European Leo Baeck Institute Lecture Series, 2017–18: The Difficulties of Writing Family History

A lecture series organised by the Leo
Baeck Institute London, in cooperation with the German Historical Institute London.

This season’s topic intends to discuss the challenges which arise when writing a European-Jewish family history set in the historically and politically charged period of the late 19th to the mid-20th century. What scholarly problems does a writer encounter, what emotional difficulties does an author face - especially in terms of allowing the public access to one’s own personal history, and how can these challenges be dealt with?

For more information on the lecture series please refer to the leaflet here

Dr Daniel Wildmann (Director, Leo Baeck Institute London) has pleasure in inviting you to the second lecture in the series:


Thomas Harding
Journalist
“You’re doing what?” - My family’s response to my trying to save the house stolen by the Nazis
6.30pm, 1 March 2018


In 2013, Thomas Harding visited his Jewish family’s old weekend house outside of Berlin. He found it shrouded in a jungle of bushes and trees, its windows broken, graffiti painted across its walls and that it was destined for demolition. When he told his family that he wanted to work with the locals to save the house they reacted with intense emotion, triggering a debate about memories, the value of history and the possibility of reconciliation.

Thomas Harding is an international bestselling author and journalist who has written for the Financial Times, Sunday Times, Washington Post, Guardian and Der Spiegel, among other publications. His books include Hanns And Rudolf, Kadian Journal, The House By The Lake and Blood On The Page. Thomas Harding is president of www.alexanderhaus. org, an education and reconciliation charity near Berlin. On 24 June 2016, the day of Brexit, Thomas applied for the restoration of his German citizenship.


Lectures will be held at the German Historical Institute London, 17 Bloomsbury Square, London WC1A 2NJ and begin at 6.30pm.

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