By W.C.Lawson |
For Jud Newborn, UP’s 2013 Zahm lecturer, truth and power can be found in the story of a student-led Nazi resistance movement.
“Raising consciousness can make all of the difference in the world,” Newborn said.
Newborn, a renowned author, cultural anthropologist and Holocaust scholar, presented a multimedia program, “Speaking Truth to Power,” at the annual Zahm Lecture on Oct. 10 in Buckley Center Auditorium.
He spoke about finding inspiration for current human rights struggles in the White Rose anti-Nazi movement of the Holocaust. He shared the stories of many unexpected heroes from various ethnic backgrounds who continue to lead the fight for human rights.
Newborn emphasized the importance of the impact individuals can have by using their words to fight for truth and power.
“I thought it was pretty interesting,” senior Ethan Barnes, who attended the lecture, said. “Newborn was really animated and I enjoyed learning about a resistance movement that still carries weight in our global position.”
After completing three decades of research on World War II history, Newborn co-authored “Sophie Scholl and the White Rose” in 2006. The story is about two siblings and former Hitler Youth members, Sophie and Hans Scholl, who led one of the few effective protests in Germany against the Nazi Party in 1942. They anonymously distributed leaflets to educate the public about the Nazi Party’s atrocities toward the Jewish people. The movement consisted of anonymously mass distributed leaflets mailed all over Germany as an attempt to educate the public about the Nazi Party’s execution of the Jewish people.
“This was what they were risking their lives for,” Newborn said. “They were risking their lives for these words.”
This anonymous use of media created a sensation as readers were urged to support the movement for “freedom of speech, freedom of religion and protection of the individual citizen from the arbitrary action of criminal-dictator states.” This caught much attention from the Gestapo (Nazi Germany’s secret police) and Adolf Hitler. These acts of non-violence would ultimately result in the execution of key members of the White Rose group for their words against the Nazi Party.
The audience gave Newborn a standing ovation.
“‘Will we tear away the stifling cloak of indifference?'” Newborn asked the crowd. “We need them to show us the light.”
Students walked away inspired by Newborn’s message about how powerful words can be from these examples of “freedom fighters.” Newborn advised students that anyone around the world can stand up and non-violently fight for the freedom of others.
“His lecture was very enlightening,” junior Sean Barry said. “With similar crises happening in our world today, we need to start a global revolution.”
