Lesson plan

Germanisation

Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people, and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In linguistics, Germanisation of non-German languages also occurs when they adopt many German words. Under the policies of states such as the Teutonic Order, Austria, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the German Empire, non-German minorities were often discouraged or even prohibited from using their native language, and had their traditions and culture suppressed in the name of linguistic imperialism. In addition, the Government also encouraged immigration from the Germanosphere to further upset the linguistic balance, but with varying degrees of success. In Nazi Germany, It was assumed that up to 50% of Czechs, 35% of Ukrainians and up to 25% of Belarusians could be "Germanised". Those unsuitable for Germanisation were to be deported to Western Siberia — beyond the future territory of German settlement. In particular, 80-85% of Poles were to be deported. The General Plan East devoted relatively little space to the Russian question, although in his memorandum Erhard Wetzell emphasised that its correct resolution was of great importance for Nazi policy in Eastern Europe.…

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Article summary

Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people, and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In linguistics, Germanisation of non-German languages also occurs when they adopt many German words. Under the policies of states such as the Teutonic Order, Austria, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the German Empire, non-German minorities were often discouraged or even prohibited from using their native language, and had their traditions and culture suppressed in the name of linguistic imperialism. In addition, the Government also encouraged immigration from the Germanosphere to further upset the linguistic balance, but with varying degrees of success. In Nazi Germany, It was assumed that up to 50% of Czechs, 35% of Ukrainians and up to 25% of Belarusians could be "Germanised". Those unsuitable for Germanisation were to be deported to Western Siberia — beyond the future territory of German settlement. In particular, 80-85% of Poles were to be deported. The General Plan East devoted relatively little space to the Russian question, although in his memorandum Erhard Wetzell emphasised that its correct resolution was of great importance for Nazi policy in Eastern Europe.…

Key claims

  1. date of formation: 1815 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. population: 10 percent — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. publication date: 1750 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of formation is "1815". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the population is "10 percent". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the publication date is "1750". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368702285

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.