Key Problems of the Jewish History and Culture - Holocaust 2900-JSM-WPHIKZ-ŁKRZ
The Holocaust claimed nearly 6 million lives. The Nazi genocide in Poland is often represented by gas chambers of the death camps. Many victims of the Holocaust, however, did not perish in the camps. They were shot in mass executions near the cities, towns, and villages in which they lived. The historiography of the Holocaust usually connects “the Holocaust by bullets” with mass atrocities committed by the Nazis in the East. Whereas, places where the local Jews were shot in mass executions during the German occupation can be found also in central Poland. The aim of the course it to familiarize participants with this lesser known aspect of the Holocaust in Poland through reading of historiography and historical sources. The participants acquire knowledge of different types of sources, including oral histories collected by Yahad-In Unum – the first entity that started systematically collecting testimonies by non-Jewish witnesses of the executions. The participants will study not only the database of interviews but also the methodology of data collection utilized by Yahad-In Unum. The integral part of the course is a three-day field trip (Northern Masovia, Podlasie). During the field trip the participants will visit sites of mass executions and localities from which originated the victims. The course participants will have the opportunity to meet the last witnesses of the executions and learn about the benefits taking historical sources to the places of the events brings for historical research.
Participants of the course do not bear any costs related to travel and accommodation during the field trip. This course is funded by the Claims Conference University Partnership Program in Holocaust Studies and organized in co-operation with Yahad-In Unum. Field trip sponsored by Fundusz Doskonałości Dydaktycznej UW.
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Type of course
Requirements
Mode
Learning outcomes
Course participants become familiar with selected historical works and sources on the history of mass executions during the Holocaust. They learn critical approach toward sources and are introduced to Yahad-In Unum collection of oral histories and the way it has been created.
Assessment criteria
Attendance (one absence during in-classroom part of the course possible, participation in field trip is mandatory), preparation for the class (reading assigned texts and sources prior to the meeting), participation in classroom discussions, individual and group assignments (incl. library and archival research), group assignments, participation in three-day field trip (April 9-11, 2025).
Bibliography
Selected reading:
Beorn W. W., Polowanie na Żydów. Zbrodnie Wehrmachtu, wyd. 2, Warszawa 2017.
Datner Sz., Zagłada Białegostoku i Białostocczyzny. Notatki dokumentalne, Warszawa 2023.
Desbois P., In Broad Daylight: The Secret Procedures behind the Holocaust by Bullets, New York 2018.
Desbois P., The Holocaust by Bullets: A Priest’s Journey to Uncover the Truth behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews, New York 2008.
Ekshumacje polityczne. Teoria i praktyka, red. E. Domańska, A. Staniewska, Gdańsk-Lublin 2023.
Falkowski M., Ślachta. Historie z podlasko-mazowieckiego pogranicza, Wołowiec 2024. P
Jarząbek M., Podręcznik do historii mówionej, Warszawa 2024 (https://cas.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Podrecznik_do_historii_mowionej_M.Jarzabek-1.pdf).
D. Libionka, Zagłada Żydów w Generalnym Gubernatorstwie. Zarys problematyki, Lublin 2017.
Lower W., The Ravine: A family, a Photograph, a Holocaust Massacre Revealed, London 2021.
Mędykowski W., W cieniu gigantów. Pogromy 1941 r. w byłej sowieckiej strefie okupacyjnej, Warszawa 2012.
Sendyka R., Poza obozem. Nie-miejsca pamięci – próba rozpoznania, Warszawa 2021.
Thompson P., Bornat J., Głos przeszłości. Wprowadzenie do historii mówionej, Warszawa 2021.
Wokół Jedwabnego, red. P. Machcewicz, K. Persak, t. 1-2, Warszawa 2002.
Changes to the reading list can be introduced depending on the need of a group.
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Term 2024L:
Selected reading: Beorn W. W., Polowanie na Żydów. Zbrodnie Wehrmachtu, wyd. 2, Warszawa 2017. Changes to the reading list can be introduced depending on the needs of a group. |
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: