13252

The Nationalist Movement and the Middle Class, c. 1880–1930

Lena Marliese Heerdmann

Information for students

Das Modul befasst sich mit epochenspezifischen Fragestellungen und Perspektiven und besteht aus zwei Seminaren zu zwei unterschiedlichen Epochen (Antike, Mittelalter, Frühe Neuzeit und Neueste Geschichte). Beide Seminare müssen ein gemeinsames Modulthema behandeln („Politik“, „Gesellschaft“ oder „Vorstellungswelt“) und in zwei Semestern belegt werden. Das Modul wird mit einer mündlichen Prüfung abgeschlossen. Es dürfen nicht zwei Seminare in einem Semester belegt werden! close

Additional information / Pre-requisites

oral exam

Comments

The Völkisch Movement was a heterogeneous, often loosely organized current in the German Empire and the Weimar Republic, characterized by aggressive nationalism, racism, and radical antisemitism. Its ideology combined cultural conservatism, racist exclusion, and an anti-modern attitude with political activism. The educated and propertied bourgeoisie—the main social base of völkisch thinking—organized itself primarily through clubs and associations. This seminar examines key figures, organizers, and ideological proponents of the Völkisch Movement, along with their worldview, networks, and practices. At the center of attention is the Pan-German League (Alldeutscher Verband), a significant ideological, organizational, and journalistic hub within the movement. Using primary sources and secondary literature, the seminar will explore the League’s social structure and its connections to other völkisch and nationalist groups, as well as the relationship between the Völkisch Movement and National Socialism. Furthermore, the seminar will consider actors beyond the typical social profile of the Völkisch Movement—male, bourgeois, Protestant—such as völkisch women’s organizations, Catholic variants of völkisch ideology, and the movement’s relationship to non-bourgeois segments of society. close

16 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Mon, 14:00 - 16:00 16 Class schedule

Mon, 2025-10-13 14:00 - 16:00

Lecturers:
Lena Marliese Heerdmann