HIS 238 - The Making of Modern Germany

4 credits (Fall or Spring)

This course traces the rise of the modern German nation from the accession of Frederick the Great through the Cold War. We examine the gradual decline of Habsburg dominance; the ascent of a powerful economic, military, and intellectual “Germany” dominated by Prussia by 1870; the rupture of World War I and the ensuing radicalism of the Weimar Republic; the rise and fall of the Third Reich; and Germany’s recovery from the catastrophes of the early twentieth century. We address the role of geography, culture, and ethnicity in the construction of national identity and the ongoing interplay between politics and culture.

Prerequisite: HIS 100 or second-year standing.
Note: Plus-2 option available.
Instructor: Maynard