This course offers a thoughtful introduction to the history and complexity of Auschwitz, providing clear background information to deepen understanding of this pivotal site in the Holocaust. We will examine the scale of the Auschwitz complex—more than 40 camps, including forced labor sites and the killing center where 1.3 million people were murdered—and explore the historical forces that shaped it. We will ground our learning in personal stories of individuals who survived and those who did not. NOTE: This section does not include the visit to the Auschwitz exhibit.

Moderator: Anne Flick, a gifted education specialist and secondary social studies teacher, has taught courses on Holocaust and genocide history as well as Holocaust literature. Volunteering with the Holocaust and Genocide Education Network, she works to bring Holocaust and genocide education to Ohioans (and neighbors) from age 10 to 100. She also is an adjunct teaching graduate courses at XU.