Above: Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, called the Jupiter,  performed during World War II (1943) in Vienna under the baton of Karl Böhm. Böhm had the distinction of being not only an Austrian and a great conductor, but also a Nazi, a topic not likely to be discussed by Viennese over the age of 70 today.

This first Vienna Week Course is a review of the theoretical underpinnings of the study of history. By knowing the theories and philosophies of history, we will be able better to understand and evaluate what historians are telling us about the past. In the final analysis, our own experiences and biases will bring us to our own conclusions about what really happened “back then”.

The straightforward method in these Vienna Week Courses is to present to you various articles, books, and videos, many of which have copious links to additional sources of information. We encourage you to devote ample time for your curiosity to lead you deep not only into the subject at hand but also into the related matters suggested by the links, which are especially abundant in the many Wikipedia articles and YouTube videos.

So, let us begin. Read with care and in order the following articles. Use your curiosity to follow the links contained in this material.

YouTube Video: What is History?
Stanford Encyclopedia of History: Philosophy of History
Wikipedia: Philosophy of History
The Marxist View: Major Theories Of History From The Greeks To Marxism
Wikipedia: Theories of History
American Historical Association: Where Have All the Theories Gone?
Wikipedia: Definition of a Great Power
Wikipedia: Great Man Theory of History
Wikipedia: Greatness

Thank you.

George Graham Trask
June 1, 2020