Over the past few months news sources have reported a frightening recrudescence of anti-Semitism across Europe. This disturbing state of affairs makes the work of Father Patrick Desbois all the more timely. Inspired by the experiences of his grandfather, who was a prisoner of the Rawa Ruska camp during the Second World War, Father Desbois has dedicated his life to combatting anti-Semitism and strengthening relations between Catholics and Jews.
For purposes of education and remembrance, Father Desbois founded Yahad-In Unum, an organization that locates mass killing sites, gathers forensic evidence and interviews the few witnesses who are still around to offer their first-person testimonies. To date, Yahad-In Unum has researched 1,337 execution sites and gathered 3,580 testimonies during its 79 investigative research trips in seven Eastern European countries. Additionally, the organization conducts international workshops and graduate-level seminars to contribute to Holocaust scholarship and the study of genocide.
On Tuesday, April 21, from 7-9 p.m., Father Desbois will present a lecture entitled Holocaust by Bullets, which will discuss the internationally renowned Holocaust researcher’s work. The lecture will take place in Eckstein Hall (1215 W. Michigan St.) and will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing of Father Desbois’ book The Holocaust by Bullets: A Priest's Journey to Uncover the Truth Behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews. The lecture is free and open to the public, although it is requested that attendees RSVP. Father Desbois’ appearance is presented by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and Marquette University, and supported through a grant from the Isabel & Alfred Bader Fund.
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