Course Description

This course explores German culture and history from 1933 to the present. It begins with an examination of the Nazis' rise to power and their political, economical, social, and racist programs. The course continues with WW II and the most brutal crime committed against humankind - the Holocaust. A closer look examines occupied Germany and the so-called "Zero Hour," the divided Germany, the erection of the Berlin Wall, the student movement in 1968, the collapse of communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall that led to German unification and beyond.

The main goals of German 1125 are:

• to offer an overview of German history and culture from 1933 until the present
• to introduce the political, economical, social, and racist programs of the Third Reich
• to help you comprehend what happened in the Holocaust by inviting a survisor who will accompany us to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
• to learn about resistance to the Nazis by seeing the film "The White Rose" and inviting an expert on the topic
• to provide you with an overview of the situation in the devasted Germany after World War II and the subsequent occupation and division of Germany in 2 seperate states
• to learn about the creation and fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War by seeing some historical film footage
• to gain a good knowledge of how German culture and identity changed in the recent past
• to help you appreciate German culture by reading authentic materials, watching some German films and visiting the German embassy and the Goethe-Institut in Washington, DC
• to help you attain the ability to write short and long essays and give oral presentations

Required Texts and Reading Materials

• Hoffmeister, Gerhart & Tubach, Frederic C., Germany 2000 Years. Vol. III: From the Nazi Era to German Unification, New Edition, New York: Continuum, 1992. (Bookstore)
• Bernhard Schlink. The Reader, New York: Vintage Books, 1998. (Bookstore)
• Films and other readings are on reserve at Hoover Library or are postyed on Blackboard.

  Recommended Books

• Frank, Anne. The Diary of a Young Girl. New York, etc: Anchor Books Doubleday
• Wiesel, Elie, Night. New York, etc.: Bantam Books, 1982. (Bookstore)
• Primo Levi. Survival in Ausschwitz, New York, etc.: Simon & Schuster, 1996. (Bookstore)
• Spiegelman, Art. Maus

Important: Do not ignore problems, ask questions. Do not fall behind. Complete all required readings on time. Be active in your group. Send me an e-mail message or call me for an extra appointment.

Changes to all aspects of this syllabus are at the discretion of the instructor.  He reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of this syllabus as he sees fit at any point during the semester.

Classroom Etiquette: In order to have an optimal teaching and learning environment, please keep the following guidelines in mind: arrive promptly and dressed properly for the classroom (no caps, no pajamas); treat everyone in the class with courtesy; turn off your cell phones before class; give the instructor and your fellow students your complete attention.

Academic Honesty: All work in this class must reflect YOUR OWN work. The failure to fully cite sources within your submitted work is a form of plagiarism. Plagiarism is using another person’s words or ideas in a direct or indirect way without proper acknowledgment. Whenever using two or more important words, they must be placed in quotation marks. Plagiarism constitutes theft and deceit. When cutting and pasting materials or when paraphrasing, special care should be taken to cite sources correctly and to use quotation marks around exact words from source materials. Actions that result in plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Consequently, students must understand the concept of plagiarism. When reading, processing, or using materials from any source, appropriate documentation is always essential. The consequences of plagiarism may range from failure on the assignment to failure for the course and McDaniel College disciplinary action. Resources such as the Hoover Library and the Writing Center are available on campus to assist you in your academic endeavors. You are encouraged to take advantage of these resources. Therefore, the Honor Code will be strictly enforced. Students must write out and sign the honor pledge at the end of all assignments, tests and essays. The honor pledge is posted in every classroom.

Request for Accommodations: McDaniel College, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) and the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ Section 504, will provide reasonable accommodations for eligible students with disabilities. If you require special assistance, please see me privately and/or seek assistance directly from the Student Academic Support Services Office (SASS). You are responsible for initiating arrangements for accommodations for tests and other assignments in collaboration with the SASS Office and me.

Non-Discrimination Policy: McDaniel College does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, marital status, veteran’s status, or any other legally protected status.  To report an incident occurring within an academic context, contact the Office of Academic Affairs. To report other on-campus incidences, contact the Division of Student Affairs.

Resources for Students Who May Witness or Experience Gender-Based Discrimination, Harassment, or Violence (Title IX): McDaniel College is committed to preserving an educational environment that is free from gender-based discrimination, gender-based harassment, sexual harassment, sexual violence, and relationship violence and stalking. To report an incident and/or to obtain an academic accommodation, contact any member of the Division of Student Affairs, Department of Campus Safety, any Dean, the Provost or the Title IX Coordinator. Faculty members are not considered confidential resources and therefore incidents shared with them must be reported to the Title IX Coordinator. If you wish to speak confidentially about an incident, please contact the Wellness Center.

