Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (May 7 at 9 am** – May 24 at 4 pm): $230
Regular Registration Price (May 24 at 4 pm – first day of class): $253

** Registration opens online at 9 am. Phone registration will be accepted starting at 10 am.

Members, seniors, and students get a 10% discount.

This seminar is full. Please call (312) 255-3700 to be added to the wait list.

Seminar Description

Closely related by family ties, George V of Britain, Nicolas II of Russia, and Wilhelm II of Germany were nonetheless unable to prevent their countries from going to war in 1914. This course will treat the interlinked dynasties, the escalation of diplomatic conflicts, and the roles of the monarchs in the events that resulted in the First World War, which would ultimately lead to the downfall of two of these dynasties, the Romanovs and Hohenzollerns.

Six sessions. E – $230, L – $253

Frank A. Biletz holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago and specializes in modern British and Irish history. He is currently adjunct instructor of history at Loyola University Chicago. He has been teaching seminars at the Newberry since 1994.

Materials List

Required:

• Miranda Carter, George, Nicolas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I. Vintage Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-1400079124

First Reading:

• For the first class please read the introduction and Part I (chapters 1-3) of the Miranda Carter book.

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.