Category Archives: Lectures & Events

Screening of Ritchie Boys, November 18, 6:00 p.m., 448 Batza Room, Athenaeum

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The Ritchie Boys tells the story of American soldiers who used their German language skills and cultural knowledge of Germany to fight against Nazi Germany. Many of them were persecuted by the Nazi regime and had to leave Germany in the 1930s. They were trained in Camp Ritchie, MD, in intelligence and psychological warfare and then send to Europe. The surviving Ritchie Boys are in their eighties and nineties now. They never met for reunions; they did not join veteran associations. In the end, the Ritchie Boys quietly left the war behind them and went on to enjoy quite remarkable careers – in arts and politics, in business and academia. In ”The Ritchie Boys” these remarkable, funny, sharp, brave men share their memories with us.

The event will be followed by remarks from Wolf Thormann (Professor Emeritus). He served in the US Army as one of the “Ritchie BCaptureoys.” Professor Thormann was a Professor of French at Goucher College from 1960-1989. In addition, he served as chair of the Modern Languages Department for numerous years. Wolf Thormann was born in Frankfurt, Germany, emigrated with his family to France in 1933, and came to the US in 1941.

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25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, Nov. 13th, 7:00 pm, Soper Room (JR 227)

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Screen Shot 2014-11-10 at 7.24.09 PMPlease join us for a presentation that will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. We will screen a documentary  that explores the history of the Berlin Wall and how the STASI (secret police) observed, oppressed and persecuted GDR citizens. We will follow the short documentary with a look at three graphic novels that tell different personal stories about the GDR. You will hear about an escape attempt via tunnel, the story of a teenager who was observed by the STASI for his involvement in the GDR peace movement, and the autobiographical account of an artist who left the GDR with his parents in the beginning 1980s. The presentation will also feature an exhibition of one of the graphic novels (translated into English).
presenters: Antje Krueger, Justine Ruhlin (’15)

Remembering the Holocaust: A Multi-Disciplinary Student Commemoration of Kristallnacht , Nov. November 12 at 6:00pm to 7:30pm

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Join us for a commemoration of Kristallnacht, featuring Holocaust oral history storytelling performed by Gabrielle Spear, Nadav Marcus, Katie Mowrer, and Hannah Spiegelman. All of these students took Dr. Uta Larkey’s class “Oral Histories of Holocaust Survivors” in the past.

The program will also feature a musical performance of “Voice From The Annex”, Opus 46 – a song-cycle for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano, composed in 1990 by Jose A. Bowen with words from “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank, performed by Goucher sophomore Charlotte Khuner, soprano and Goucher Professor of Music Lisa Weiss, piano.  Justine Ruhlin (’15, History/German) organized the program for this event.

German Liberals in Baltimore: A Senior Thesis by Gillian Ziegler

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Gilian_FlyerGillian Ziegler (’14)  presented his History Senior Thesis on May 8th 2014. He explored the impact of the so called ’48ers – German Liberals who had left Germany after the failed Revolution of 1848 – on the political scene in Baltimore. In particular, he discussed the election of 1860 and the role of  the “Baltimore Wecker”  – a daily newspaper published in German – within this political campaign. The presentation was followed by a lively Q& A. About 30 people attended the presentation which ended with a toast to all graduating seniors, namely Gilian Ziegler, Kari Schulz, Levi Jones, Zvi Shoval, Adam Mosley, Mike Christian, and Sophia Hausner.

 

Short film about Emeritus Professor Wolf Thormann by Michael Christen (’14)

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WolfMichael Christen presented a short film about Emeritus Professor Wolf Thormann on April 5th for the re-dedication of the Wolf Thormann Center in Julia Rogers. Wolf Thormann was a Professor of French at Goucher College from 1960-1989. In addition, he served as chair of the Modern Languages Department for numerous years. He received many awards and honors for his engagement for and services to the French Culture. Wolf Thormann was born in Frankfurt, Germany, emigrated with his family to France in 1933, and served in the US Army during WWII. Michael Christen film gives an account of this part of his biography.  

See here for Michael Christen’s short film.