European History Commons^™

Dr. Cortez F. Enloe, Jr. Collection, Tara O’Donnell, Robyn Conroy

Strassler Center Archival Collection Finding Aids

This collection is comprised of newspaper volumes, illustrated magazines, lantern slides, and 2 pamphlets donated by Dr. Cynthia H. Enloe. The materials were collected by the donor’s father Dr. Cortez F. Enloe, Jr. in 1930s Germany.

The 4 newspaper volumes (February 1936- June 1936) belong to 4 publishers in Frankfurt, Munich, and Heidelberg: Volksgemeinschaft Heidelberger Beobachter, General Anzeiger der Stadt Frankfurt, Das Illustrierte Blatt, and Munchner Illustrierte Presse. The 10 magazine volumes (June 1936-May 1937) belong to 3 publishers in Munich and Berlin: Munchner Illustrierte Presse, Das Illustrierte Blatt, and Illustrierter Beobachter. These periodicals reveal the increasing influence of Nazi …

Unknowable Truths: The Incompleteness Theorems And The Rise Of Modernism, Caroline Tvardy

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis evaluates the function of the current history of mathematics methodologies and explores ways in which historiographical methodologies could be successfully implemented in the field. Traditional approaches to the history of mathematics often lack either an accurate portrayal of the social and cultural influences of the time, or they lack an effective usage of mathematics discussed. This paper applies a holistic methodology in a case study of Kurt Gödel’s influential work in logic during the Interwar period and the parallel rise of intellectual modernism. In doing so, the proofs for Gödel’s Completeness and Incompleteness theorems will be discussed as …

Making Russian Music: Uncovering Pyotr Tchaikovsky’S Musical Ideas Through His Letters, Sydney Morrison

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is arguably Russia's most famous composer. Although his music is widespread, his immediate impact on Russian music in the 19th century is often overlooked or unknown by audiences. This paper examines what compositional and musical ideas Tchaikovsky used in his pieces and how he expressed them through his letters. Because of the relationships he had with his correspondents, Tchaikovsky had the means to develop and learn his unique compositional style. The most significant correspondents were his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, his brother Modest, and fellow composer Mily Balakirev. They enabled him to express and develop his musical …

Don't Breathe: An Analysis Of The Factors Of The Victorian River Thames' Restoration, Lucie N. Jain

Young Historians Conference

In the summer of 1858, the River Thames of London was polluted beyond recognition, producing an intolerable smell that reached all corners of the city and inspired a surge of rhetoric commenting on the state of the once adored river. Prior to the nineteenth century, the Thames was the jewel of London and the main source of the city’s prosperity. However, industrialism took a toll on the river’s beauty and health, and the once pristine waterway was quickly spoiled in the space of mere decades. Tracing back to nineteenth century London, this paper aims to explore the causes of the …

The Troubles: Root Causes Of Tension In Northern Ireland, Eleanor M. Snyder

Young Historians Conference

Since the first British invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, the native Irish people have been negatively affected by British presence and rule. When the English first set out to conquer Ireland, they did so on the notion and basis of religion, aiming to anglicize the Irish people. The ramifications of creating a class of people, who were second to the British colonizers, have remained persistent throughout history and into present times. The modern culmination of this historical conflict occurred in the 1960’s during the time of the Troubles. However, this Northern Irish conflict was not divided on theological …

All About Dynamics: Katherine Howard's Hidden Story, Samantha E. Knofler

Young Historians Conference

Often considered Henry VIII’s “wanton wife,” Katherine Howard’s story has been twisted and appropriated throughout the centuries to fit the propaganda of the court or the perceived love story between her and Thomas Culpepper. No older than nineteen at the time of her beheading, Howard supposedly professed “I die a queen, but would rather die the wife of Culpepper.” However, through an in depth analysis of primary sources and new scholarship, her story is far more complicated than previously considered. Transcripts from court documents, witnesses throughout her life, and her own words paint less of a romantic tragedy and more …

Schism And Suppression: Early Threats To The Esperanto Language, And Resulting Impacts On International Acceptance, Anabel E. Cull

