September 18, 2014

Duke Excursion

by Patrick Banzon

The trip to Duke University had events that colorfully illustrated the themes and events of Nazi Germany and the prominence of anti-Semitism. The information of the birth, life, and death of the National Socialist Party was shocking, unsurprisingly. The lasting impact of how Nazism affect lives of the human race was foreseeable. To be objective and unbiased is difficult for something that ultimately test a human being’s morals. Emotions immediately flustered the minds of the students. Ultimately, the excursion to Duke University opened up new questions on topics about the Holocaust and human life, itself.

The first stop to Purdue Library at Duke University was the main event during the excursion. There an exhibit was set up displaying a small portion of the archives the university has collected of the years. In the portion of the archive, letters, journals, books, magazines, pamphlets all had either history or propaganda of Nazism and extreme white supremacy. It is ironic and interesting that there is so much history and actual events and so much propaganda and blatant lies and exaggerations all in the same exhibit.

What was really impactful was the prevalent anti-Semitism and racism, especially towards the Blacks. The interesting thing is that it is still predominant in some areas today. As history has depicted about the horrible accounts humans has done to other humans, there are still people who still put others down extensively through race. It is a sad fact, but due to human nature and error will probably never be eradicated. One magazine approached the new generation of the technology age by combining anti-Semitism with video games and music. It also condemned famous actors and singers that had Jewish roots. Other articles somehow tried to connect tragedies with Jewish evil conspiracies. In summary, all these documents displayed a immense hatred of Jews and others unlike the “True White Race”.

The next part of the trip was to the Nasher Museum of Duke University. Here, modern art takes the whole building as it surrounds the asymmetrical, contemporary type of architecture. There was also a few paintings from artists that lived through WWI and Nazi Germany. It depicted the grief, stress, and anxiety in a mother in Germany. Though it was filled with emotion, the paintings were in monochromatic. It was one of those paintings that meant a lot more due to the meaning.

Overall, the excursion to Duke University was very insightful and informative. It was enjoyable to see a group of students and a handful of scholars take a trip back into Nazism and its influence on humanity. Along with a magnificent bus, great food, entertaining company, and an escape from classes, this is a trip that should happen every semester in this class.