Course Class Time The Berlin Wall and Cold War Era January 5th, 2015 - January 23rd, 2015 Mon: 1.30 pm – 3 pm & 3.15 pm – 4.45 pm Tue: 9 am – 10.30 am & 11 am – 12.30 pm Wed: 1.30 pm – 3 pm & 3.15 pm – 4.45 pm Thu: 9 am – 10.30 am & 10.45 am – 11.30 am ECTS Course Level Instructor 4 ECTS credit points (45 contact hours) Undergraduate students with an interest in politics, social sciences and contemporary history Dr. Jochen Hille Course related department/ faculty Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences Course Description For almost 30 years, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of the division of the city of Berlin, of Germany and of Europe during the era of the Cold War between the two superpowers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union. Consequently, the fall of the Wall in 1989 was a hugely symbolic turning point in world history. But how can we explain the building of such a dividing monument? How can we account for its fall in 1989? And how does the Wall influence our lives today? The course will provide answers to such questions via readings of texts from political science, sociology and history, while also taking the opportunity to explore the grounds on which the events between 1961 and 1989 took place. Course Objective The aim of this course is to introduce participants to the multi-faceted history of the Berlin Wall. After a brief introduction to the historical and ideological backgrounds of the Cold War this course will turn to a detailed analysis of the event history of the Berlin Wall: from the end of World War II via the formation of two blocs until the building of the Berlin Wall, from the building of the Wall via its fall in 1989 until today. To complete the picture of the history of the German/Berlin division and the Cold War, we will focus on the social, economic, and (popular) cultural history of the two German states and Germany since reunification. Required Textbook Supplementary materials will be handed out Reading(s)/ Reference(s) Taylor, Frederick. 2006. The Berlin Wall. 13 August 1961 – 9 November 1989. London:Bloomsbury. Course Requirements/ Assessment Components Attendance rate, participation in class, essay, interview(s) Class Schedule PART I: Introduction and historical background/overview 1. Introduction and course outline 2. Mapping Germany, Europe, and the World: East + West, Then + Now 3. Historical and ideological backgrounds: The Soviet Union and the Western Allies from the Russian Revolution until the end of World War II 4. Excursion: Overview of German history 1918 – 1994, Permanent Exhibition in the German Historical Museum PART II: Event history and its interpretation(s) 5. From the end of World War II until the formation of the two German states 1949 6. Two blocs, two German states, and two Berlins until the building of the Berlin Wall 1961 7. The Building of the Berlin Wall 1961: How it happened, why it happened, and what it meant 8. Excursion: Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Straße 9. Two blocs, two German states, and two Berlins in the age of the Wall, 1961 – 1989 10. The coming down of the Berlin Wall 1989: How it happened, why it happened, and what it meant 11. The aftermath of the Fall of the Berlin Wall: German reunification and its domestic, European and global implications PART III: “What life with the Wall was like” 12. Society and Economy in East and West Germany 13. (Popular) culture in East and West Germany 14. Refugees from East Germany 15. Excursion: Palace of tears (Friedrichstraße) 16. Oppression and control in East Germany 17. Excursion: Stasi Museum Berlin (Normannenstraße) PART IV: “What life without the Wall has been like” 18. Introduction 19. Interviews/Fieldwork 20. Presentations of interviews in class 21. Film: “Goodbye Lenin” 22. In-depth discussion of film PART V: Summary 23. Making sense of the past? 24. Wrap-up and Evaluation Schedule Winter University 2015 “ COURSE TITLE” Mo, January5th Tue, January 6th Topic of the day: PART I: Introduction and historical background PART I: Introduction and historical background PART I: Introduction and historical background PART II: Event history 9-10.30am & 11-12.30pm TUE 10.45 -11.30 THU No class Ideological background of the Cold War No class Two blocs, two German states, and two Berlins No class 1.30-3pm & 3.15-4.45pm Introduction and course outline No class Excursion: German Historical Museum No class No class Mo, January 12th Tue, January 13th Wed, January 7th Wed, January 14th Thu, January 8th Thu, January 15th Fri, January 9th Fri, January 16th Topic of the day: PART II: Event history PART II: Event history PART III: “What life with the Wall was like” PART III: “What life with the Wall was like” 9-10.30am & 11-12.30pm TUE 10.45 -11.30 THU No class Excursion: Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Straße No class Oppression in East Germany Excursion: Stasi Museum Berlin No class 1.30-3pm & 3.15-4.45pm The coming down of the Berlin Wall 1989 No class Society and Economy in East and West Germany No class No class Mo, January 19th Tue, January 20th Wed, January 21st Topic of the day: PART III: “What life with the Wall was like” PART IV: “What life without the Wall has been like” PART IV: “What life without the Wall has been like” 9-10.30am & 11-12.30pm TUE 10.45 -11.30 THU No class Film: “Goodbye Lenin” No class 1.30-3pm & 3.15-4.45pm (Popular) culture in East and West Germany No class Interviews/Fieldwork with Berliners Thu, January 22nd Fri, January 23rd PART IV: “What life without the Wall has been like” Summary: Making sense of the past? No class No class No class