Course

Holocaust in Film and Literature

University of California, Los Angeles

German 59: Holocaust in Film and Literature is a comprehensive course dedicated to understanding the Holocaust's history and its enduring impact through various media forms, specifically literature and film. This course offers:

  • In-depth insights into challenges faced in representing the Holocaust.
  • Examination of the cultural memory of the Holocaust.
  • Analysis of the intersection between music, popular culture, literature, and film in conveying this historical atrocity.

By engaging with different artistic expressions, students will gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust's complexities and the ongoing dialogues surrounding its representation in contemporary culture.

Course Lectures
  • This module explores the impact of music and popular culture in the context of the Holocaust, revealing the ways these mediums were used both as tools of resistance and propaganda. Students will examine the role of music within concentration camps, its use by Nazi leadership, and the enduring legacy of these cultural expressions in contemporary society.

    • Explore musical compositions from the era
    • Analyze the use of music as propaganda
    • Discuss the portrayal of the Holocaust in pop culture today
  • This module examines the intersection of music and popular culture with the Holocaust narrative. It delves into the historical significance of artistic expression during this period, highlighting the resilience and creativity of those affected. Students will engage with varied sources, including films and literature, to discuss the broader impact of these cultural forms on Holocaust memory and education.

    • Analyze films depicting the Holocaust
    • Discuss literature from survivors
    • Understand the role of arts in shaping Holocaust memory
  • This module is dedicated to understanding the dual roles of music and popular culture during the Holocaust. It presents an in-depth look at how these elements served both as expressions of hope and tools of oppression. Through case studies and firsthand accounts, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between culture and historical trauma.

    • Explore case studies on music in ghettos
    • Understand cultural oppression under Nazi rule
    • Study firsthand accounts of artists during the Holocaust
  • This module focuses on the significant influence of music and popular culture during the Holocaust, particularly in how it shaped public perception and memory. Students will examine the evolution of Holocaust representation in media post-war and the role these cultural artifacts play in contemporary society's understanding of history.

    • Examine post-war media representations
    • Discuss the evolution of Holocaust narratives
    • Analyze contemporary cultural artifacts
  • This module delves into the dynamic relationship between music, popular culture, and Holocaust memory. By examining various cultural artifacts, students will learn how these mediums have been used to both memorialize and distort the historical truth of the Holocaust. The module also discusses the ethical responsibilities of artists and media producers in portraying sensitive historical events.

    • Analyze cultural artifacts and their impact
    • Discuss ethical responsibilities in media
    • Understand the distortion of historical truth
  • This module explores how music and popular culture have served as powerful mediums for both resistance and propaganda throughout the Holocaust. By analyzing works from that era alongside contemporary representations, students will develop an understanding of how these cultural forms have been used to shape narratives and influence public perception over time.

    • Study resistance through music
    • Analyze propaganda techniques
    • Compare historical and contemporary representations
  • In this module, students will explore the role of music and popular culture in reflecting and shaping societal attitudes towards the Holocaust. Through the study of various musical compositions and popular media, students will gain insights into how these forms have influenced collective memory and understanding of the Holocaust.

    • Analyze societal attitudes through music
    • Study popular media's influence on memory
    • Discuss collective memory and understanding
  • This module focuses on the examination of music and popular culture during the Holocaust, highlighting their roles in both resistance efforts and Nazi propaganda. Students will analyze specific examples of each, discussing their impact on both the victims and the general population during and after the war.

    • Explore music used in resistance efforts
    • Analyze Nazi propaganda through culture
    • Discuss post-war impacts
  • Through this module, students will delve into the intricate relationship between music, popular culture, and Holocaust narratives. The focus will be on how these narratives have been constructed and deconstructed in different historical and cultural contexts, providing students with a deeper understanding of the power and responsibility of cultural storytelling.

    • Discuss narrative construction and deconstruction
    • Analyze historical and cultural contexts
    • Understand the power of cultural storytelling
  • This module examines the portrayal of the Holocaust in popular culture, emphasizing the role of music as both a tool of remembrance and a medium for artistic expression. Students will investigate how music has been used in films, literature, and other cultural forms to convey the complex emotions and stories of the Holocaust.

    • Study music's role in remembrance
    • Analyze artistic expression through music
    • Examine cultural portrayals in films and literature
  • In this module, students will study the influence of music and popular culture on the collective memory of the Holocaust. By engaging with a range of cultural texts, from film scores to contemporary pop songs, students will analyze how these artistic forms contribute to shaping our understanding of history and its emotional resonance.

    • Analyze film scores and pop songs
    • Discuss music's influence on memory
    • Examine the emotional resonance of historical understanding
  • This module explores how music and popular culture have been instrumental in both preserving and challenging Holocaust narratives. Students will engage with various media to understand the complexities of how these narratives have been shaped and reshaped over time, considering the broader implications for cultural memory and identity.

    • Study preservation and challenge of narratives
    • Analyze media's role in shaping narratives
    • Consider implications for cultural memory and identity
  • This module focuses on the analysis of music and popular culture artifacts from the Holocaust era, exploring their significance as historical documents and their role in shaping public understanding. Students will examine how these cultural forms continue to influence modern interpretations and discussions of the Holocaust.

    • Analyze historical significance of artifacts
    • Explore public understanding through culture
    • Discuss modern interpretations and influences
  • This module examines the transformative power of music and popular culture in conveying the Holocaust's emotional and historical narratives. Through critical analysis of various mediums, students will explore how these forms contribute to the ongoing dialogue about memory, identity, and representation in the context of the Holocaust.

    • Explore emotional and historical narratives
    • Analyze mediums of music and culture
    • Discuss memory, identity, and representation
  • This module investigates the duality of music and popular culture as both vehicles of remembrance and tools of manipulation during the Holocaust. Students will critically engage with examples from the time to understand the complex ways in which these cultural forms were used to influence public sentiment and historical narrative.

    • Study remembrance and manipulation through culture
    • Analyze examples from the Holocaust era
    • Understand influence on public sentiment
  • In this module, students will explore the role of music and popular culture in documenting and interpreting Holocaust experiences. By engaging with a diverse array of cultural texts, students will gain a deeper understanding of how these forms have been used to process trauma and convey the stories of survivors and witnesses.

    • Engage with diverse cultural texts
    • Study documentation and interpretation of experiences
    • Discuss trauma processing through art
  • This module focuses on the impact of music and popular culture on the construction of Holocaust memory. Through the study of various artistic and literary forms, students will explore how these mediums have helped shape, challenge, and redefine the understanding of Holocaust history and its ongoing cultural significance.

    • Study construction of Holocaust memory
    • Analyze artistic and literary forms
    • Explore redefinition of historical understanding
  • This module delves into the critical examination of music and popular culture's role in Holocaust narratives, focusing on their potential to both illuminate and obscure historical realities. Students will evaluate the effectiveness of these cultural products in educating and engaging contemporary audiences about the Holocaust's complex legacy.

    • Evaluate cultural products' educational effectiveness
    • Discuss engagement with contemporary audiences
    • Examine illumination and obscuring of realities