Young Historians Conference

The constructed language of Esperanto, created by Polish linguist Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof in 1887, was founded with the intention of facilitating global peace and unification. Due to the mission and philosophy of the language, known as Esperantism, Zamenhof’s invention gained popularity among political reformers and communities facing religious discrimination. Aiming to resolve conflict through common language, Esperantism inspired hope amidst the increasingly oppressive social and political climate present in Eastern Europe and Russia during the early 1900’s. This paper explores the contributing factors to Esperanto’s decline, and the impact of internal conflict, political affiliation, and religious significance on efforts to …

Operation Mincemeat: The Impact And Influence Of Wwii’S Most Daring Intelligence Operation, Maya N. Dasilva

Young Historians Conference

In 1943, during the height of the Second World War, the dead body of a man in his early thirties was released from HMS Seraph submarine off the southwest coast of Spain. This corpse carried fabricated letters outlining the Allies’ plan to attack Greece and Sardinia which convinced German forces to defend Greece and move away from the real target, Sicily. This successful, radical, and deceptive operation led by Ewen Montegue to disguise the Allied Invasion of Sicily using false-intelligence tactics forwarded the Allied victory and increased the prevalence of deception in war. This paper explores Operation Mincemeat’s revolutionary nature, …

Beyond Rudolph: The Cultural Impacts Of Reindeer Herding On The Sami, Ava A. Trueworthy

Young Historians Conference

The reindeer is a quintessential symbol of the Sami, the indigenous people of Northern Scandinavia. Reindeer have always been integral to Sami culture, but they have not always had the same significance that they do now. In the 16th and 17th centuries, reindeer herding practices shifted from small-scale domestication to large-scale reindeer herding and nomadism. This paper explores the political and cultural dynamics that surrounded this shift: pressure from encroaching settler nations, dwindling resources, and a loss of traditional practices. Ultimately, this shift irrevocably impacted Sami identity. Knowledge of the historical factors surrounding the transition to reindeer nomadism is essential …

The Failure Of The Anabaptist Kingdom Of Münster, Sonja Cutts

Young Historians Conference

In February 1534, after rebelling against the authority of their Catholic prince-bishop, the German town of Münster fell under Anabaptist rule. During the next sixteen months, the city’s religious leaders would advocate in favor of Münster becoming a “community of goods,” in which all goods are shared in common. However, their egalitarian dream never fully materialized. This paper examines how the hidden motives of Münster’s political leaders both helped the Anabaptist Kingdom of Münster come into being and prevented the accomplishment of its economic goals.

Bad Blood: Hemophilia And It’S Detriment To The Russian Imperial Family, Tessia A. Hoffman

Young Historians Conference

Monarchies have often defined the flow of history. Their decisions and ideas affect whole countries, which can lead to a crisis if the ruler is unable to lead effectively. A lack of leadership can bring about war, famine, political instability, and political unrest, all of which occurred in Russia during the 19th and 20th centuries. The poor decision-making of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra brought about civic unrest that eventually led to their downfall. In addition to the unstable country, the Imperial family was also struggling with the state of their only heir, who had inherited the genetic disorder …

Paving The Way: Women In Music At Ferrara, Italy During The Late 1500s, Ella Yarris

Young Historians Conference

During the late Renaissance period, musical advancement and development thrived in the courts of dukes around Italy. However, in Ferrara around 1580, a group of women began to gain unprecedented attention for their court performances and dedication to music. Interestingly, this region was also home to a prolific group of cloistered musicians. This paper explores the impact that the Ferrarese madrigal singers would have on the future of music professions for women of all social classes, as well as the relationship of court music to religious music in a time where life as a whole was becoming more secular.

