Austria, German-speaking, but not German, was occupied by Nazi-Germany in March of 1938 – aided by the compliant Seyß-Inquart government. Many Austrians welcomed this takeover but styled themselves as victims after World War II afterwards.
Having been “the first victim” while also collaborating with the perpetrators makes Austria an interesting place of investigation of the forms of Holocaust memory.
Students will see remainders of prewar Jewish life such as the old synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery as part of the Zentralfriedhof. Other sites include the Documentation Center of the Austrian Resistance, The Jewish Museum (two locations), and the former Mauthausen Concentration Camp.
The course is open to all students for one UMW credit, but recommended to students of history, human rights, art, and Museum Studies as well as to students in German 485E and the Freshman Seminar FSEM 100H3 “Holocaust and its representation in German and U.S. cultures.”
For more information, contact Professor Rotter: mrotter @ umw.edu
Some impressions from past trips:
