Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay (1 x 2,000-word essay) | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | Student presentations | 20% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours written examination | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Resubmit all failed or missed elements | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Resit the exam if failed or missed | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. participate in social debates concerning the study of National Socialism, German-speaking refugees and history and memory in Germany and Austria
2. show understanding of the historical background of the region
3. show understanding of German and Austrian literature and culture from the 1930s to 2000
4. demonstrate skills in comparative analysis and to show familiarity with historical analysis and literary criticism
5. engage critically with a variety of scholarly material including monographs and specialised articles
6. present their findings in a logical, organised and scholarly fashion both orally - through debates and presentations - and in written form - through essays.
Brief description
The course studies the history, culture and literature of German-speaking refugees and their representation in 20th and 21st century Germany and Austria. Thematically, it will cover aspects such as national identity, exile, gender, memory and memorialisation.
Aims
This course aims to familiarise students with questions of German, Austrian and European history and culture from the 1930s to 1990s. It will give students a broad understanding of the most important aspects concerning German-speaking refugees from National Socialism in their historical, socio-economic and political context in the UK. It will explore the themes of National Socialism, exile, memory, gender and the changing nature of national identity exploring a variety of sources.
Content
1. National Socialism
2. History of German-speaking Refugees
3. Exile Literature
4. Gender and Exile
5. The Post-war Experience
6. Memory in Literature and Film
Weekly Classes
Week 1
Lecture: Introduction: The Rise of National Socialism
Seminar: The Rise of National Socialism: extracts from Anna Gmeyner’s Manja
Week 2
Lecture: Life and Work under National Socialism
Seminar: The exclusion of the Jews: extracts from Anna Gmeyner’s Manja
Week 3
Seminar: Refugees from National Socialism: Anthony Grenville, Jewish Refugees from Germany and Austria in Britain, ch.1
Seminar: Anthony Grenville, Jewish Refugees from Germany and Austria in Britain, ch.2
Week 4
Seminar: Short Story: Hermynia Zur Mühlen 12 März 1938
Seminar: Eyewitness Account: The November Pogrom
Week 5
Lecture: The Kindertransport
Seminar: Memoir: Marion Charles: Ich war ein Glückskind
Week 6
Seminar: Memoir: Ich war ein Glückskind
Seminar: Memoir: Ich war ein Glückskind
Week 7
Lecture: TV Drama: ‘Landgericht’ and its background
Seminar: TV drama part 1: ‘Landgericht’
Week 8
Seminar: TV drama part 2: ‘Landgericht’
Seminar: Documentary on the making of ‘Landgericht’
Week 9
Lecture: Returning from exile: Hilde Spiel
Seminar: Diary: Rückkehr nach Wien
Week 10
Seminar: Commemoration and Memorial Culture
Seminar: Conclusion
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | n/a |
| Communication | Students will develop oral communication in seminars and student presentations; written communication will be developed in assessments in English. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will be able to assess their own progress week by week through their increased understanding of the issues raised and the skills developed. |
| Information Technology | Students will use on-line journals and source collections; delivery of course materials and information via e-learning system. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will acquire transferable skills such as the ability to create and deliver presentations; in-depth acquaintance with literature and history as academic subjects. |
| Problem solving | Students will select appropriate reading material; developing evaluative analysis and critical skills and formulating a detailed argument. |
| Research skills | Students will analyse literary and filmic representations in their political/historical contexts and synthesize information in an evaluative argument. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will acquire German vocabulary; slang expressions; a variety of German language from different periods of history. |
| Team work | Students will participate in debates and group presentations in seminars. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5