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Into that Dark Night: Components of the Program to Program Main Page
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Into that Dark Night
Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1933-1939


Components of the Program

The program is divided into two main components: a multimedia Presentation and the Library/Archive database.


Presentation screenThe Presentation recounts the main narrative of the events that took place in Germany between 1933 and 1939.
The story is told combining textual and audiovisual media in an interactive structure and its visual narrative is based on original photographs, footage and documents.
More functionIn most Presentation units users will find additional content on the subject discussed by clicking on the More button. English translation of foreign terms appearing in the visuals can be obtained by using the Picture Info function.
Library / Archive Item through the Bookshelf functionThroughout the Presentation, selected items from the Library/Archive database are suggested by the Bookshelf. The Bookshelf contents are dynamically updated, according to the Presentation unit subject.


Library / Archive main screenThe Library/Archive is a database that supports the entire program with a strong scholarly infrastructure. It allows users to delve further and deeper into the subjects dealt within the Presentation by means of primary and secondary sources. Accordingly, the database has two main sections: the Archive and the Library.

Archive main screenThe Archive contains some 450 primary documents and 400 original photographs.
The Archive is structured in the same way as the Presentation. It is divided in eleven chapters and all documentary material is catalogued in units corresponding to the Presentation units. Each unit is subdivided so that specific materials are readily accessible.
On each Archive screen, users may click the See Also button to access additional database items of relevance to the item being read.

Library main screenThe Library is comprised of three main units, corresponding to the three themes of the Presentation. The Library contains dozens of annotated research articles by the finest historians and researchers in the field.
The Library also contains several Reference Tools: Lexicon, Maps, Charts and Timeline.
The Lexicon contains some 250 entries including important personalities, organizations, camps, newspapers, countries, and miscellaneous phenomena. LexiconEach Lexicon entry is illustrated by a relevant photograph.
Any textual item in the Library/Archive (an original document, an article, etc.) is hyperlinked to the Lexicon, thus providing a dynamic explanation to a great number of terms.
Maps: Four maps illustrate the following: the territorial expansion of Germany in the 1930s; Kristallnacht in various German and Austrian towns; Jewish institutions in Berlin; and the Jewish population of German towns before and after the war. All the maps are interactive.
Charts: The program includes several tables and diagrams, including those that show the electoral ascendancy of the Nazi Party from the 1920s, the number of members joining the party each year, and so forth.
TimelineThe Timeline includes a lengthy list of events from World War I to the end of World War II. The information in the Timeline is organized on two levels. By touching a date with the mouse, users obtain a short definition of the event. Clicking on the date results in a more detailed explanation with a relevant original photograph.

Search Engine: The search engine of the database is accessible from all screens in the Library/Archive. The engine allows users to locate various materials in the database according to a series of approximately 150 keywords. The results of the search are displayed as a series of items, each of which can be opened, i.e., items can be accessed directly from the search-result screen.

All the items in the Library/Archive can be copied to a word processor for printing by using the Copy Text and Copy Picture functions.