79-260 Nazi Germany: A Practical History

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Recently, there have been controversies over who is acting like a Nazi. For example, when is outstretching one's right arm a Nazi salute? When is it not? When, if ever, is it appropriate to call someone a modern Hitler? How can you tell? And why are we still arguing over this in 2025? The Nazi regime lasted just over twelve years, from 1933 to 1945. That span is shorter than those of other German states, such as the Weimar Republic (1918-1933), East Germany (1949-1990), the German Empire (1871-1918), and of course the Holy Roman Empire (800-1806). Yet, eighty years after its collapse, Nazi Germany still exerts a hold on our contemporary discourse and imagination well beyond its country of origin. The deeds, personalities, ideas, and aesthetics of the Nazis continue to loom over us, as a perennial warning of something most evil, as an inspiration and object of emulation, or just as a tool to shock and grab attention. What, if anything, makes Nazi Germany feel so relevant across time and space? If Nazi Germany's influence is still so present and real, then knowledge of the history of Nazi Germany is not just academic but also practical. This course will investigate the rise, fall, and afterlife of the Nazi movement from a fringe group to a mass party, a dictatorship, an empire, and a resilient, viral idea. This course meets the Dietrich Gen Ed "Contextual Thinking" requirement.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2025

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