As the Americans and the Holocaust exhibit at the Ellinwood School/Community Library enters its final week, community members are encouraged to visit before it closes. Final public hours are Thursday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. The exhibit has drawn strong attendance and meaningful engagement through several impactful programs and companion displays.
Highlights included the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education Lunch and Learn and the Zoom presentation, Americans and the Holocaust, led by Dr. Shelly Cline, Historian and Director of Education at MCHE. Dr. Cline examined the rise of Nazism in Germany, the assault on Europe’s Jews, and the difficult questions surrounding what the United States could have done to respond. While Americans made extreme sacrifices to defeat Nazism, the rescue of Europe’s Jews never became a political priority; these presentations explored what was possible, what was done, and why decisions were shaped by American motives, pressures, and fears. Dr. Cline holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas and serves in the Jewish Studies Program at KU, with prior faculty appointments at the Kansas City Art Institute and the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
Visitors have also explored the Concordia Camp Parallel Exhibition, a curated companion display highlighting the WWII German POW Camp in Concordia. Featuring regional history, artifacts, and personal stories, the exhibit connects Kansas to World War II and the Holocaust, offering a meaningful local lens to global events. Complementing this is the Museum of Ellinwood’s World War II display, showcased in the library’s display case, which includes artifacts and honors Ellinwood residents who served during the war.
In addition, Ellinwood High School students heard “A Story of Triumph Over Madness” through the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Second-generation speaker Peter Stern shared the story of his father, Herbert Stern, a German Holocaust survivor, describing the impact of persecution on his family and their eventual refuge in the United States. Also featured within the exhibit is the story of Thomas Doeppner, a German refugee student who was able to come to Kansas in 1939 because students at McPherson College sponsored him—demonstrating how individual action and compassion made a life-changing difference.
Community members are encouraged to take time to thoughtfully tour the Americans and the Holocaust exhibit, along with the Concordia Camp Parallel Exhibition and the Museum of Ellinwood’s WWII display, before the exhibit closes. Together, these exhibits provide an opportunity for reflection on history, responsibility, and the lasting impact of choices made—both locally and globally.
“Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is made possible by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.”
“Americans and the Holocaust was made possible by the generous support of lead sponsor Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine. Additional major funding was provided by the Bildners — Joan and Allen z”l, Elisa Spungen and Rob, Nancy and Jim; and Jane and Daniel Och. The Museum’s exhibitions are also supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.”
Sheri Holmes is the director of library and media services for the Ellinwood School and Community Libraries. She can be reached by email at sholmes@usd355.org.
