The Holocaust is a major event in human history. The murder of six million Jews--as well as millions of other human beings--is a tragedy of such magnitude that it seems impossible for any one person to fully comprehend. But what seemed impossible did, in fact, happen. We are left to try to learn the lessons of this tragic history so that each of us might do our part to help prevent such events from happening in the future.
There are important lessons to be learned in a study of the Holocaust, and this course will introduce students to such concepts as the capacity for some people to hate, stereotype, dehumanize, humiliate and even murder those who are different from themselves; how the vast majority of Germans and others simply stood by and took no action when Jews and other minority groups were being treated unjustly and ultimately taken away to be killed; and how this history also brought out the best in human courage and the will to survive, as well as the compassion some brave individuals displayed to put themselves and their families at risk for the sake of others.
To properly understand the Holocaust, students will become familiar with the long history of antisemitism, as well as engaging in a study of individual identity, group membership, and the targeting of "The Other." The course will examine the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Students will understand the history through primary source documents and personal testimonies, as a way to connect "head and heart" as we grapple with--and try to make sense out of--this tragic history.
A study of this history requires us to bare witness and face the reality of the horrors that took place. As such, please note that as the course progresses, students will be exposed to some graphic images, video clips and stories. Journalling, group and teacher interactions, and other activities will help students process the difficult material contained in this course.