Since 1949, generations of Germans have reflected on the rise, rule, and remnants of Nazism. The people of East, West, and now-unified Germany have sought to come to terms with their nation's Nazi past through many avenues. This presentation will introduce some of the approaches taken to reckon with this past, including the judicial system, youth protests, and public exhibitions. The presenter will be speaking remotely.Dr. Amy Carney is an Associate Professor of History at Pennsylvania State University, the Behrend College, where she also serves as department chair and Assistant Director of the Honors Programs. She teaches courses on modern European and modern German history, including The Second World War, Fascism and National Socialism, and The Holocaust. Her research focuses on family history during the Third Reich, particularly the Nazi SS.
Her acclaimed book, Marriage and Fatherhood in the Nazi SS (University of Toronto Press, 2018), offers the first in-depth study of the roles SS men played as husbands and fathers, and how these roles were instrumental in shaping a racially elite community within the organization. Her work explores the intersection of gender, family, and ideology under National Socialism.
Dr. Carney holds a B.A. in English and History from Jacksonville University and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Modern European and German History from Florida State University. She has previously taught at institutions such as Florida State University and Ohio University.
She is also active in public history initiatives. At Penn State Behrend, she led the college’s participation in the international “Long Night of the Digital Memorial” project, which helped digitize Holocaust-era documents related to Dachau concentration camp. In recognition of her scholarship, Dr. Carney was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award for the 2024–25 academic year to conduct research in Austria.
