Lamar University College of Arts & Sciences History Department Nazi Germany History 4353, Section 01 Dr. Mark A. Mengerink Contact Info Course Theme: Office: Archer 204B “Misunderstanding of the present is Office Hours: MTW 1:30-2:30pm or by appointment the inevitable consequence of Office Phone: 409-880-7618 ignorance of the past. But a man can wear himself out just as fruitlessly in Email: We will use LU Learn’s “Course Mail” function. Do seeking to understand the past if he is not send emails to my @lamar.edu account. totally ignorant of the present.” (Marc Class Hours: MTWRF 11:30am-1:00pm Bloch, The Historian’s Craft, p. 43) Classroom: Archer 201 COURSE DESCRIPTION HIST 4353 will examine the complex development of German society under Nazi dictatorship, from the rise of Adolf Hitler to the culmination of Nazi ideology in war and genocide. We will explore the roots of Nazi ideology in the German and broader European context and why Nazism gained wide popular support among the German people. We will study the regime’s attempt at social and biological engineering; a plan encompassing pronatalism, forced sterilization, murder of “social and biological deviants,” and the genocide of the Jews. Primary sources like memoirs, oral history interviews, and official state documents, as well as historical interpretations of the events, will examine life in Nazi Germany from the perspective of perpetrators, accommodators, victims, and resisters. The historical interpretations will introduce you to the contentious world that is scholarship on Nazi Germany. Scholars have debated the history and meaning of the Nazi regime for decades. This debate -- this historiography -- has included many different approaches and interpretations. By studying this historiography, you will develop an understanding of how historians interpret the evidence and construct an historical explanation. As an advanced class, you will end the semester with a basic knowledge of not only what happened in Germany during this period, but also the skills to critically examine why historical events happen and why they are important. HIST 4353 fulfills history major and many elective requirements set by various departments, but has a broader significance for your education. You will develop important skills in analysis and writing that will assist you during your time at Lamar as well as in your professional career. The History Department at Lamar believes that imparting knowledge and understanding of the past “improve[s] the quality of life of individuals and contribute[s] to the welfare of our society.” (http://catalog.lamar.edu/arts-and-sciences/history.html) Disclaimer: This semester, we will explore events well outside the bounds of normal human experience. We will read graphic descriptions of, and watch videos that depict, atrocities perpetrated against groups of people the Nazi regime classified as unworthy of life, including Jews (especially children), the disabled, “asocials,” homosexuals, Soviet prisoners of war, political dissidents, and other European ethnic groups. We will carefully study Nazi ideology concerning race and racism; ideas that may be offensive to some people. We will also examine Nazi ideology on gender, which may include ideas some consider demeaning to women. This may be profoundly disturbing for some people. We will attempt to examine these ideas, events, and issues in a way that respects the dignity of not only the victims, but also the viewpoints of all students. However, if you think studying these materials is inappropriate, I recommend you do not take this course. Course Requirements & Assessment Completing this course successfully entails: ✓ contributing regularly and responsibly to class discussions and activities. ✓ preparing for class by reading the assigned readings and completing the short, written exercises before every class period. ✓ working corporately as a class to have effective class discussions. How will I calculate your semester grade? ❶ ONLINE QUIZZES – 40 POINTS Syllabus Quiz (20 points): Because this syllabus contains so much information, it seems prudent to determine whether you understand this information. The best way to assess this is through the syllabus quiz. This is a multiple choice, true/false quiz taken through LU Learn on information contained in this syllabus. Read this syllabus thoroughly and then head to LU Learn to take the quiz. The Syllabus Quiz is due by 11pm on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Plagiarism Tutorial/Quiz (20 points): This course requires two essays, so it is imperative you understand the definition of plagiarism, cheating, and academic dishonesty and how to avoid them. The Lamar University Student Handbook states, “Lamar University expects all students to engage in academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in their academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action.” (http://students.lamar.edu/student-handbook.html) The Plagiarism Quiz is due on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at the beginning of class. The Student Handbook defines cheating as “purchasing, or otherwise acquiring and submitting as one’s own work any research paper or other written assignment prepared by an individual or firm.” It defines plagiarism as “the appropriation of another’s work or idea and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work or idea into one’s own work offered for credit.” (http://students.lamar.edu/student-handbook.html). So, clearly the university and I take this very seriously. Some cases of academic dishonesty are blatant. These students choose to ignore the wise words of Sophocles, the ancient Greek, who said, “Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.” However, other cases of academic dishonesty result from ignorance of what acts constitute cheating, academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. Therefore, I provide the above definitions and a chance for you to complete a plagiarism tutorial and quiz. This is an online tutorial and quiz testing your understanding of plagiarism. I have posted the directions on LU Learn. You BUSTED!! Plagiarism or Academic Dishonesty While we’re on the topic of plagiarism and academic dishonesty, here’s the policy I’ll follow if I detect plagiarism and/or academic dishonesty in the work you submit for a grade. History Department Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism The Lamar University History Department considers academic dishonesty, including cheating, collusion, and plagiarism, as defined in the student handbook, a serious academic offense. Students guilty of such misbehavior will be subject to the following penalties: First offense: Students will receive a failing grade on the exam or assignment [a zero], with no possibility for make-up. If the offense is flagrant, the student may receive an F in the course. The student’s name and documented offense will be placed on file in the History Department. Second offense: Student will receive an F in the course with no possibility of make-up. The student’s name and documented offense will be forwarded to the proper university officials. All accused students shall be entitled to a written notice of the offense and the penalty assessed, and notified of his or her right to appeal to the department chair/advisory committee. If you have any questions about academic dishonesty, and what actions constitute such an offense, please ask me. Sounds terrifying. And it is. Charges of plagiarism can get you kicked out of school and even ruin your career, so the best defense against an accusation is knowledge about how to avoid it. Luckily, Lamar provides you an additional tool to help avoid plagiarism. I’ve already given you a tool – the tutorial/quiz, but this other tool is very helpful as well. You will submit your paper through SafeAssign, a program integrated into the LU Learn LMS. After submitting your paper, SafeAssign generates an “Originality Report.” This report illustrates how closely your paper resembles other papers submitted, including papers from pervious Guilty!! semesters, as well as anything on the internet. Once you read the report, you will have the opportunity to resubmit your paper, after you remove any suspected passages and revise your paper, of course. ❷ CLASS PREP ASSIGNMENTS – 10 POINTS To prepare for our class discussions, each student will complete a class prep assignment for each class period. These assignments will be due at the beginning of each class period and will involve short answers, like the “50-Word Assignment” or Identifications (IDs). I will explain these assignments in more detail in class. I will also use other formats for these assignments as needed. These assignments will typically focus on the “Homework Learning Outcomes” listed for each class. However, I reserve the right to alter this, depending on daily objectives and the best interests of the learning environment. Only 10 of these assignments will count toward your final grade, even though you will complete many more than 10. I will not accept these Class Prep Assignment late for any reason. ❸ ESSAYS – 50 POINTS You will write two essays this summer (25 points each). You will submit the first before the midterm exam and the second essay before the final exam. See below for due dates. The essays will be based on your interpretation of the readings from the textbook and the primary sources distributed in class, posted on LU Learn, and in the Stackelberg anthology. Please note these essays are not research papers, where you go and find the sources on your own. You already have enough sources to write a solid essay – your textbooks and the primary sources on LU Learn. Don’t make the assignment more difficult than it needs to be! Your essays will be 4-5 pages (number your pages, please), typed, and double-spaced. In the upper-left hand corner of the first page, provide your name and the title of the paper.