1. Self-Conception of the Subject and its Contribution to Competency Development

Promoting a reflective historical consciousness is a central task of History lessons for students in the humanities and linguistics. The lessons provide the basis for an academic examination of history and constructed historical images, taking into account the diversity of learning biographies. Students compare their own and foreign values and acquire the ability to participate in a humanities discourse culture. Through the analysis of historical source texts and the handling of historical issues, they acquire subject-specific competencies that enable them to responsibly help shape the present and future.

2. Competency Areas

• Factual Competence: Exploring, structuring, and presenting historical facts. Spatial and temporal classification using historical dates and concepts.
• Methodological Competence: Analysis and interpretation of source types and representations. Distinction regarding statement quality, author’s perspective, and authenticity.
• Judgment Competence: Distinguishing between factual and value judgments. Formulating argumentatively supported factual judgments and reflecting on one’s own and foreign value standards.
• Narrative Competence: Recognizing history as a construct. Productive writing of narratives taking multi-causality and multi-perspectivity into account.
• Orientation Competence: Orientation in history and the present by developing one’s own questions and solution strategies.

3. Competency Expectations

The students…

• gain an overview of historical epochs, turning points, and basic dates.
• understand the religious-historical foundations of European self-conception.
• recognize the foundations of liberal-democratic values in the Enlightenment and the French Revolution.
• understand nation and nationalism as constructs of the 19th century.
• describe living conditions against the background of economic and social inequality.
• deal with international conflicts (1st half of the 20th century) and supranational concepts of order.
• evaluate the disruption of political systems by fascism/totalitarianism.
• examine the development and significance of human rights.

4. Course Content

a) Basic Content

• Epoch overview from antiquity to modern times.
• Religious-historical foundations of Europe.
• Foundations of liberal democratic self-conception (e.g., French Revolution).
• Emergence of nation and nationalism.
• Historical foundations of economic and social inequality.
• International conflicts (WWI to interwar period).
• Fascism/Totalitarianism and World War II.
• Human dignity and human rights – culture of remembrance.

b) Possible Differentiations or Extensions

• Detailed examination of epochal upheavals and comparisons with other cultures.
• Reformation, religious schism, and denominational diversity.
• Industrialization, the social question, colonialism, and imperialism.
• Weimar Republic and the effects of the European upheaval.
• Nazi dictatorship, Holocaust, and the significance of the Nazi past for German reason of state.