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Auschwitz: From Genocide to Memorial
Fall 2016
Location: Stockholm
Credits: 1
Optional Study Tour Course Destination: Poland
Major Disciplines: Ethnic Studies, History, Human Rights
Faculty Member: TBA
Program Director: Helle Rytkønen, [email protected]
Program Coordinator: Kenzie Zimmer, [email protected]
Faculty Member: Daniel Pedersen
Fridays, 13:15 – 14:35
Location: TBA
Description of course: This course and accompanying study tour to the concentration camps outside of
Krakow, Poland, provides you with a general overview of the camps, the Nazi genocidal policies and the
specific history of the Auschwitz camps, as well as introduce you to the peculiar role of Auschwitz in postWWII history. Through the experiences of staying in Krakow and visiting a concentration camp, you will be
introduced to how a society with such a somber past copes with and moves on from the remnants of war
and genocide.
The course will have a special focus on Sweden’s complex role as a neutral state during WWII and the
Holocaust period, from taking in fleeing Danish Jews to the legendary humanitarian White Bus rescue
operation in Nazi-occupied territories.
Aside from the readings, we will hear stories from Holocaust survivors and from Swedes who were involved
in the rescue missions.
Note, this course involves an additional fee as it includes a study tour to Auschwitz and Birkenau
concentration camps outside of Krakow, Poland.
Description of study tour: The Nazi regime in Poland has left its mark on history, and the memory of this
brutal tragedy is still alive today. On our trip to Krakow and Auschwitz, you will experience this dichotomy
between past and present. You will be exposed to the historical implications of the Holocaust within the
context of WWII, but also examine the crucial role that memory plays in shaping a society decades after a
tragedy occurs.
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A full day will be spent visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau – two camps that played a large role in the
extermination process. In contrast, the city of Krakow is one of the most beautiful in central Europe, with a
revitalized Jewish Quarter (Kazimirz). Through the experiences of staying in Krakow and visiting a
concentration camp, you will be introduced to how a society with such a somber past copes with and
moves on from the remnants of war.
The objective of the course and the study tour is to provide you with a contextualized experience of the
course material through visits to the sites, as well as an in-depth analysis of the challenges and dilemmas
facing the custodians of the Nazi killing centers today.
Lecturer: TBA
Readings, Grading, and Assignments:
The texts used in this course will be a combination of articles, historical documents, maps, and photos. Key
readings will include:
“A History of the Holocaust” by Yehuda Bauer, 1982.
“Auschwitz – An Overview” by Yisrael Gutman, in Anatomy of an Auschwitz Death Camp, 1994.
Attendance in all classes and the study tour is mandatory. The final grade will be based on the following
evaluation:
Attendance & Active Participation (ongoing)
Study Tour Assignment
End of Semester Reflection Paper
30%
20%
50%
The reflection paper will be a 3-5 page (900-1500 words) paper delivered at the end of the semester, and
should be based on the reflections you gathered in your log book while traveling in Poland. Late work will
be deducted a third of a grade point per day it is late. All work must be turned in in order to receive a
passing grade for the class.
Attendance:
You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss multiple classes the Director of
Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you
to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will
be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note.
Academic Honesty:
Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment
DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS
assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic
dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home
universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in
electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more
information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.
Disability and resource statement: Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact
of a disability should contact Sean Green ([email protected]) to coordinate this. In order to receive
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accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first
two weeks of classes.
Schedule: (subject to change to reflect the needs of the class. Readings to be assigned in final draft)
1. Class period 1
The Nazi concentration camp system – origins and developments
2. Class period 2
The Nazi Jewish policy, 1933-45
3. Class period 3
The Nazi genocides – Handicapped, Jews, Russian POW's
4. Class period 4
The development of the extermination camps
5. Class period 5
Auschwitz Stammlager, 1940-1941
6. Class period 6
Birkenau, 1941 -1945
Trip to Poland
7. Class period 7
The post-war image of Auschwitz and the battle for history
Concluding session
Study Tour Assignment:
During the trip, you will write entries in a log-book. You are to discuss certain pre-described issues and
themes in their log-books. Among the themes to be discussed are the:
a.)
b.)
c.)
d.)
e.)
f.)
g.)
h.)
general history of the camp(s)
living conditions
various prisoner groups
prisoner self-administration
extermination facilities
role and behavior of the SS
camp as a museum
role of the camp in post-war history.
More instructions on this assignment will follow.
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Auschwitz: From Genocide to Memorial l DIS