Resurrecting Gaelic: Modernity And Heritage Language Revival In Scotland In A Comparative Perspective, Sean Coady

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Many people from across the world have little or no connection to their heritage languages. Whether this loss is caused by conquest, colonialization, or simply lack of parent-child transmission, many believe that they are missing an integral part of their cultural identity and want to reclaim the languages of their forebearers. There is wide debate about how, why, and if this linguistic reclamation and revitalization should happen because, in the face of modernity and language evolution, the best solutions are not always clear. What constitutes successful language revitalization in the modern world, and why does it happen? Gaelic in Scotland …

Of Vultures, Souls, And Galen: Theology And Medical Cures In Early Medieval Europe, Christina Cannon

Campus Research Month

Examining how medical cures in early medieval Europe reflect the theology of the time is one that involves tracing and defining the emergence of a more defined field of "medicine," beginning with Galen. The work briefly examines prevailing contemporary views of the relation of body to soul, as well as what medical cures looked like. Understanding how 'pagan' thought was conceptualized and related to 'Christian' thought during the period is also helpful, and the work seeks to broadly consider these themes while noting particular examples that answer the question of how theology and medicine were related in medieval Europe.

Invisible Yet Free: Sapphic Relationships In Late 19th Century Europe, Penelope Van Batavia

Student Academic Conference

Sapphic relationships, described as romantic relationships between two women, were able to proliferate without the watchful eye of society in late 19th-Century Europe due to many factors, including the lack of importance European society felt women had. While not entirely able to pronounce their relationships in public, these women were often able to operate somewhat publicly in three main types of common or “accepted” sapphic relationships. These include intimate friendships, “mother-daughter” models, and hetero-passing relationships. Since historical research on sapphic relationships before the 1970s was almost non-existent (beyond the chastising of such relationships) a number of women and queer academics …

Migrants, Citizens And Subjects: How People Moved And Became Citizens In The Roman World, David Rocha

History Presentations

This research paper studies migrations and citizenship in the Roman world. I explain some of the different migrating groups from throughout the Roman world. I also explain citizenship, and how people became citizens. I also mention a few of the benefits that citizenship brought.

Interwar Weimar Film And Masculinity: Challenging The Presumed Crisis Of Interwar German Gender Discourse From Selected Films From 1925-1931, Brandon Metcalf

Dissertations and Theses

The First World War altered the view of masculinity held by many in Germany and shredded what many regarded as unchangeable fixtures of German life. For German men, much of the interwar period meant dealing with the losses from the war, reconfiguring what it meant to be a man. This reconfiguration of gender took place in a context of change in Germany. Many women entered the workforce to replace the lost men. The economic downturn and reliance on funding from the United States motivated many within Germany to examine gender roles and to reassemble masculinity to meet changing circumstances.

This …

World War Ii, Displacement, And The Making Of The Postwar Ukrainian Diaspora, 1939-1951, Jennifer Lauren Popowycz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As a result, in an effort to expand the literature on the Ukrainian DP experience, this dissertation will specifically examine how foreign occupation, forced labor, and displacement impacted the construction of Ukrainian cultural nationalism between 1939 and 1951. Using a variety of memoirs written by Ukrainian DPs, published primary sources, as well as archival material from the online Interview Archive of Forced Labor 1939-1945, Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, the United Nations Archive, and the online Archive of Ukrainian Periodicals it will argue that cultural nationalism not only served as a common link that united Ukrainians, but also served …

Privilege, Power, And Patronage: Examining The Lives And Afterlives Of Three Tudor Noblewomen, Caroline Elizabeth Armbruster

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation uses the lives of Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk; Anne Stanhope, Duchess of Somerset; and Jane Guildford, Duchess of Northumberland to examine various aspects of their experiences as noblewomen and as members of privileged family groups. By focusing on these three women, whose lives and careers spanned eight decades, this dissertation demonstrates the centrality of such women to Tudor politics. Catherine, Anne, and Jane were born into powerful, landowning families. Their successful marriages allowed them to climb the ranks of the Tudor aristocracy and paved the way for their entry into the Tudor political arena. They served as …

"Man Of The Machine": Ernst Jünger's Philosophy Of Technology And The Spiritualization Of The ��������������������������������, Andrea L. Wisniewski

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines how conservative German war veterans, in particular author Ernst Jünger, granted meaning to the First World War by affirming the technological encounter. Instead of succumbing to the feelings of powerlessness and inferiority engendered by the domination of machinery on the Front, Jünger and other conservative veterans elevated the Materialschlacht into a spiritual event, a battle between the spirit and the material in which the human spirit emerged victorious. Strengthened by their confrontation with the machine, humans gained the spiritual skills which would enable them to master the machine and, therefore, meet the demands of the technological world. …