During the 1930s, many Germans welcomed the rise of the Nazis. Those years have been described as the days “the gutter came to power.”  Ever since, people have wondered how a society that produced so many giants in the sciences and the arts could fall into lock step behind leaders who produced the Second World War and the Holocaust. This class will look at this sobering question to understand how an authoritarian government took root in a democratic country.

Subject: history

Robert Schoone-Jongen is a professor of history emeritus at Calvin University who continues to research and teach about the topics of immigration and the American presidency. He has published articles on the history of American immigration, especially Dutch immigration to New Jersey and Minnesota. His recent courses for CALL included White House Wives; Dutch Immigration; Big Business, Big Money, Big Power; and the 1619 Project.