UCSB Hist 133A, Fall 2006 (133a homepage)
19th Century Germany, Dec. 6, 2006

Prof. Marcuse (homepage)
marcuse@history.ucsb.edu

Announcement in class on 12/8/06 (NOT in the pdf): In the essay question, you may substitute the relationship/interactions between Hessling and the Kaiser for any one of the ten groups, if you wish.

This final exam is a word-limited take-home, due in my office, 4221 HSSB, at the end of the regular exam time: Friday, December 15, 2006, 3pm. Earlier submissions, if not submitted to me personally, must be slid under my door, NOT placed in the envelope.
All exams must be typed, and a word count inserted in brackets at the end of each ID and of the essay (see example at end of this paragraph). To obtain a word count in Microsoft Word, highlight each ID or the essay, then use the Tools- Word Count command. The exam is worth 25% of the final grade. [103 words]

I. Identify and define the significance ( 3 @ 15 points each=45% of the exam grade)
Identify and define the significance of three of the following six terms. Your identification should include an approximate date, which should situate the event correctly in relation to other important events. Take special care to explain why the term is significant in the longer term perspective of German history.
Be sure to draw on both the textbook and Schulze, where appropriate. You may also draw on other sources not included in the course materials.
Each ID should be about 350 words long; 450 maximum.

II. Essay question: Answer the following question. (55% of the exam)
The essay should be about 1800 words long; 2500 absolute maximum.

• The protagonist of Heinrich Mann's 1918 novel Man of Straw, Diederich Hessling, is a quintessential member of the German bourgeoisie. His interactions with various other characters in the novel can be read as allegories of how different social and political groups interacted in the 1890s in Wilhelmine Germany. Describe Hessling's interactions with the characters who represent:
  1. the landed aristocracy
  2. the 1848 democrats
  3. social democratic party members
  4. the proletariat (ordinary workers)
  5. army officers
  6. Jews (are there subgroups?)
  7. women (of various classes)
  8. "progressives"
  9. other members of the bourgeoisie, and
  10. large industrialists.
  For each group, using actual events from the history of imperial Germany, interpret the interaction/relationship as a metaphor for the politics of the period.
  
  Grading: each group will be worth 5 points, with an additional 5 points for the overall coherence and writing quality of the exam. You are welcome to break your answer down into 10 separate sections for ease of grading.