Ghetto uprising 1943: Jewish life and death in Warsaw

About this course

The course places the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising within the wider history of Jewish life in Poland. Topics include Jewish relations with the majority community, life in 1930s Warsaw, the deterioration of Jewish rights before the Nazi invasion, resistance after ghettoisation, the uprising and its aftermath, and the role of significant individuals. Teaching combines presentations, discussion and some in-class reading focused on key points and historical interpretation. The course also considers how the events have been memorialised in Warsaw and elsewhere up to the present day.

What you'll learn

• Identify key aspects of Jewish life in twentieth-century Warsaw, including the actions of young people involved in the 1943 uprising.
• Describe different forms of resistance within the Warsaw Ghetto.
• Identify significant individuals connected with these events.

Is this course right for you?

This is an introductory course that does not assume previous study or reading. Learners will be expected to follow presentations, take part in discussion, listen to differing views and consider historical evidence; a reasonable standard of English is needed.

• No previous study or reading is assumed.
• The course includes presentation-led teaching, discussion and possible in-class reading.
• Learners should be willing to engage with views they may not share.

Before you go

• A pen and paper are needed for taking notes.