San Antonians, mark your calendars for a series of programs that promise to offer poignant insights into the history and aftermath of the Holocaust. This January, the San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) and the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio (HMMSA) are hosting the 14th annual "Holocaust Learn & Remember" series. Through this partnership, they honor the memory of the Holocaust victims and survivors and commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
The theme for this year's series is "Judgment," with a focal point on the Nuremberg Trials, those landmark proceedings that called Nazi leaders to account after the war. According to the news release from the City of San Antonio, programs will delve deep into how some of the most notorious figures of the Nazi regime faced justice. Additionally, the series will share personal accounts from survivors of concentration camps to pay homage to the victims.
The opening event will take place at Central Library, with a spotlight on the lesser-known Karya’s Forced Labor Camp in Greece. "The Unknown Story of Karya’s Forced Labor Camp" will feature keynote speakers, including author Andreas Assael, who thundered on a 20-year investigation sparked by a photo album acquisition which uncovered his own father among the camp’s survivors. This event is scheduled for January 8 at 7 p.m.
Other programs within the series include "An Afternoon with Holocaust Survivor Eva Balcazar" at the Parman Branch Library on January 11 and discussions that analyze the Final Solution strategy at three different branch libraries—Cody, McCreless, and Las Palmas—on subsequent days. The events will not only recount individual stories of survival but also examine the judgments made during the Holocaust, including the selection process at Auschwitz.
For those interested in the intersection of history and media, "Nuremberg in the News," an online registration-required program, offers a peek into how journalists and filmmakers covered the Nuremberg Trials and helped maintain public focus on these historic proceedings. The series will culminate on International Holocaust Remembrance Day with legal historian Dr. Isaac Amon reviewing the Nuremberg Trials' lasting influence, drawing from first-hand accounts, historical footage, and his expertise on the subject.
To learn more about the "Holocaust Learn & Remember" series, or to explore book lists and other resources related to the Holocaust, individuals can visit the SAPL website.
