Modern German-Jewish Culture: Vienna, Prague, Berlin

Explores the outsized intellectual and cultural output of Jews in pre-WWII Europe. The birth of psychoanalysis and the fallout of Jewish assimilation in Vienna. The legendary Golem figure and the writings of Franz Kafka and his circle in Prague. Avant-garde Jewish artists, writers, and filmmakers in Weimar Berlin. Each unit examines specific historical contexts and broader artistic movements. Topics include secularization and conversion; hybrid identities; emigration to Palestine and the U.S.; antisemitism and rising fascism; and 'authentic' Jewishness in Eastern Europe. Taught entirely in German. Recommended prerequisite: a 300-level German course or equivalent.