The Holocaust was an inconceivable historical event, which forever robbed Western culture of its innocence. As civilized human beings, we fail to understand how events of such horror could have taken place, and how an idea so inhumanly warped could have spread like wildfire through an entire continent, instigating the systematic annihilation of millions of Jews.
The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World
The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World
Instructors: Professor Havi Dreifuss, PhD
65,178 already enrolled
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8
(1,392 reviews)
7 hours to complete
3 weeks at 2 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Assessments
2 assignments
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 3 modules in this course
We will try to delve into Nazi ideology and the special place of Jews and Judaism in it. We will ask ourselves what, if anything, it renewed regarding traditional hatred of Israel and modern anti-Semitism and analyze Nazi documents to see how it reflects in them. Also, in this lesson we will discuss how the National Socialist Party succeeded in converting the German Democracy of the Weimar Republic into a totalitarian regime within a short period of time, and the significance of this process for its citizens - Jews and non-Jews alike.
What's included
8 videos2 readings3 discussion prompts1 plugin
We will try to examine the broader contexts of the Holocaust and to position it as a part of a various global conflicts that took place during world war 2. In this context, we will focus in a number of unique realities that were formed and created in Occupied Poland and France using them to identify key practices of Nazi Germany, European companies and the Jews who lived among them. We’ll look at the different fates of Jews in various European countries before and during World War 2, through the lens of the enormous changes which the Jewish world underwent in modern times: emancipation, secularization, urbanization and emigration.
What's included
6 videos2 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
Instead of policy, state and society at large, we’ll focus on the individual, the family and the Jewish communities across Europe, using a broad range of wartime accounts: official documents, diaries, letters, artwork and more. In this context, we will try to reveal different aspects of Jewish life in the face of shame, ghettos and segregation, as well as the formation of individual, societies and leaders reactions in the face of consistent policy of dispossession and discrimination. A variety of sources will help us create a complex puzzle consists of Jewish life in those dark days. In this context, we will try to reveal different aspects of Jewish life in the face of shame, ghettos and segregation, as well as the formation of individual, societies and leaders reactions in the face of consistent policy of dispossession and discrimination. A variety of sources will help us create a complex puzzle consists of Jewish life in those dark days.
What's included
7 videos4 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts1 plugin
Instructors
Instructor ratings
4.8 (276 ratings)
Recommended if you're interested in History
Johns Hopkins University
The Museum of Modern Art
Johns Hopkins University
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
4.8
1,392 reviews
- 5 stars
82.24%
- 4 stars
16.03%
- 3 stars
1.14%
- 2 stars
0.07%
- 1 star
0.50%
Showing 3 of 1392
PB
5
Reviewed on Feb 6, 2020
I always week when I read or study about the Holocaust but I am happy it got over once for all. Learned so much about how the world shunned them away into darkness. Thank you.
GM
5
Reviewed on Apr 13, 2021
The course was very informative and interesting. I am disappointed that I am now locked out of the course and cannot go back and finish reading Nazi Germany and the Jews.
DS
4
Reviewed on Apr 13, 2020
A very well organized and well conceptualised course. Readings and other study materials are great and easily accessible through this course. Applaud to all the course organizers and resource person.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.