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A Millennium of Struggle? Introduction to the History of Polish-German Relations in Its European Context

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A Millennium of Struggle? Introduction to the History of Polish-German Relations in Its European Context A Millennium of Struggle? Introduction to the History of Polish-German Relations in its European Context Spring 2011 GRC 360E, REE 335, EUS 346, HIS 362G, POL 324 Unique # 38395, 45205, 36505, 39835, 45457 Class meets: T, Th 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. BUR 337 Instructor: Jan Musekamp Office: Burdine 368 Phone: 232-6374 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: T 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. and by appointment Course Description: In 1945, Polish historian Zygmunt Wojciechowski edited a book entitled ―Germany-Poland. 1000 years of struggle.‖ The author was well-known for his anti-German attitude, and was a prominent supporter of the ―Polish Western Idea‖ during the interwar period. Proponents of the ―Western Idea‖ proposed a shift of Polish borders deep into German territory; they wanted to ‗return‘ territory belonging to the first Polish state in the tenth century. Much of the land had been settled by German-speakers (with assimilated Slavic-speaking populations) since the thirteenth century. After World War II, the ―Western Idea‖ was incorporated by Polish communists in an attempt to cater to nationalist rhetoric; accordingly, the communist ―Western Idea‖ projected an endless struggle between Germans and Poles in order to justify new Polish borders and an anti-German stance. Not surprisingly, positive aspects of Polish-German history had no place in the picture. In this course, we will explore Polish-German relations in the context of European change. On the one hand, the region is typified by territorial conflict (as best revealed by the eighteenth century elimination of Poland through Prussian, Austrian and Russian partition). On the other, the region has been one of the most stable in Europe (both countries were home to large Polish and German speaking populations loyal to their adopted state). This co-existence was endangered by the rise of national movements in the mid-nineteenth century, when being ―German‖ or ―Polish‖ grew to be defined along the terms of abstract, ethnic nationalism. After the founding of the German Reich in 1871, the state carried out aggressive anti-Polish politics, leading to the closure of Polish schools, and state-funded German settlement in Polish-speaking regions. After Poland reemerged as a state after World War I, a huge German minority remained within Polish borders. Perceived as potential enemies of the state, most of them left Poland. Polish-German relations reached a nadir after most of Poland‘s Jewry and intelligentsia were ruthlessly eliminated during WWII. With the westward-shift of Poland after 1945, millions of Germans were forced to leave both their homeland and their possessions behind. While East Germany was bound to Poland within the framework of the Warsaw Treaty, West Germany did not resume diplomatic relations with Poland until 1970. It was only after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the signing of a treaty guaranteeing Polish borders and German support for Poland‘s accession to the European Union that relations started to improve. Course Readings: Course readings are on electronic reserve. Course Requirements & Grading: Weekly readings: ca. 40-60 pages of articles from the historical literature dealing with the Polish- German history. The final grade (using plus/minus grading system) will consist of the following components: 1. Class participation: 10 % 2. Text presentation: 10 % 3. Four essays of five pages each: 30 % 4. Midterm exam: 20 % 5. Final exam: 30 % Grading: A: 90+ B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 60-69 F: 59 or less RULES Attendance and active participation: Class attendance is mandatory. You will be asked to sign in at the beginning of each class. Unsatisfactory attendance unsupported by medical documentation will preclude a student‘s receiving a grade higher than C. Active participation means being involved in discussions and discussion groups, being curious and asking in the event you don‘t understand something, questioning statements and findings if you disagree, and defending your own findings and opinions, according to your own capacity to perform in a group. It also means doing your homework regularly (being prepared for class). Formatting of papers: Papers need to be in 11 pt. Arial, single spaced, with 1‖ margins on top, bottom, left and right. Please send in your papers (email) prior to the relevant class in the format ―Millennium.name.essay#.doc‖. Formats ―.docx‖ and ―.odt‖ are accepted. Class and classrooms: Cell phones must be turned off in class; computers may be used only for note-taking. If a student uses electronic devices for non-class related activities and creates a disturbance s/he will be asked to leave for the remainder of that class. Academic Assistance: Academic Assistance is provided by the UT Learning Center, in Jester Center, Room A332A. It offers help with college-level writing, reading, and learning strategies. It is free to all currently enrolled students. See: <http://www.lib.utexas.edu/services/assistive/policy.html> for requesting help you need in using the main library (PCL) or the Fine Arts Library (for films). 2 Students with disabilities The University of Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-6441 TTY. Any student with a documented disability who requires academic accommodations should contact the Service for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible to request an official letter outlining authorized accommodations. These letters must be given to your TAs to receive accommodations. See: <http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/index.php>. Syllabus and assignments: All requirements have been given to you in writing, in the package including this sheet. If you don't read it and miss something, it's not our problem. NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED; see the conditions for making up work for medical and other leaves are listed in the next section. Religious Holidays and other absences Students can make up work missed because of a religious holiday as long as they provide the instructor with documentation at least one week before the holiday occurs. The same applies to official university obligations like Club or Varsity sports. Documentation from a physician is required for medical absence; arrangements for work to be made up must be made promptly, and in no case should the work be completed more than 2 weeks after the absence. Other absences (e.g. family events) must be arranged for at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE and missed work must be turned in at the NEXT CLASS SESSION upon return. Cheating and Plagiarism Cheating and other forms of scholastic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will be reported to the Dean of Students. Cheating on tests or plagiarism on papers is an F for the assignment, with no makeup possible. If you engage in any form of scholastic dishonesty more than once, you will receive an automatic F for the course. If you are unsure about the exact definition of scholastic dishonesty, you should consult the information about academic integrity produced by the Dean of Students Office: <http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acint_student.php>. Plagiarism means using words or ideas that are not your own without citing your sources and without indicating explicitly what you have taken from those sources. If you are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, consult: <http://www.lib.utexas.edu/services/instruction/learningmodules/plagiarism/> What does "citing your sources" mean? It means providing appropriate footnotes and bibliographic entries. See <http://www.lib.utexas.edu/services/instruction/learningmodules/citations/>. To make correct citations, researchers often use bibliographic software like UT's "Noodlebib" <http://www.lib.utexas.edu/noodlebib/> or Zotero <http://www.zotero.com. 3 Additional information on cheating and plagiarism: The Student Judicial Services Website provides official definitions of plagiarism and cheating: Definitions of plagiarism and other forms of scholastic dishonesty, based on Section 11-802d of UT‘s Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_plagiarism.php The University‘s Standard of Academic Integrity and Student Honor Code (from Chapter 11 of the University‘s Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities): http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acint_student.php Consequences of scholastic dishonesty: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_conseq.php Types of scholastic dishonesty: unauthorized collaboration, plagiarism, and multiple submissions: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_whatis.php Missed tests: Make-up tests will only be given in cases of a medical emergency (doctor‘s written statement required) or a serious family emergency. If you are unclear about anything please ask! Consequently, if something is unclear, no matter what it is, ask me for clarification. You will find that there are no questions that I won‘t answer. If you need help with something that you don‘t understand, see me during office hours or send me an email. 4 Class schedule (subject to revision) Week Class Topic Assignments 1: Introduction 1/18 Goal and organization of course 1/20 The first Polish state and the Holy Roman Davies, vol. 1, Empire – Origin of Polish-German 2-6, 61-87 conflict? Freed 2: ―Drang nach 1/25 Teutonic Knights and eastward migration Piskorski Osten―? 1/27 Conflict: Grunwald 1410 Ekdahl [film: Teutonic Knights, Poland 1960] 3: Europe‘s most 2/1 Royal Prussia as part
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