‘Chance of a lifetime for Amarillo’: Americans and the Holocaust Exhibit opening this weekend

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The Americans and the Holocaust travel exhibit is opening its door this weekend, following with many events including a film series hosted by Panhandle PBS, and speakers almost every weekend of the exhibit.

“All of the accompanying events that the library has beautifully organized is just an incredible opportunity to learn more about a part of our history that is not so well known,” said Cullen Lutz, community development coordinator, Panhandle PBS.

Cynthia Hunt, program director of the exhibit, says the events are important to the exhibit because they help dig deeper.

“Movies sometimes, if you read the book that movie was based on, you have a much deeper understanding. That’s what the programs are meant to do, is help deepen your understanding of certain aspects of some of the things from within the exhibition,” said Hunt. “We are hoping that through the exhibition, through the related programs, they are going to come away with their own ideas of what could have been done differently.”

The exhibit, and the programs are designed to help visitors understand America’s involvement during the holocaust on a level that dives deeper than the historical event itself.

“History does not occur in isolation, and we can really explore echoes of history throughout time including today,” said Lutz.

The film series presented by Panhandle PBS will air Sunday night on the PBS channel and be label “Americans and the Holocaust.”

“Looking at something from the past, and you always hear it, if you don’t learn from history, you can be doomed to repeat it. This helps people look at the goodness in individuals and helps them realize they can be the good in the next situation that comes up,” said Hunt.

For more events and times click here.

“This is a chance of a lifetime for Amarillo to host something like this,” said Hunt.

Full list of events:

MODERN PERSPECTIVES on the HOLOCAUST

Saturdays, Sep. 24 to Oct. 15, Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room, Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and presentations begin at 2:30 a.m.

• Saturday, Sep. 24 Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus Presented by Steven Pressman, author of 50 Children :One Ordinary American Couple’s Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany
• Saturday, Oct. 1 Americans and the Holocaust Presented by Rebecca Erbelding, US Holocaust Memorial Museum Historian and author of Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe
• Saturday, Oct. 8 Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power Presented by Andrew Nagorski, author of Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power
• Saturday, Oct. 15 Auschwitz & Birkenau: Amarillo College Students Share Their Experience Presented by Amarillo College Presidential Scholars

AMERICANS and the HOLOCAUST in FILM

Thursdays, Sep. 22 to Oct. 20 Southwest Branch Library, Doors open at 6:30 and films start at 7:00 p.m.

• Sep. 22: American Experience: The Boys of ‘36
• Sep. 29: Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War
• Oct. 6: Title to be determined
• Oct. 13: GI Jews: Jewish Americans in World War II
• Oct. 20: Witness Screening & Discussion with Panhandle PBS, moderated by Program Producer/Host Karen Welch with special guest Steve Walton