The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry is an adaptation of an on-campus course that has been co-taught by Murray Baumgarten, Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature (Literature Department), and Peter Kenez, Professor Emeritus (History Department), for over 20 years at UC Santa Cruz.
In this course, you will explore the Holocaust from the overlapping perspectives of literature and history—through memoirs, historical documents, poetry, documentary footage, filmic representations, and novels. You will expand your knowledge of the literature of the Holocaust, Eastern and Western European Jewish communities, the origins and development of antisemitism, the establishment of labor and extermination camps, resistance movements, and the Holocaust as a problem for world history.
There is more than one way to take this course: You can complete all of the activities (and earn a Verified Certificate) or only the activities that are most interesting to you. Whatever you choose to do, we encourage you to find a havruta (a study partner) in your community or in the Coursera community so that you can experience the course in a more interactive and meaningful way.
The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry
Offered By
University of California, Santa Cruz
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
14 hours to complete
Who were the Jews?
This module is an introduction to the study of the Holocaust and a prehistory of the Holocaust. Profs. Baumgarten and Kenez discuss the roots of modern antisemitism, the culture of European Jews in the 19th century, Nehama Tec’s Dry Tears, and the various genres of Holocaust literature. The module also contains general information about the course.
13 videos (Total 161 min), 7 readings
13 videos
1.1.2 Who were the Jews?7m
1.1.3 Why do we study the Holocaust?12m
1.1.4 Poetry and perspectives16m
1.2.1 Western European Jewry in the 19th century9m
1.2.2 Jewish success and European antisemitism14m
1.2.3 Jews in French society14m
1.2.4 Roots of modern antisemitism6m
1.2.5 Theodor Herzl11m
1.3.1 Expectations of reality13m
1.3.2 Hier ist kein warum11m
1.3.3 Yiddish culture13m
1.3.4 On Account of a Hat18m
7 readings
Description10m
Books and films10m
Writing assignments10m
Acknowledgements10m
1.0.1 Topics, readings, and films10m
1.1.5 Written in Pencil in the Sealed Railway-Car (English translation)10m
1.3.5 On Account of a Hat (English translation)10m
Week
24 hours to complete
Prelude to the Holocaust
In this module Profs. Baumgarten and Kenez discuss the changing demographics and political landscape of early 20th century Eastern Europe, Jewish identity, the Bildungsroman, Silvano Arieti’s The Parnas, Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz, Aharon Appelfeld’s Badenheim 1939, and Elie Wiesel’s Night.
19 videos (Total 231 min), 1 reading
19 videos
2.1.2 Poland, part 110m
2.1.3 Poland, part 27m
2.1.4 Hungary, part 110m
2.1.5 Hungary, part 212m
2.1.6 Fear and hatred5m
2.2.1 Liberal European culture9m
2.2.2 Night, part 111m
2.2.3 Night, part 214m
2.2.4 Life in the Arbeitslager14m
2.3.1 Jewry of the Russian Empire18m
2.3.2 The Russian state16m
2.3.3 Changing demographics9m
2.3.4 Pogroms in the Russian Empire and the USSR13m
2.3.5 Jewish identity7m
2.4.1 The Bildungsroman, part 17m
2.4.2 The Bildungsroman, part 218m
2.4.3 The Bildungsroman, part 320m
2.4.4 The Bildungsroman, part 412m
1 reading
2.0.1 Topics, readings, and films10m
Week
34 hours to complete
Rise of the Nazis
In this module Profs. Baumgarten and Kenez discuss the political and social environment of 1930s Germany, the Jewish question, and the treatment of evil in poetry.
14 videos (Total 173 min), 7 readings
14 videos
3.1.2 Hitler and the Jews14m
3.1.3 Germans and the Jews13m
3.1.4 The rise of the Nazis11m
3.1.5 Nazism in German culture5m
3.2.1 Poetry and evil, part 113m
3.2.2 Poetry and evil, part 215m
3.2.3 Poetry and evil, part 37m
3.2.4 Todesfugue (Death Fugue)16m
3.3.1 Intentionalism and functionalism20m
3.3.2 What do we do with the Jews?15m
3.3.3 Why didn't they leave?13m
3.3.4 The Anschluß and German pogroms5m
3.3.5 Passing and not passing8m
7 readings
3.0.1 Topics, readings, and films10m
3.2.5 Kaddish10m
3.2.6 Nightsong (English translation)10m
3.2.7 Death Fugue (English translation)10m
3.2.8 Todesfuge (German)10m
3.2.9 Memento Mori (English translation)10m
3.2.10 Memento Mori (Yiddish)10m
Week
45 hours to complete
Beginnings of war
In this module Profs. Baumgarten and Kenez discuss the conditions that were necessary for the Holocaust to occur, the early events of World War II, Thomas Kenneally’s Schindlers List, Andres Schwartz-Bart’s The Last of the Just, and questions of guilt and responsibility.
15 videos (Total 188 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
15 videos
4.1.2 Direct acts of violence14m
4.1.3 Fight for what?13m
4.1.4 Eroticization of violence13m
4.1.5 Resistance and agency5m
4.2.1 Beginnings of war9m
4.2.2 German war aims10m
4.2.3 Ghettoes16m
4.2.4 Jewish leadership14m
4.2.5 What did the neighbors say?12m
4.3.1 Language of trauma15m
4.3.2 Banality of evil15m
4.3.3 Schindler's List, part 110m
4.3.4 Schindler's List, part 216m
4.3.5 Guilt and responsibility4m
1 reading
4.0.1 Topics, readings, and films10m
4.6
40 ReviewsTop Reviews
I want to say how much I especially enjoyed Dr Kenez and his very clear and concise lectures on the historical aspects of the subject matter. Thank you very much. Richard Kilgore
The presentations raise vital questions , dis-aggregates historical experience and has generated interest in me to study the issues further . Many thanks to the Professors.
Instructors
Murray Baumgarten
Distinguished Professor of English & Comparative LiteratureLiterature
Peter Kenez
Professor EmeritusHistory
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