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“Then and Now” - FSW to Observe Dr. Talbot Spivak Holocaust Memorial Week March 23-27

Feb 25, 2015


Florida SouthWestern State College will observe the Dr. Talbot Spivak Holocaust Memorial Week on Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27, 2015.  The program, now in its 19th year, is named in memory of Professor Dr. Talbot Spivak, whose determination to teach the lessons of the Holocaust both inside and outside the classroom led him to create this week-long program with college-wide support in 1996. In 2006 Dr. Spivak retired after 21 years of dedicated service to the College. 

This year’s theme, “Then and Now,” was chosen  to provide a reflection and comparison to the events which took place leading up to and including WWII and similar events we see happening today.  The Holocaust Memorial Week on the Thomas Edison (Lee) campus in Fort Myers will offer programs that give the local community an opportunity to interact with and learn from local Holocaust survivors, as well as children of survivors.  Survivors will share their personal Holocaust experiences in individual sessions and in round table discussions.  Some of this year’s participants are Steen Metz,  Paul Simko, Rob Nossen, and Jacques and Sabine Van Dam.  Steen Metz, Rob Nossen, Jacques and Sabine Van Dam, and Cesare Frustaci will present their stories in individual presentations throughout the week.  Paul Bartrop from Florida Gulf Coast will give a talk on “Righteous Gentiles, Conflicted Nazis, and Courageous Jews”.   Additionally the Boxcar from the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida will be on the Thomas Edison (Lee) campus during the week to allow students and guests the opportunity to observe a physical artifact from the era.   Boxcars, similar to this, were used to transport victims to the concentration camps.

Sanibel-based artist Myra Roberts will present her collection titled “Angels on Earth.  “Angels on Earth” celebrates extraordinary lives, starting from World War II to the present. Included are paintings of humanitarians Sophie Scholl, Sir Nicholas George Winton, and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Also featured are paintings of local survivors Cesare Frustaci and Steen Metz, as well as, local World War II hero  Bob Hilliard.  The program incorporates oils from her “Faces of Anne Frank” series, based on The Diary of a Young Girl. It also includes collages from “Smokescreen: Prelude to the 1940s,” depicting propaganda disseminated during Hitler’s rise to power.

“We strive to educate our students and the community about the Holocaust and other similar acts against humanity,” said committee chairs JoAnn Lewin, Rona Axelrod and Cindy Campbell, faculty of Florida SouthWestern State College.  “We want to raise awareness regarding the Holocaust and how it relates to contemporary events.  We hope that members in our surrounding communities are able to attend many of the events and activities that will take place during Dr. Talbot Spivak Holocaust Memorial Week.”

To see the full schedule of events, visit www.FSW.edu/holocaust.  For more information about the events, please call or email Cindy Campbell at (239) 489-9367 or ccampbell@FSW.edu.   

Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving more than 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW will debut its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall 2015.

Last Updated: February 25, 2015

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