Crisis, Creativity, and Modernity in the Weimar Republic, 1918--1933
HIST 319
Fall 2026
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
GRST 264, CJST 319 |
Born in defeat and national bankruptcy; beset by disastrous inflation, unemployment, and frequent changes of government; and nearly toppled by coup attempts, the Weimar Republic (1918--1933) produced some of the most influential and enduring examples of modernism. Whether in music, theater, film, painting, photography, design, or architecture, the Weimar years marked an extraordinary explosion of artistic creativity. New approaches were likewise taken in the humanities, social sciences, psychology, medicine, science, and technology, and new ideas about sexuality, the body, and the role of women were introduced. Nevertheless, Weimar modernism was controversial and generated a backlash that caused forces on the political right to mobilize to ultimately bring down the republic. This advanced seminar explores these developments and seeks to understand them within their political, social, and economic contexts to allow for a deeper understanding of Weimar culture and its place within the longer-term historical trajectory of Germany and Europe. This perspective allows for an appreciation of the important links between Weimar modernism and Imperial Germany, as well as an awareness of some of the important continuities between the Weimar and Nazi years. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
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Kaes, Anton, Martin Jay, and Edward Dimendberg, eds. The Weimar Republic Sourcebook. University of California Press, 1994. ISBN: 978-0-520-06775-2
Roth, Joseph. What I Saw: Reports from Berlin 1920-1933. Translated by Michael Hofmann. W.W. Norton, 2003. ISBN: 978-0-393-32582-9
Weitz, Eric D. Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy. Centennial ed. Princeton University Press, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-691-18305-3
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Examinations and Assignments:
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Attendance and participation (10%)
Short paper (10%)
Midterm exam (20%)
Research paper prospectus (10%)
Class presentation (10%)
Research paper (40%) |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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| Instructor(s): Grimmer-Solem,Erik Times: .M..... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 2 | | |
| Seats Available: 15 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 3 | FR: 3 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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