Universität Wien

070248 SE BA-Seminar - "Zero hour" or continuity with the Nazi era? (2025S)

The end of the war in 1945 from a national and international perspective

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 7 - Geschichte
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Tu 20.05. 13:15-14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 04.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 11.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 18.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 25.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 01.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 08.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 29.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 06.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 13.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 27.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 03.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 10.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 17.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5
  • Tuesday 24.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 7 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 9 Hof 5

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

2025 marks the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war in 1945, and the SE is taking this commemorative year as an opportunity to analyse this epochal event in more detail from a social, societal and cultural-historical perspective. On the one hand, it will analyse how the German and Austrian population dealt with the collapse of the ‘Third Reich’ and what strategies they developed to cope with their everyday lives. On the other hand, it will be discussed to what extent the influence of Nazi propaganda on broad social strata was noticeable. The SE will reflect on the question of whether the caesura of ‘1945’ should be seen as a ‘collapse’, a ‘setback’ or a ‘radical change’. This will be analysed primarily with regard to Germany and Austria. Selected examples of neighbouring European countries such as France, Great Britain and Italy will expand these perspectives to include transnational and international references.

Assessment and permitted materials

In the SE, methodological approaches such as the history of discourse and the cultural history of the political, which have become increasingly important in recent historical research, are to be practised more intensively for the in-depth examination of the end of the war in 1945 and its consequences in the Second Republic. The reappraisal of current debates in research, politics and the media on this topic should also enable students to take a critical stance on the subject of the SE.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Active participation (readings; discussion), the presentation of a topic chosen in consultation with the course instructor and its written elaboration of approx. 20 to 25 pages are necessary prerequisites for the positive completion of the SE. A handout is expected for the presentation.
Assessment criteria:
Participation in discussions: 30%
Presentation of sources: 10
Presentation: 20
SE paper: 40%

Examination topics

Reading list

BAUER, Ingrid: Welcome Ami Go Home. Die amerikanische Besatzung in Salzburg 1945-1955, Salzburg-München 1998.
BOTZ, Gerhard/Albert MÜLLER: „1945“: „Stunde Null“, historischer Bruch oder Kontinuität mit der NS-Zeit und der Ersten Republik, in: Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstandes, Jahrbuch 1995, 6-27.
BURUMA, Ian: ´45. Die Welt am Wendepunkt, München 2015.
HÜRTEN, Heinz: Der 8. Mai 1945 als historische Zäsur, in: Wolfgang Elz/Sönke Neitzel (Hg.), Internationale Beziehungen im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Paderborn u.a. 2003, 389-401.
PINWINKLER, Alexander: Die Stadt Salzburg im April/Mai 1945. Mythos und Wahrheit um die „Rettung Salzburgs“ vor der Zerstörung, in: Peter F. Kramml/Thomas Weidenholzer (Hg.), Gauhauptstadt Salzburg. Stadtverwaltung und Kommunalpolitik, Salzburg 2015, 584-630.
RUSINEK, Bernd-A. (Hg.): Kriegsende 1945: Verbrechen, Katastrophen, Befreiungen in nationaler und internationaler Perspektive, Göttingen 2004.
VOLKMANN, Hans-Erich (Hg.): Ende des Dritten Reiches – Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs: eine perspektivische Rückschau, München 1995.

Association in the course directory

EAR: Zeitgeschichte.
BA Geschichte (Version 2019): PM7 Bachelor-Modul, SE Seminar (10 ECTS).
BEd UF GP (Version 2014): UF GP 12 Bachelormodul, SE BA-Seminar für GP (9 ECTS).

Last modified: Mo 10.03.2025 09:05