Bob Zonneville

MPL Talks: Life after World War II

By admin|2017-04-13T06:00:30-04:00April 13, 2017|

It’s always momentous when Bob Zonneville comes to Mentor Public Library.

Zonneville is a World War II veteran who received a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

He—along with local historian Thom Matowitz, who literally wrote the book on Mentor—hosted a special program where they discussed what life was like for veterans when they returned from World War II.

(Please accept our apologies, in advance, if you can’t hear the audience questions. Next time we’ll have to pass around a microphone.)

If you love WWII history, you’ll want to catch our new Major Leaders of World War II series.

The first talk is 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at our Main Branch. The topic will be the life of Hitler. (It will be his birthday, after all.)

The program is free and open to everyone. However, we do ask that you register beforehand. You can sign up online or call us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 216.

For more World War II talks on our YouTube page:

Zonneville shares his experiences on the front line
The rise of National Socialism
Nazism in Power
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Nazi’s Final Solution
The Fall of Berlin

WWII Veteran Shares his Experiences from the Front Line

By admin|2016-06-08T07:48:18-04:00June 8, 2016|

In commemoration of D-Day, Bob Zonneville—the recipient of two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart—shared his experiences from World War II with us.

We wanted to share them with you, as well.

In addition to being injured twice during his 21 months of combat, he also helped liberate the concentration camp in Treblinka—all this before he turned 21.

However, the hardships of combat haven’t hardened Zonneville’s heart. He speaks with compassion, and it was an honor to glean a fraction of the wisdom he has acquired in his life.

We hope you enjoy listening to Zonneville as much as we did.

By the way, if you enjoy military history, you may enjoy our Major Battles of World War II series. Our own Dr. John Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—has discussed Stalingrad and the origins of the German Final Solution.

Our World War II series continues in August with The Battle of the Bulge.

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