- Course location
- Berlin
- Teaching language
- • English
- Language level of course
- • English: B2
- Date(s)
- •
30 May - 11 July 2026 (registration deadline: 2 May 2026)
- Information on dates, prices and mode of study
- A non-refundable programme fee is applicable in addition to the tuition fee. The programme fee includes a social programme open to all students. A reduced programme fee applies to early-bird registrations.
- Target group
- We welcome students from all disciplines who are interested in gaining insight into the operations and dynamics of Nazi rule in Germany and its attempt to annihilate the Jews and dominate the continent.
- Description/content
- Please visit our website (www.fubis.org (http://www.fubis.org)) for an overview of all courses offered and for possible updates to the course programme.
About this course
The "thousand-year Reich" that Hitler promised when he became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 lasted but 12 years. During this time, Hitler and his Nazi Party attempted to dominate Europe, terrorised vast numbers of Germans, launched a devastating war, and orchestrated the murder of more than five million Jews. In spite of the terror and vast destruction, Hitler and the Nazi Party gained the active support and involvement of most Germans. How was this possible? What roles did seduction and terror play?
This class focuses on Hitler's Germany, and it begins with the 19th century background. Central to this session will be a discussion of the broad political currents, the agitators, and petty demagogues who fuelled the dissatisfaction and spread it widely. We will also examine the popular literature that Hitler and many of his supporters read and absorbed.
Finally, the class will examine the end of the war, the so-called "zero hour" in Germany, the destruction and collapse of the country, and subsequently, how Germany has confronted the legacy of Hitler and Nazi rule.
We will visit local museums, historical sites, and locations that illuminate the workings of Nazi rule. These visits are a key element of the class and the experience of studying in Berlin.