The Holocaust was an inconceivable historical event, which forever robbed Western culture of its innocence. As civilized human beings, we fail to understand how events of such horror could have taken place, and how an idea so inhumanly warped could have spread like wildfire through an entire continent, instigating the systematic annihilation of millions of Jews.
The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution
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The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution
Instructors: Professor Havi Dreifuss, PhD
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7 hours to complete
3 weeks at 2 hours a week
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There are 3 modules in this course
This lesson will be devoted to the cultural and mental processes which paved the way to the comprehensive and systematic mass murder of Jews. We will deal with the specific decision-making process regarding the murder of the entire European Jewry, the implementation of the initial murder, the broadening circle of killing, and the early Jewish reactions to the "Final Solution".
What's included
7 videos3 readings1 discussion prompt1 plugin
We will look at a broad spectrum of questions, including: "As Lambs to the Slaughter"? Choiceless choices? Did the world remain silent? Why were Auschwitz and Birkenau not bombed? And more. Discussion of the various issues and frameworks will challenge the existing definitions regarding resistance and rescue, and examine patterns of cooperation with persecutors alongside rebellious acts by Jews and non-Jews alike. As part of this important discussion, we will return to our previous examination of the Jewish leadership and re-evaluate the responses of various Jewish leaders to the annihilation campaign, while pointing out the complexities of the subject matter.
What's included
6 videos4 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
This lesson will describe the steps taken by Nazi Germany, with the Allied advance across Europe, to increase efforts to exterminate the Jews and to destroy all evidence of their crimes. We will deal with questions of memory and commemoration, examine the significance of the Holocaust for different audiences, and present the latest research in the field of Holocaust studies.
What's included
6 videos2 readings1 assignment4 discussion prompts1 plugin
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4.9 (105 ratings)
Recommended if you're interested in History
Northwestern University
University of Colorado System
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