War and Remembrance: Upcoming Talks and Tributes in NYC

By Troy Segal

Sometimes it seems the world today is perpetually in conflict, but it was ever thus. Just witness these upcoming NYC events and talks on the theme of war. As the philosopher said, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Image: August Brill -- Flickr

Image: August Brill — Flickr

The Shoah: Jan. 27 marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. (Note that due to inclement weather, these programs will be postponed.)

  • The Consulate General of Italy continues its 15-year tradition of paying tribute to Holocaust victims with a morning-through-early-afternoon ceremony in front of its building featuring a roll call of Italian Jews who were casualties of the camp.
  • The Center for Jewish History is holding an afternoon reception, which includes broadcasting the commemorative ceremony from the actual site in Europe.

let's be prepared peace or war

The Power of Propaganda: The Film Society of Lincoln Center is displaying an exhibit of the poster of significant anti-war films (part of its New York Jewish Film Festival). Walter Reade Theater, thru Jan. 29.… In contrast, the displays in New York Public Library’s Over Here: WWI and the Fight for the American Mind demonstrate the PR effort that went into fostering and maintaining the U.S. public’s support for the First World War. Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, thru Aug. 6.

Battle of the Wilderness by Kurz and Allison

Battle of the Wilderness by Kurz and Allison

The Civil War: The bloodiest battles ever fought on American soil occurred during the War Between the States, as old-fashioned, manpower-oriented strategies ran headlong into newly mechanized—and deadly—weaponry. A trio of historians conjures up some Great Battles of the Civil War. New-York Historical Society, Feb. 18.…Not all conflicts occurred on the official battlefield. As the war dragged on, a deadly series of draft riots broke out in New York City, fueled by social and economic tensions (the wealthy were able to buy their way out of fighting, putting the burden on working-class immigrants). A 92nd Street Y–sponsored tour takes you around historically significant sites during those days of Civil War in Manhattan. April 14.

Image: Flickr -- marina.shakleina

Image: Flickr — marina.shakleina

A Current-Day Conflict: The recent uprisings in Ukraine have created nearly one million displaced people from the Donbas region. A professor from the European University at Saint Petersburg outlines their plight and its roots. Barnard College. Jan. 26.