Flight of Remembrance: From WWII in Europe to the U.S. Space Program
Presenter: Marina Dutzmann Kirsch
Hear the true story of the speaker's family from the Axis side of WWII in Latvia, occupied Poland, and Germany—a narrative, based on her book of the same title, which includes two German veterans and provides a perspective seldom heard in the U.S. Though they did not support Hitler or join the Nazi Party, her father and grandfather, both technically skilled, were forced to serve in the German military after fleeing Soviet takeover of the Baltic States. The presentation includes maps and parallels between WWII and the present-day war in Ukraine.
By giving a face and name to "the enemy," Marina Kirsch promotes remembrance of WWII by offering a unique window into the most devastating world conflict of all time and invites reflection on the perils of dictatorship; the ravages of war waged on home soil; and the plight of Eastern Europe, both then and now. Flight of Remembrance is a story of love, survival, and a new beginning when her father's lifelong dream for a career in aeronautical engineering expands to a key role in the emerging U.S. space program. Books will be available for $20.00 each. Come prepared to ask questions and share WWII stories.
