LFU:online

Skills for a critical handling of historical sources and descriptions in Austrian History and an adequate competence in presenting this knowledge in written or oral form.

"Verliebt - verlobt - verheiratet" (in love - engaged - married) is a classical phrase in the German speaking area which has become somewhat old-fashioned concerning this stringent logical and temporal order. One could argue that the addition "divorced" is missing nowadays but this has actually been a practised legal custom over centuries, whereas Joseph II had abolished the legal status of engagements which had allowed to sue for marriage in the Austrian hereditary lands at the end of the eighteenth century.

In this course, we will discuss sources in the context of beeing in love as well as concerning contracting and dissolving a marriage. Analyzing love letter, marriage contracts, and divorce files, it is important to reflect the categories social background, gender, age, and family status - always on the background of the respective time.

Analyzing, presenting, and discussing selective sources - individually and in groups.

Oral presentation of (a group of) sources, active participation in discussion, keeping the minutes of one unit (in the form of possible exam questions), short written exam.

Will be discussed in class.

Passing the exam of "Fundamentals of Austrian history" prior to this course is highly recommended.