Subject: One hundred years ago, beginning with the revolution in November 1918 and the abdication of Emperor Wilhelm II, German society experienced major transitions: from war to peace, from Empire to Republic, from monarchy to democracy as well as a cultural transition that featured e. g. the ‘New Objectivity’, ‘Bauhaus’ and new literary styles. 1919 was both a turbulent and an extraordinary year: Amid peace negotiations and demobilization, political violence was omnipresent and culminated in street-fighting, assassinations and murder. Violent demonstrations and brutal suppression were as much a feature of the first post-war year as were political attempts to overthrow the newly proclaimed republic. As families were reunited, many hoped for a quick return to normal life, but the experiences at the front as well as at home often made this difficult. At the same time, 1919 marked Germany’s transition to a truly democratic system guaranteeing universal male and female suffrage. In February 1919, in the city of Weimar, the National Assembly took up the task of conceiving and ratifying a democratic constitution. The signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty was followed by years of political conflict in domestic politics and by right-wing propaganda. In terms of culture, however, 1919 was a prosperous year. A new sense of modernity emerged as artists, writers, musicians and architects drew inspiration from the revolutionary climate in society. A demand for amusement was expressed by many citizens and met by a flourishing entertainment industry. Program: In this course, the focus is on the manifold events of 1919 in Germany, especially on the achievements of and the dangers to democracy – still a highly important topic in 2019. We will study the political and cultural context of the beginning of the Weimar Republic. The seminar will also analyse how citizens from different classes, age groups and cultural backgrounds experienced everyday life in 1919. In one seminar session, we will visit an exhibition on a related topic. Is this course suitable for you? This course is open to students from the Social Sciences, Cultural Studies, Arts and Humanities. Students should be prepared to study a number of academic and literary texts as well as historical sources in English and should be interested in discussing and analysing aspects of political, cultural and social history. Workload and Assessment: In order to obtain 5 ECTS credits, students will have to • attend the course regularly and participate actively; • study the course materials; • give a group presentation in class (approx. 20 minutes); • pass the written examination (90 minutes). close