Zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2008

Zugl.: Chemnitz, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2008

Diss. Univ. St. Gallen, 2008. / Bibliogr.

Die Vertreibung der deutschen Zivilbevölkerung aus den angestammten osteuropäischen Siedlungsgebieten in den Jahren 1945-48 ist ein einmaliges historisches Ereignis, das sich auch heute noch einer allgemeingültigen Bewertung entzieht. Im vorliegenden Aufsatz wird der Versuch unternommen, die Ereignisse historisch zu begründen und die Vertreibungsereignisse mit Fakten zu hinterlegen. Durch das Hinterfragen von Ursache und Wirkung soll die aufgeworfene Fragestellung – Kann die Vertreibung der Deutschen nach 1945 aus angestammten Siedlungsgebieten im Osten vor allem als Sühne für die Taten der Nationalsozialisten gerechtfertigt werden oder muss sie eher als ein Verbrechen an unschuldigen Zivilisten gesehen werden? – beantwortet werden. Aus Gründen der Authentizität wurde eine Zeitzeugin eingebunden, die im Vorfeld zu ihren persönlichen Erfahrungen befragt wurde; der behandelten Thematik wurde somit Gesicht und Stimme verliehen.

Zugl.: Hamburg, Hochsch. für Wirtschaft und Politik, Diss., 2004

Zugleich: Diss. Dresden, 2008. / Literaturverz.

The purpose of this study is to examine the understanding of homeland, or Heimat, from the perspectives of the four protagonists Hildegard, Vera, Marlene and Anne in Dörte Hansen's novel This house is mine (German title: Altes Land). Their memories and references to the former German province of East Prussia were examined with the help of theoretical considerations on the concept of homeland and memory.  The results of the analysis are that all characters have their own perception of the province and that the understanding of homeland changes, based on the protagonists' perception, several important components of the concept of homeland have been worked out. A distinct difference in the opinion of homeland can be seen in the different generations of the family. Factors such as time spent in East Prussia and knowledge thereof are important for the acceptance of the new homeland. More connections to the homeland seem to make it more difficult to feel at home in a new place. This lack of satisfaction with the new life is something that has affected the relationship between the mothers and daughters in the family. The results have also shown that the memories of the homeland above all are characterized by social relationships, but also by natural elements such as woods and lakes.

No description available.

Univ., Diss.--Wuppertal, 2005. / Literaturverz. S. 280 - 294.

This dissertation examines the role of the United States in the mass expulsion of Germans from East-Central Europe from spring 1945 through 1947. By agreeing to allow Czechoslovakia and Poland to expel their German minority populations in 1943, and again in 1945 under Article XIII of the Potsdam Agreement, the United States permitted approximately 14 million to 16 million Germans to be forcibly relocated into a truncated, war-torn Germany, an incident that is the largest example of ethnic cleansing in world history. Although these expulsions threatened the postwar stability of Europe and were of great concern they were of marginal interest to most people in the United States. Informed discussion of these expulsions occurred among a fairly narrow group of military officials, diplomats, politicians, intellectuals, and immigrants or exiles. In fact there was a dearth of contemporary debate and analysis on all aspects of the United States role in the expulsion of Germans, both within government and in society more generally. Newspaper reports, magazine articles, diplomatic documents, government documents and the personal papers of diplomats and politicians reveal that the expulsion of Germans was a secondary issue to the United States government. Despite considerable media coverage, it seems that most Americans lacked both awareness of and compassion for the plight of the German expellees. These expulsions however, changed the politics and the demographics of Europe forever and made the ethnic cleansing of the minority populations of nations an international legal precedent. Today, the expulsions remain a controversial subject within the region of East-Central Europe where the people of Czechoslovakia, Germany and Poland still debate the expulsions as if they occurred yesterday. In the United States, however, the expulsions have been long forgotten. This dissertation is unique in that examines the involvement of the United States in the planning of the expulsions and the reaction of the American press, intellectuals and policymakers whereas previous literature has focused very sparingly on this aspect of the expulsions.