For this assignment, please pick on of the three assigned books for the course to be your focal point: Life and Death in the Third Reich; Concentration Camps in Nazi Germany; or When the Danube Ran Red. You will find discussion topics at the bottom of this assignment for each book. Please select ONE discussion topic for your paper from your chosen book of focus. You may use all three sources in your essay, but are not required to. No outside research is required.
Your paper should be 3-5 pages in length (Times New Roman Size 12 Font, 1″ Margins, Double Spaced). This paper is not a book review; however, it is an opportunity for you to address the issues raised in the assigned class texts. In this essay, you will be expected to have an introduction, thesis, and conclusion. Be sure to include your analysis throughout. You do not just want to summarize the book, but address the issues it raised and critically evaluate the information and ideas presented. This is not a personal essay, so avoid using first and second person. No outside research is expected for this assignment, but you may include reliable and academic outside sources to aid you in your evaluations. No encyclopedias. Also you can include other class resources (relevant articles have been assigned to assist you with your analysis and discussion in the Lessons portion of the classroom). You may also want to draw from our discussions in the forums; just be sure that you do not cut and paste from your forum and when using the ideas or words of a fellow student, that you cite.
Note: If you are interested in addressing an issue not listed, please email me your idea in advance.
Note: I am available to read rough drafts for papers submitted one week in advance of the due date.
Tips for your paper:
-Have a clear and focused introduction where you establish your thesis and main points of argument.
– Have a specific thesis statement that presents an argument for your paper.
– Include your analysis throughout your paper.
-Utilize paragraph topic and concluding sentences to connect information together and back to your overall thesis.
-Cite throughout using Chicago style footnotes.
– Provide a conclusion that summarizes your main points and argument.
Discussion topics for Life and Death in the Third Reich:
- German support for the Nazis
- The Volksgemeinschaft
- “Aryans” and “Life Unworthy of Life”
- Anti-Semitism in the Third Reich
- Deportation of the Jews
- World War II and the Final Solution
- “Ordinary Germans” and the Holocaust
Discussion topics Concentration Camps in Nazi Germany
- Development of the Concentration Camps, 1933-1945
- Camp Personnel
- Life in the Camps
- Gender and the Concentration Camps
- Comparisons between the different types of camps and/or ghettos
- Work and Death in the concentration camps
- Death Marches
- “Displaced Persons Camps”
Discussion topics for When the Danube Ran Red:
- The importance of memoirs and the Holocaust; “bearing witness”
- A life in hiding
- Survival strategies
- The Holocaust in Hungary
- Children as targeted victims of genocide
- Rescue/Righteous Gentile