HIAb09e General History in the 20th Century

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tomáš Dvořák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Denisa Nečasová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jiří Němec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Denisa Nečasová, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 10:00–11:40 B2.44, except Mon 20. 4. to Fri 24. 4.
Prerequisites
HIAb08u Introduction to Modern Hist.
General knowledge of the basic facts of modern history, ability to read examples of contemporary sources in various European languages (especially in English and German).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 5 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/5, only registered: 3/5
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The student will be able to understand the significance of the events and processes from 1914-2004 for the historical development of the 20th century, with special focus on Europe.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the curse students will be able to: explain the importance of World War I for the history of the 20th century; describe and characterize the changes in the system of european states and imperiums after the Paris Peace Conferece; define and interpret social, political, economic and cultural trends in interwar Europe; analyse social and political ideologies; analyze social and political ideologies; analyze the milestones and causes of the crisis of democratic regimes and the rise of authoritarian / totalitarian movements in the old and new states of Europe; compare the social structure and system of political power in Germany, Italy and Soviet Russia in contrast to the liberal democracies of France and the United Kingdom; explain the causes, process, character and consequences of World War II.
Syllabus
The Peace of Paris and the new order; European international politics in the 20th of 20th Century; Victorious powers - Great Britain and France; Social and economical devolopment in Europe and the consequences of the world economic depression; Political ideologies and autoritarism; Birth of Italian fascism; German Weimar Republic; Nazi Germany;the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Lenin's Government; the Soviet "jump" into modernity and its Stalinist shadows; Civil war in Spain; Central and South-Eastern Europe - gradual abandonment of parliament democracy (Austria, Poland, Hungary, the Balkans); Fall of the Order of Versailles and politics of appeasement; World War II on both European and non-European fronts; Hitler's Empire and Racial War; Allies diplomacy from the Atlantic Treaty to the Yalta; the defeat and occupation of Germany, the punishment of the Nazis and the consequences of the war.
Literature
    required literature
  • VINEN, Richard. Evropa dvacátého století. Translated by Monika Vosková - Vladimír Novák. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2007, 556 s. ISBN 9788070217351. info
  • KŘEN, Jan. Dvě století střední Evropy. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2005, 1109 s. ISBN 8072036122. info
  • LEMBERG, Hans. Porozumění :Češi - Němci - východní Evropa : 1848-1948. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2000, 350 s. ISBN 80-7106-390-8. info
    recommended literature
  • GILBERT, Felix and David Clay LARGE. Konec evropské éry : dějiny Evropy 1890-1990. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, 2003, 654 s. ISBN 8020408878. info
  • BRANDES, Detlef. Cesta k vyhnání :1938-1945 : plány a rozhodnutí o "transferu" Němců z Československa a z Polska. Translated by Petr Dvořáček. V čes. jaz. vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 2002, 499 s. ISBN 80-7260-070-2. info
  • VYKOUKAL, Jiří P.; Bohuslav LITERA and Miroslav TEJCHMAN. Východ :vznik, vývoj a rozpad sovětského bloku 1944-1989. 1. vyd. Praha: Libri, 2000, 860 s. ISBN 80-85983-82-6. info
  • HOBSBAWM, E. J. Věk extrémů : krátké 20. století 1914-1991. Translated by Jana Pečírková - Petr Štěpánek. Vyd. 2. Praha: Argo, 1998, 627 s. ISBN 9788025703021. info
Teaching methods
Lecture, discussion.
Assessment methods
Writen examination aimed at checking the student’s ability to connect relevant facts into logical relations.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught each semester.
General note: Zkouška zahrnuje i látku československých dějin 20. století.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024, Autumn 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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