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The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World

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Course Summary

This course provides an introduction to the Holocaust, exploring its history and impact on the world today. Students will learn about the events leading up to the Holocaust, the progression of the genocide and its aftermath.

Key Learning Points

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Holocaust
Learn about the events leading up to the genocide
Explore the impact of the Holocaust on the world today

Learning Outcomes

Understand the history and progression of the Holocaust
Analyze the impact of the Holocaust on the world today
Develop critical thinking skills

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of World War II
Interest in history and human rights

Course Difficulty Level

Beginner

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

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Description

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.

This free online course was produced jointly by Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. The course tracks the history of the Holocaust and has two parts. "The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World" is the first of the two courses and covers the following themes in its three weeks: Week 1: From Hatred to Core Ideology We will try to delve into Nazi ideology and the special place of Jews and Judaism in it. We will also discuss how the National Socialist Party converted the German Democracy of the Weimar Republic into a totalitarian regime within a short period of time, and its meaning for Jews and non-Jewish citizens. Week 2: The World and the Jews in World War II We will try to examine the broader contexts of the Holocaust and to place it, as part of World War 2. In this meeting we will also refer to the vital Jewish world to be found under various Nazi occupations and influences. Week 3: The Isolation Abyss - the Perspective of the Individual We will try to reveal different aspects of Jewish life in the face of the badge of shame, ghettos and segregation, as well as the formation of individual, societies’ and leader’s reactions in the face of a consistent policy of dispossession and discrimination. Once you’ve completed this course, you can continue your learning with The Holocaust - An Introduction (II): The Final Solution (https://www.coursera.org/learn/holocaust-introduction-2/home/welcome) This online course is offered in an innovative, multi-level format, comprising: * Comprehensive lectures by leading researchers from Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem. * A wealth of voices and viewpoints presented by guest lecturers. * Numerous documents, photos, testimonies and works of art from the time of the Holocaust. * Novel learning experience: Crowd sourcing – involving the learners themselves in the act of collecting and shaping information, via unique, exciting online assignments. REQUIREMENTS: This course is designed for anyone with an interest in the Holocaust, including students, teachers, academics and policy-makers.

Outline

From Hatred to Core Ideology; From Democracy to a Totalitarian State; Nazi Germany and the Jews
Course trailer
Introduction: why the Holocaust, why history, why this course?
Why the Jews? Traditional anti-Semitism as a central background
The uniqueness of Nazi anti-Semitism and its place in the NS ideology
1933: Gleichschaltung
1933-1939: Life in Nazi Germany
1933-1939: Jewish life in Nazi Germany
1938 - A Major Turning Point
Saul Friedlander, Nazi Germany and the Jews
Wolfgang Benz, “Exclusion as a Stage in Persecution: The Jewish Situation in Germany, 1933-1941”

The World and the Jews in World War II
Nazi military occupations and varying occupation policies
From the Historian's Desk - Visual Documentation
Focus on Poland
Focus on France and Paris
A World at War and world Jewry
Europe and its Jews between the two world wars
Judith Levin and Daniel Uziel, “Ordinary Men Extraordinary Photos – Photographs”
Denis Peschanski, “The Statues on Jews – October 3, 1940 and June 2, 1942”
Check you’ve understood what you’ve learned so far

The Abyss of Isolation - the perspective of the individual
The Jewish Perspective and the Badge of Shame
Ghettoization
The Warsaw Ghetto
Isolation with no Walls
Leadership
Future Expectations and Rumors
The Holocaust - an introduction - Partial conclusions
Instructions by Heydrich on Policy and Operations concerning Jews in the Occupied Territories, September 21, 1939
Miron, Guy and Shlomit Shulhani, "General Introduction", The Yad Vashem Encyclopedia of the Ghettos During the Holocaust
Michael Wildt, "Generation of the Unbound: The Leadership Corps of the Reich Security Main Office"
What's next?
Check your understanding

Summary of User Reviews

Read reviews for Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry on Coursera. Users have praised this course for its informative and respectful approach to a difficult topic. Many have found the content to be eye-opening and thought-provoking.

Pros from User Reviews

The course provides a comprehensive overview of the Holocaust and its historical context.
The instructors are knowledgeable and engaging.
The course materials are well-organized and easy to navigate.
The course includes a variety of multimedia resources, including primary sources and interviews with survivors.
The course encourages critical thinking and reflection on the lessons of the Holocaust.

Cons from User Reviews

Some users have found the course content to be emotionally challenging.
Some users have experienced technical difficulties with the platform.
Some users have found the quizzes and assignments to be overly difficult or time-consuming.
Some users have found the forums to be disorganized or unhelpful.
Some users have expressed concern about the potential for misinformation or bias in the course content.

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