The Ghost Army of World War II
virtual program on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at 7:00 PM (edt)
During WWII, a handpicked group of GIs landed in France to conduct a secret mission: use special effects to fool the enemy about the strength and location of American troops. Rick Beyer brings this incredible true story to life.
To order your copy of the book The Ghost Army of World War II from the HMC Billes Museum Shop, click here.
Thank you to our Community Partners: the Detroit VA Health Care System, Yankee Air Museum and the Jewish War Veterans of the United States – Department of Michigan.
Rywka’s Diary – A Girl Lost, a Diary Found – Special Exhibit Opening
PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY, September 1, 2021 at 7:00 PM (EDT)
This is a hybrid program, offering both in-person and online attendance options. To learn more about our COVID-19 policies, click here.
Register for In-Person Program and Exhibit Opening
Register for Online Zoom Program
In 1945 the diary of Polish teenager Rywka Lipszyc was discovered amid the rubble of the recently liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. It was written during Rywka’s time in the Łodz ghetto and provides poignant reflections on her life and experiences in the years 1943 and 1944. This presentation explores the historical context within which Rywka’s diary was written – focusing on the organizational structure of the Łodz ghetto and the nature of life there under Nazi rule – while also reflecting on broader themes raised by Rywka’s compelling narrative and on the continuing importance of such first-person accounts in deepening our understanding of victims’ experiences.
Derek Hastings received his PhD in modern European history from the University of Chicago and is currently Associate Professor of History at Oakland University. He is the author of Catholicism and the Roots of Nazism (Oxford University Press, 2011) and Nationalism in Modern Europe (Bloomsbury, 2018).
Thank you to our Community Partner: Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement, Oakland University