History 426

T. Weeks (tadeusz@siu.edu)

Fall 2002

Cities and Culture in Europe, 1870-1914

(The Fin-de-Siècle)

The two generations between the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the outbreak of World War I (August 1914) formed an extremely rich period of social, economic, political, and cultural change. In this course we will take a look at four European cities (Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and St. Petersburg) in this period which corresponds roughly to the so-called fin-de-siècle.

This course assumes a basic knowledge of European political history in the 19^th century, i.e., the level of knowledge gained from History 205B, though there are no specific prerequisites.

This course meets once weekly and will have a seminar format. Because I will not be lecturing, it is imperative that all students do the reading assignments and come to class ready to talk. Participation in discussion (and attendance) will make up a significant part of the course grade.

Each week’s discussion will be led by two or three students, who will provide us with “discussion questions” by Friday at noon of the previous week. Our discussions, however, will not necessarily be limited to these questions!

This course does not aim to cover all aspects of European culture and politics (or even of these four cities) in this period. I do hope that you come away from this course with a bit more knowledge about culture, politics, and everyday life in turn-of-the-century Europe.

Course meets Tuesdays, 5 to 7:30 pm (17.00-19.30) in Faner 1226.

Required Readings

Marshall Berman. All that is Solid Melts into Air.

Carl Schorske. Fin-de-siècle Vienna.

Eugen Weber. France Fin-de-siècle.

Walter Benjamin. Reflections.

S. Freud. Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria.

                        READER

(1) 20 August 2002. Introductions & Short overview. The concept of the fin-de-siècle.

Readings: Weber, chapters 1 & 2.

(2) 27 August 2002. The Concept of “the Modern.” Parisian Modernity.

Readings: Berman, All that is Solid..., pp. 13-36, 87-164.

(3) 3 September 2002. Haussmann’s creation of modern Paris. The Paris Commune.

Readings: Weber, chapters 3 & 6.

Peter Hall, “The City of Perpetual Public Works: Paris 1850-1870" in Cities in Civilization, pp. 706-745.

Rupert Christiansen, “Paris Partout” in Paris Babylon, pp. 1-14.

Theodore Zeldin, Politics and Anger, pp. 371-381.

(4) 10 September 2002. Paris: Visual arts, music, cabaret.

Readings: Weber, chapters 7 & 8. Siegal, Bohemian Paris, pp. 215-241.

(5) 17 September 2002. Paris: Capital of the 19^th Century?

Readings: Benjamin, pp. 146-162.

Hall, “The Capital of Light: Paris 1870-1910,” pp. 201-238.

                                                                                    (First Paper Due)

(6) 24 September 2002. Berlin: The Modern Metropolis

Readings: Willis, Chapter 27: The Berlin of the Kaiser, p. 481ff.

A. Reissner, Berlin 1675-1945, pp. 41-71.

Large, Berlin, pp. 47-99.

(7) 1 October 2002. Berlin Society.

P. Fritzsche, “Physiognomy of the City,” Reading Berlin, 87-126.

G. Masur, “Berlin Society,” Imperial Berlin, pp. 83-122. Benjamin, pp. 3-60.

(8) 8 October 2002. Vienna: Architecture, Politics, Nationalism

Readings: Schorske, pp. 24-180.

(9) 15 October 2002. Vienna: Visual Art

Readings: Schorske, pp. 208-278, 322-366.

                                                            (Second Paper Due)

(10) 22 October 2002. Vienna: Music and Literature

Readings:

Schorske, 279-321; Zweig, World of Yesterday, 1-27.

H. Segel, The Vienna Coffeehouse Wits, pp. 1-39, 55-85.

(11) 29 October 2002. Vienna: Discovering the Psyche

Readings: Freud, Dora; Schorske, pp. 3-23, 181-207.

(12) 5 November 2002. Peter’s City: Autocracy, Society, Modernity

Readings: Berman, All that is Solid ..., pp. 173-286. 

(13) 12 November 2002. St. Petersburg, “High” and “Low”

Readings: R. Zelnik, A Radical Worker... (Kanatchikov), pp. 83-108.

Bater, “St. Petersburg in the Late Imperial Era,” in Hamm, p. 43-78.

Clyman & Vowles, eds., Russia Through Women’s Eyes, pp. 186-216 (Ekaterina Slanskaia).

Lincoln, Sunlight at Midnight, pp. 149-195.

(14) 19 November 2002. St. Petersburg: Music and Cabaret

Readings: Lincoln, Between Heaven and Hell, pp. 198-220.

Segel, Turn of the Century Cabaret,, pp. 277-317.

S. Volkov, St. Petersburg, pp. 186-195.

[November 26 – Thanksgiving break]

(15) 3 December 2002. St. Petersburg: Literature and Visual Arts

Readings: Lincoln, pp. 241-266. S. Volkov, St. Petersburg, 143-168,

                        Anna Akhmatova, “Poem without a Hero,” pp. 15-21.

                                                                                    (Third Paper Due)

Grading

Attendance and participation:             20%

Discussion leading:                            10%

Three short papers:                             45%

Three quizzes:                                    15%

Take-home final exam:                       10%

Office hours

Faner 3270, telephone 453-7874, email: tadeusz@siu.edu .

Tues-Thurs:     Noon to Two

Wednesdays:   Eleven to One

And any time by appointment.

I’m often working in my office, so you are welcome to drop by any time, even outside office hours. If I happen to be in the middle of something pressing, I’ll let you know!