GILLETTE, Wyo. — A three-part workshop series on the Holocaust begins Saturday at Campbell County Public Library, 2101 S. 4-J Road, Gillette.
University of Toronto Chancellor Rose and Ray Wolfe Professor of Holocaust Studies Doris Bergen compares the Holocaust to a house burning down; societal attitudes were the dry timber that made the Holocaust possible, an event description for the workshop series said. Bergen wrote “War and Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust.”
Wyoming historian Kylie Louise McCormick, of Casper, has studied in Berlin and London. She has a master’s degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She’s the president of the Casper Chapter of the League of Women Voters and a member of the Natrona County Chapter of the Wyoming State Historical Society, the Fort Caspar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Casper Artists’ Guild.
In her presentation, McCormick will explain the connection between a long history of anti-Judaism and antisemitism with personal experiences of antisemitism growing up in Wyoming and recent examples from the news and media so listeners can consider the dry timber in their communities and reflect on ways they can clear that out before it ignites, the event description said.
In the first workshop, Nov. 5, “Introduction to Judaism and Jewish Culture before the Holocaust,” McCormick will focus on Jewish culture. She will share music, stories and images of the Jewish community from around the world and describe Kosher dietary laws and how Jewish communities’ populations have changed since before the Holocaust.
In the second workshop, Nov. 12, “Anti-Judaism and Antisemitism before 1933,” McCormick will compare historic incidents and hatreds with modern examples and personal experiences.
On Nov. 19, McCormick will present a third workshop, on The Holocaust, from Hitler’s rise to power to present-day media coverage, and the role of bystanders.
Each workshop runs from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Library Foundation and the Campbell County Historical Society have sponsored the series. To learn more about it, contact McCormick at kylie@kyliethehistorian.com or visit her website, www.kyliethehistorian.com.
