Defying hitler a memoir pdf

German History Formal Paper: Defying Hitler

As before, your task is to produce a 1,500-word essay on one of the topics below. Be sure to open your paper with a strong introductory paragraph laying out your basic thesis, and how you plan to structure your argument. In the body of your paper, you will probably find it helpful to quote passages and cite examples that support your assertions. On such occasions, in-text citations (a page number in parentheses) will suffice. A word of caution: do not use this occasion to repeat back to us long passages from the text. Rather than summarizing individual episodes or chapters at length, you should develop your response by considering several relevant passages throughout the length of the book. It does not matter terribly much whether you write in the present or past tense. Authors are usually dealt with in the present tense, even if they wrote their books long ago; but historical events are usually narrated in the past tense. My advice here is that you simply write with consistency. Essay Questions 1. “What is history, and where does it take place?” (p. 182) Throughout his memoirs, Haffner reflects on the relationship between individual fates and larger historical forces. Why does Haffner think it essential to understand how “history” was experienced on a granular level, from the standpoint of an individual? Does Haffner’s book, taken as a whole, make a compelling case that individual decisions “influence the course of history”? (p. 183) 2. According to Haffner, “the Nazi revolution… abolished the old distinction between politics and private life.” (p. 219) Was this the specific result of National Socialist ideology, or does Haffner see this as the culmination of nationalist impulses that had dominated Germany for several decades? Why, in Haffner’s view, was it a kind of rebellion to focus on private life during the first half of the 20th Century? 3. Haffner provides a detailed account of the year 1933. How did the consolidation of Nazi control lead to a breakdown of civic institutions in Germany and the poisoning of social relations? Was this a kind of hostile takeover, as Haffner seems to suggest, or does it make more sense to stress the voluntary acquiescence displayed by so many Germans? Format Please adhere to the following formatting standards. (1) Your paper should be double-spaced and written in a 12-point font. (2) At a minimum, your paper should run 1,500 words (with most fonts, that’s around five pages). Please do not exceed eight pages. Use of a title sheet is optional; but in any event it does not constitute a “page.” (3) Because you are relying upon a single author, there is no need for you to introduce footnotes or a bibliography. For those occasions when you are quoting Mann’s words directly, or referring in great detail to a specific passage, a simple page number in parentheses will do (203).

If you are convinced that you need to cite background information from the Schulze text, in-text citations should be used: author’s name plus page number (Schulze, 324). (4) Be sure to use formal English. Write in complete sentences; use punctuation appropriately; and be sure to spell-check your document! (5) Please upload your essay as a Word document or PDF to the “Assignment” space created on Blackboard. Warning As stated on the course syllabus, “The assignments in this course require you to formulate complex thoughts in your own words. Attempts to pass off another’s words as your own will carry harsh penalties. Plagiarized assignments will earn a “zero” and may lead to further consequences.”

Please note that borrowing someone else’s arguments wholesale – whether or not you have copied the words verbatim – is a form of plagiarism. You are strongly advised not to consult on-line materials in preparing this paper.