“The U.S. and the Holocaust” is a three-part series from filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein that explores the U.S. role before, during and after one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history. The series premiered on Panhandle PBS in September of 2022, but will rebroadcast starting January 6.
Combining the first-person accounts of Holocaust witnesses and survivors and interviews with leading historians and writers, “The U.S. and the Holocaust” dispels competing myths that Americans either were ignorant of the unspeakable persecution that Jews and other targeted minorities faced in Europe or that they looked on with callous indifference. The film tackles a range of questions that remain essential to our society today, including how racism influences policies related to immigration and refugees as well as how governments and people respond to the rise of authoritarian states that manipulate history and facts to consolidate power.
In coordination with the series, season four of “Check Me Out: A Podcast for Book Lovers” features an episode exploring Holocaust-focused literature with two guests from Amarillo Public Library - Library Programs Specialist Cynthia Hunt and Youth Services Coordinator Melody Boren. This episode can be found at panhandlePBS.org/USandtheHolocaust, as well as anywhere listeners find their podcasts.
Additionally, Panhandle PBS rebroadcast the 2017 “Live Here” episode “Witness,” which explores the story of Maria Madi. Madi was a Hungarian doctor who hid her Jewish friend and the woman’s nephew during the Nazi occupation of Budapest. Decades later, Panhandle PBS interviewed the boy that Maria saved about his memories of the Holocaust and Madi’s bravery. This episode can also be found at panhandlePBS.org/USandtheHolocaust, Panhandle PBS Passport, and the station’s YouTube channel.
“The U.S. and the Holocaust” encore presentation take place on Fridays - January 6, 13, and 20 at 8:00 p.m. The entire series will be available for streaming for free from January 6 – February 3 on pbs.org.
