History Of Central Europe

HISTORY OF CENTRAL EUROPE SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES This course examines the history and culture of Central Europe, primarily in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We will analyze the rich, multidimensional texture of life in the space between Germany and Russia, and show that history cannot be properly understood if it is studied exclusively on the basis of events driven by the Big Powers. Central Europeans debate the past with much passion and considerable knowledge. Ask almost anyone in Prague about 1620 and you will get a lecture on the Battle of the White Mountain and its consequences; ask a Pole about 1795 and you will learn about the partitions of Poland; if you ask a Hungarian about 1526 you will be treated to a colorful description of the Battle of Mohács; an inquiry about the relevance of 1683 in the history of Vienna will result in an analysis of the many conflicts between the Habsburg and the Ottoman empires— all the way to the present crisis, visible in today’s Vienna, involving migrants from Turkey and the Middle East. Sir Halford Mackinder observed that whoever commanded the European heartland, ruled the world. The emergence of new power centers, e.g., the United States, China, and Japan has shown this claim to be falsely Eurocentric. Nevertheless, in the 20th century alone, Central Europe gave the world not only major cultural and intellectual stimuli, but also two world wars. Therefore, the history of Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech lands, Slovakia, and Hungary must not be ignored by anyone who wishes to possess an accurate and nuanced understanding of the world around us. IMPORTANT DATES First lecture Last day to add a class Last day to drop a class Midterm Last lecture Final Examination Essay Due 3 September 2019 16 September 2019 7 October 2019 29 October 2019 10 December 2019 19 December 2019 19 December 2019 2 COURSE REQUIREMENTS a. Participation, preparedness (15 percent) b. Midterm (35 percent) c. Final (35 percent) d. Book/Film Essay (15 percent). The midterm and final examinations take place in the classroom with books and notes closed. Note that the final examination is scheduled by the Registrar, not by me, and I am powerless to change it for any reason. The midterm examination consists of ten identifications. Such IDs are meant to be clear summaries of important individuals and events we have covered in this course. They should contain the following information: 1. Who or what is the subject of the ID? This needs to be correct. If, for example, you confuse Metternich with Castlereagh, you will not get any credit. You also need to ensure that your ID contains all that is central. Providing information about Talleyrand’s private life but not his achievements in Vienna misses the point. 2. When did the ID take place? This does not always have to be a specific day, such as the exact day of the Battle of the White Mountain. It can be a year, in this case 1620. In other cases, e.g., the Stalin-Hitler Pact, it is the month and the year that are relevant—August 1939 in this case. On rare occasions the date needs to be complete. For instance, World War II broke out on 1 September 1939. It is helpful to indicate when the ID took place by stating what events paved the way for it. For example, an ID on the Congress of Vienna must note that it took place after the defeat of Napoleon and his exile to Elba. 3. What is the historical significance of the ID? Make sure you have time to state the significance of the personality or event in question. For example, writing about the revolutions of 1848 it is important to observe that they tested the stability of the political structure imposed on Europe by the Congress of Vienna. The final examination consists of one analytical essay and five identifications: You will be required to write an analytical essay on one out of three topics. The essay topics will hold you accountable for the material covered in lectures and in readings. You will receive the essay topics in advance. Therefore, a student who attends lectures, keeps up with the readings, and thinks about the topic before the examination should be able to succeed. The final IDs follow the same pattern as explained in the midterm section, above. 3 Book or Film essay The last requirement in this course is a 3-page essay. Please choose either one of the following three books: —Josef Skvorecky, The Cowards or The Swell Season —Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being —Jaroslav Hasek, The Good Soldier Svejk Or one of the following three films: —Tony Richardson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) —Andrzej Wajda’s Katyń (2007). Warning: This movie contains violent scenes. —Antoni Krauze’s Black Thursday (2011) A successful essay is likely to contain the following three parts: 1. The Introduction The first paragraph of your paper should be your thesis paragraph. The function of this paragraph is to introduce your argument and to define it. It may also hint at your conclusion. 2. The body of the essay In this section, you support your thesis. Think of body paragraphs as the building blocks of your essay. Good essay paragraphs contain an explanation of your ideas and evidence that supports them. 3. The conclusion Your concluding paragraph might restate the thesis in different words, summarize the main points you have made, but from a different perspective. Your conclusion should underline the importance and significance of what you have written. Finishing touches •Avoid clichés and empty generalizations. •Once you have written your paper, read it aloud to yourself. This is the best way to eliminate awkward formulations and identify places that need to be reformulated.