Taking your German Father to a Nazi Camp – Patagonia

A cultural, psychological and personal look at the effects of the Holocaust and war memories in German society after 1945, especially as they are passed on inter-generationally in German families. This larger frame will be exemplified by the presenter’s story about his father who had been  drafted into the German army at age 17, and ended up in the vicinity of a Jewish slave labor camp in Poland. The presentation concludes with brief remarks on the value of dialogue between the communities affected by historical trauma due to violent, state-sponsored ideologies.

Björn Krondorfer, Director of the Martin-Springer Institute at NAU and Endowed Professor of Religious Studies in Department of Comparative Cultural Studies. Field of expertise: religion, gender, culture, (post-) Holocaust studies, Western religions, religion, violence, and reconciliation. He has been invited to speak, present his research, and facilitate intercultural encounters in South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Finland, Poland, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Israel/Palestine, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Before coming to AZ, he has been a speaker at the Maryland Humanities Council for many years.