dynamics of German collective memory will be analysed by looking at a variety of expressions and practices, ranging from intellectual debates and political interventions to high and popular culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on the wider significance of remembrance for political and cultural developments in German society in order to understand why the Nazi past and the Holocaust continue to remain at the heart of German culture and identity. This module is taught through English, no knowledge of German is required.Objectives
The aims of this module are:- to examine the German remembrance of the Nazi past, the Second World War and the Holocaust since 1945
- to understand how the meaning of terms such as 'perpetrator', 'victim' and 'bystander' shifted and explain their wider historical relevance
- to explore the links between memory and national identity to explain the controversial nature of German collective memory
- to analyse a variety of different practices and sites of memory, including film, trial reports, speeches, newspaper articles, photographs, novels, opinion polls
- to use memory as an analytical tool for understanding developments in post-1945 German history more generally
Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, students should be able to:
- demonstrate detailed knowledge of key developments and debates in German collective memory of the Nazi past
- discuss the wider political and cultural significance of collective memory for West Germany, East Germany and unified Germany
- recognise the relationship between German memories of the Nazi past and the construction of German national identities
- analyse different types of primary material and engage with scholarly research
- present complex ideas
Skills outcomes
- an awareness of the ways in which the present is shaped by memory and how the future is imagined through the past
- a deeper understanding of German culture, politics and identities
- an ability to analyse different types of primary sources
- an enhanced ability to critically engage with scholarly literature
Syllabus
Students will be actively involved in designing the syllabus. In the first three weeks of the module, students will – through the discussion of tutor-assigned and self-directed readings - develop an overview of key concepts as well as the main events and developments in German memory culture. The outcome of these discussions in the first weeks will be a module outline with weekly topics agreed by students and tutor.
It is likely that the first semester will examine key events and processes in German collective memory between 1945 and 1990, while the second semester is likely to focus more on developments and controversies in unified Germany.
Teaching methods
Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
Seminar | 20 | 1.50 | 30.00 |
Private study hours | 170.00 | ||
Total Contact hours | 30.00 | ||
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 |
Private study
- reading and reflection in preparation for seminars- researching, preparing and writing assessed written work
- self-directed reading around the topic
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
- Participation in seminar discussions- Peer and tutor feedback on a student-led seminar in semester 2 (in groups)
- Monitoring assignment for the literature review
- Feedback on an essay plan
Methods of assessment
Coursework
Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
Essay | 3000 words | 60.00 |
Literature Review | 2000 words | 40.00 |
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 05/03/2018
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