Grading

Requirements

Attendance: Regular attendance is essential for academic achievement. Therefore, attendance is mandatory. Two unexcused absences will lower the final grade by 3%, three by 6%, four by 9%, and so on. Excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. Absences caused by college-related activities are excused only if the instructor in made aware of them in advance.

Daily Preparation, Class Participation & Pop Quizzes (30%): Daily preparation means careful reading of all required materials, responding to reading questions, paying attention in class and taking notes on the films, and above all turning in all assignments on time. Active participation in class discussions is absolutely vital to academic growth. You must read the assigned pages or articles listed on the schedule before you come to class. Occasionally, I will give pop quizzes with specific questions on these reading assignments in class and you will be graded on these readings. Each student will receive up to 10 points for every class. Regular attendance is an obvious requirement to get a good participation grade. Here is how I’ll grade your class performance:
A = 10-9 points You have read the material thoroughly, voluntarily answered and asked questions about the material. You showed respect and interest in other students and the subject.
B = 8-7 points    You have read the material, but didn’t participate voluntarily in the discussion, although you did ask a question.
C = 6-4 points    You have read the material partially. You did not participate voluntarily in the discussion, nor did you ask any questions.
D = 3-1 points    You were in class, but you have not read the material. You didn’t participate voluntarily in the discussion, nor did you ask any questions.
F = 0 points         You missed class.

Watching Films: There will be a few films (available on DVD or on VHS) that you can watch outside of class. I have either put the videos On Reserve in Hoover Library or have digitized and uploaded them onto DropBox and will share the link with you by e-mail. You must watch these films prior to the day they are listed for on the syllabus. If you miss class on a day when a film or video is shown, you need to make arrangements with the instructor to view the missed film or video. Submit short summaries of each film or video you missed. Each missed film or video or summary will lower final grade by 1%.

Papers: (20%): All students are required to write 2 essays of at least 1000 words (typed, double-spaced) each, including in-text citations for all quotations, as well as a “works cited” list including all Internet sites you used at the end of the paper, all in the proper MLA style.
Please include a word count at the bottom of your essay. You MUST write out and sign the honor code at the end of your essays. You MUST submit a hard copy of your paper on the day it is due. Please place it on my desk when you enter class that day. Topics and due dates are:

Paper 1: Write a reflection paper on the Holocaust and your visit to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. You also may choose any other topic related to the Holocaust. You must use at least 3 scholarly sources (books or articles), no web resources that are not scholarly (no popular web sources). Paper 1 is due on Tuesday, September 20.

Paper 2: Write an essay about "Coping with the past in The Reader and The Nasty Girl." Compare how Schlink in The Reader and Verhoeven in The Nasty Girl present the idea of copying with the German past? Who is coping and how do they cope with which part of the German past? What is the role of young generation in both the book and the film? You must use at least 3 scholarly sources (books or articles). Do not use any web resources that are not scholarly (no popular web sources). The novel and the film themselves are primary sources that you must list on your Works Cited page, but they are not scholarly sources.  Paper 2 is due on November 8.

Group Presentation (10%): In the course of the semester, the class will be divided up into groups of three to four students. Each group will give one oral presentations to the class (10-15 minutes long) about an assigned topic.

Midterm Exam (20%): The midterm exam will cover all materials studied in the first half of the semester, including all guest lectures, readings in the required books and all articles on Bb, whether we have discussed those in depth of not. Taking notes, summarizing the required readings and reflecting on what you have learned or heard inside and outside of class will help you remember the material for the midterm.

Final Exam (20%): The final exam will cover all materials studied in the second half of the semester. Taking notes, summarizing the required readings and reflecting on what you have learned or heard inside and outside of class will help you remember the material for the final exam.

Field trips:

• September 28: You must participate in the field trip to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The bus will leave at 9.00 a.m. in front of Gil Center. Specific information about this trip will be given prior to the trip.
• November/ December: Evening trip to a German restaurant in the area.

Guest Lectures: There will be few guest lectures in and outside of class (some dates are still pending). You must attend all guest lectures and participate in following discussions. Submit short summaries of each guest lecture outside of class. Each missed guest lecture or summary will lower final grade by 1%.

Blackboard:You are signed up for my class on Blackboard (Bb) where I have put all relevant course documents: Course information, schedule, calendar, books, assignments, etc. I’ll be updating the Blackboard site on a regular basis. You’ll be required to use it as often as needed.

If you are looking for any recent information on Germany today try the following URL: http://www.germany-info.org