“Rule by Strongmen”: Europe between the Wars and the Troubling Legacy of Fascism

A new class with Dr. Mary Magray, January 18, 20, 25, and 27 from 10:00AM-Noon at the Mercer Community Center.

Historians like to say that, although history does not repeat itself, it does often seem to rhyme. And although direct comparison of one historical era with another—or with the present—is a perilous enterprise, fraught with complication, misreading, and misinterpretation, still, it can be enormously instructive. Today, many Western democracies, including the United States, face challenges from a growing illiberal, authoritarian political movement that is increasingly being compared with the fascism of the 1920s and 1930s. Are we, as one scholar has recently asked, in danger of a fascist revival today?

It is a complicated but intriguing question, and in attempting to address it, we will explore the history of Europe during the two decades following the First World War. From the 1919 Treaty of Versailles to the outbreak in 1939 of yet another “great war,” we will examine the rise of fascist dictatorships in Italy and Germany and the catastrophic consequences of their attempt to destroy democracy in Europe. It is an historical era long over, one defined by a political ideology that, until recently, was believed to have been completely discredited. But it has reared its ugly head once again, potentially threatening the Western political order that we have long taken for granted as unassailable.

• Class 1: Versailles & the Uneasy Peace Settlement of the “Great War”
• Class 2: The Emergence of Fascist Ideology in Italy
• Class 3: Hitler & the Dismantling of German Democracy
• Class 4: The New Authoritarianism of the 21st Century

Requirements: Handouts and suggested readings to be provided.

Instructor: Dr. Mary Magray

Offline Registration: Download PDF Registration Form, complete and mail in.

Registration Questions? Contact us or call (715) 862-0210 or (715) 892-3982.

Registration Issues/Troubleshooting: If you are registering with one email address for two or more people, please register each person individually (i.e. do not register all at once, but add students one at a time to checkout). If you continue to have difficulty or have another question, please contact us.