Zero Hour: Germany, Poland, and post-war reconstruction in Europe, 1945-1955
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| HIST3129 | History | 3 | 40 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- HIST3129
- School
- History
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 40
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
Drawing on a wide range of materials, this Special Subject will help students understand an important period in history, sandwiched between two familiar historical periods, that witnessed displacement on an unprecedented scale amidst a society on the brink of collapse.
Zero hour (or Stunde Null), the term popularly used to refer to the immediate time after Germany’s unconditional surrender on 8th May 1945, is viewed as a splitting point in the twentieth century. Numerous studies talk about the Second World War and Cold War as sequential events, but between these two giants was the genesis of the foundations of contemporary society. The immediate aftermath of the Second World War was simultaneously numbing and chaotic for many as defeated Germans, victorious armies, displaced people, and welfare workers jostled side-by-side amongst the rubble. As well as exploring the implications of Zero Hour in Germany, this special subject explores through academic texts, memoirs, newsreels, fictional works, cartoons, and other primary materials what happened in Germany and Poland between 1945 and the mid-1950s with a particular focus on displaced persons. It will also highlight what the legacies are of these tumultuous times by questioning ongoing research while using everything from acts of commemoration to popular portrayals in movies, musicals, and more.
Target Students
Available to Level 3 single or joint honours History students or Liberal Arts students
Classes
- One 3-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
Combination of lectures, workshops and seminars.
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: Source based assessment 3,000 words.
- 30% Presentation 1: Presentation and report
- 40% Coursework 2: Essay 3,500 words.
Assessed by end of designated period
Educational Aims
This module aims to: (i) introduce students to new and innovative methodologies and new perspectives on the immediate post-1945 period in occupied Germany and neighbouring Poland, and its engagement with the wider world through efforts to create and develop an international humanitarian system; (ii) introduce students to current scholarly debates about (forced) displacement, occupation, and international humanitarianism and how it shaped modern Germany and Poland; (iii) Enhance students’ abilities to draw upon and critically assess a wide range of primary sources as pieces of historical evidence; (iv) Enable students make links between history and modern day commemoration, remembrance, and popular depictions of the post-1945 world in popular media.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
By the end of this module, in their assessed work, students should be able to:
Place the legacies of post-war reconstruction in Germany and Poland within a contemporary context
Compare and contrast case studies, themes or topics discussed within the module
Demonstrate understanding of major events in this period
Recognise the multitude of voices and actors involved in the humanitarian response
Intellectual Skills:
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Engage critically with the historiography on zero hour, post-war reconstruction, and their legacies in Germany and Poland.
Critically assess a diverse range of primary materials and be inventive with their source choices.
Construct coherent and independent historical arguments of their own.
Be mindful of translation issues and cultural assumptions.
Professional/Practical Skills:
The module will develop students’ ability to:
Select, sift, and synthesise information from a range of primary and secondary sources.
Identify and compare key arguments in those materials.
Apply appropriate footnoting and bibliographical skills.
Use IT resources to access historical sources and information.
Transferable Skills:
The module will also develop students’ ability to:
Manage a large and disparate body of information.
Express themselves clearly, coherently, and fluently in essays, sources analyses and other written work, as well as within oral presentations.
Work and learn actively with others, including conducting student-led seminars as a small group, and other small group work both outside and within the classroom.
Manage and take responsibility for their own learning.
Effectively use research skills to locate digital resources and physical archives for research and presentation purposes.