Students are invited to enroll in a new online summer 1 course, HIST-T390 “History of the Jewish People in Poland, c. 960-1968” class number 13595. This course meets a requirement for history majors and minors as well as a general education T390 course.
This course traces explores the experiences of Jews in Poland from the first settlements in the tenth century up to the present day when only 4,500 Jews remain in Poland.
In the medieval and early modern eras, as Jews were expelled from countries in much of Europe, they found a home in Poland. The unique social and political structure of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in early modern Poland included elements of religious tolerance and a degree of parliamentary representation. By the twentieth century, three million Jews lived in Poland among them, 300,000 in the capital city of Warsaw, 30% of the population of the city. The beginning of World War II and the invasion of eastern Europe gave National Socialists access to these historic Jewish communities and led to their eventual destruction and the murder of an estimated 85-90% of Polish Jews.
Some students in this course will be part of a study abroad trip to Poland between May 18 and June 1. Other students will not be travelers but will be part of this trip from a distance. My hope is that the travelers’ and non-travelers’ work and writing will enrich each others’ knowledge and understanding.
This course also includes a research project where students will explore sites of memory in Poland and examine how the country commemorates the millions who perished during the Holocaust. This project offers a deep dive into how societies preserve and reflect on traumatic pasts. Overall, this class provides a rich opportunity to understand the impact of history on contemporary culture and memory, making it relevant for all who are curious about how we remember and learn from the past.