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Turning Points in German History 1200 - 2000

Module description

German history is about more than National Socialism and the Berlin Wall. In approaching a more rounded understanding from a perspective of cultural studies, in this module you will use particular concepts to assess major and often formative events - be it the "Reich" and the changes in perception it underwent; the importance of revolutions and "new beginnings", for example in the course of Unification in 1871 and 1989; or the role of individuals such as Martin Luther for the German Reformation. In all cases you will scrutinize the short- and long-term impact of events and consider a variety of documents ranging from actual historical documents, to literature, film, souvenirs and depictions by historians. You will also explore ‘iconic images’ and question the links between politics and daily lives.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will provide you with an introduction to the history of Germany as a background to the study of literature, history of the German language and culture. Furthermore, you will gain the kind of understanding of a country’s history and culture that employers seek in graduates. This module will introduce you to concepts of German identity from the Middle Ages until today. You will consider the impact of political, ideological, religious and cultural debates on Germany’s history and its role as a nation state. There will be a strong focus on a range of turning points. You will, guided by current research, explore means of perpetuating pivotal historical moments such as films and works of art.  You will develop the necessary skills, individually and as part of a team, in the presentation and production of different kinds of academic contributions.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of various periods of German history and culture
• 2. Demonstrate an understanding of key documents and sources that inform us about German history and culture

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Recognise the existence of differing critical responses to different types of material
• 4. Mount an argument in sound written English using textual or other evidence; recognise and understand basic critical terminology

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Assimilate, select and organise material in order to produce a simple but cogent argument in writing, in English, on a specific topic and following guidelines provided

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• What is Cultural History?
• The Idea of the German Reich
• Friedrich II von Hohenstaufen: Birth of a Myth
• The German Kaiserreich: 1871-1918
• Hitler and the Third Reich
• Shaping Identities/the Importance of Individuals
• Language, Religion and Politics: The Case of Martin Luther and the German Reformation
• Turning Points: Revolutions, New Beginnings, Divisions and Unification
• The Revolution of 1848
• The November Revolution 1918
• Zero Hour 1945 and the establishment of two Germanys in 1949
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) and Unification (1990)
• Germany today

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Hagen Schulze, Germany: A New History (Cambridge, Mass. And London: Harvard University Press 1998).
• Mary Fulbrook, A Concise History of Germany (Cambridge, 1991).
• Martin Kitchen, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Germany (Cambridge, 1996)
• Questions on German History (Bonn, 1998)
• Richard Evans, Rereading German History: From Unification to Reunification, 1800-1996 (London, 1997)
• Thomas Nipperdey, Deutsche Geschichte (Munich, 1998)
• Steve Crawshaw, Easier Fatherland: Germany and the Twenty-First Century (London, 2004)
• Neil McGregor, Germany. Memories of a Nation (London, 2014)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11028 

Key words search

German history, German culture, Reich, turning point