The Nazi Regime (Level 6)

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 6
• Convenor and tutor: Eckard Michels
• Assessment: a 3500-word essay in English (100%)

The legacy of the Third Reich continues to preoccupy Germany, for example, the recent discussion about the role of the Foreign Office in the Nazi dictatorship and how this ministry dealt with its past after 1945. This module is therefore intended as an introduction to the history and structure of the Nazi regime on the basis of important, selected topics. We will analyse various documents such as speeches by leading Nazi politicians or internal government memoranda, as well as visual sources.

Indicative module syllabus

• The origins and development of the Nazi party until 1933
• 'Seizure of Power': the years 1933/34
• The structure of the 'Führerstaat'
• Law, police and terror
• The 'Volksgemeinschaft': society during the Nazi dictatorship
• Culture and cultural policy under the Nazi regime
• Foreign policy and war preparation 1933-19
• Warfare and occupation policy during the Second World War
• The home front during the Second World War
• Anti-semitism and the Holocaust

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• interpret and articulate issues arising from the historical development of Germany between 1933 and 1945
• demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of some important political documents of that period
• critically engage with historical sources
• give an informed opinion on the subject matter of the module in oral and written form
• get an overview about the main academic debates regarding the origins and structure of the Nazi regime
• research an academic essay on a topic of your choice with additional tutorial support.