MPL Talks

04 3, 2017

MPL Talks: Nazism in Power

By admin|2017-04-03T06:00:01-04:00April 3, 2017|

If Dr. John Foster’s talk on the rise of National Socialism in Germany intrigued you, its sequel will fascinate you.

Recently, Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—discussed the Nazi Party in power both before and during World War II.

We now share it here, so you may enjoy it—even if you missed the talk initially.

During the program, Foster examines:

how National Socialism’s particular brand of anti-Semitism was especially malevolent. (Not that any form of bigotry is admirable.)
how Adolf Hitler’s Germany gradually dehumanized and then exterminated certain sub-populations of humans.
how the Nazi Party wasn’t organized—and we use that word loosely—as most people expect or assume.
the inherent danger in deciding a group of people “isn’t one of us.”

If you love WWII history and enjoy Foster’s talks, you’ll want to catch his 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.

Other historical talks by Foster can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

MPL Talks: The Fall of Berlin

By admin|2017-01-10T06:00:12-05:00January 10, 2017|

We host a lot of programs at Mentor Public Library and it’s hard to catch them all.

And sometimes you miss one you really wanted to see.

That’s why we’ve started MPL Talks, where we post full programs online for you to watch at your convenience. It’s not quite the same as being there. (For example, you don’t get to ask questions.) But it’s better than missing out.

Recently, our own Dr. John Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—discussed the Fall of Berlin as part of our Major Battles of World War II series.

Foster examined:

the rivalry between Russian Generals Ivan Konev and Georgy Zhukov
Stalin’s ambitions for a post-war Germany and his attempts to manipulate his Western allies
the differences in Stalin’s and Hitler’s military expertise
the final days of Hitler and the Third Reich
the difference between Berlin in 1945 and now.

As part of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Foster will discuss the rise of National Socialism in Germany at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, at our Main Branch. The talk is free and open to everyone. You can register to attend on our website.

Previous WWII talks at Mentor Public Library can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

MPL Talks: The Battle of Stalingrad

By admin|2016-06-06T12:25:30-04:00June 6, 2016|

We host a lot of programs at Mentor Public Library and it’s hard to catch them all.

And sometimes you miss one you really wanted to see.

That’s why we’ve started MPL Talks, where we post full programs online for you to watch at your convenience. It’s not quite the same as being there. (For example, you don’t get to ask questions.) But it’s better than missing out.

Recently, our own Dr. John Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—discussed the Battle of Stalingrad as part of our Major Battles of World War II series.

Foster examined:

the ideological differences between Hitler and Stalin’s brands of totalitarianism
Hitler’s intention with targeting Russia’s oil fields
Operation Barbarossa, which preceded the battle
readings from a German’s soldier diary during the battle
the battle’s effect on the Eastern European front and war
the startling loss of life that made Stalingrad the bloodiest battle in a bloody, bloody war.

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

If you’re interested in seeing more of Dr. Foster’s programs, you can find them on our YouTube page, including his talks on Napoleonic France and the German Final Solution.

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