The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, America’s national memorial to the Holocaust, will honor all the brave soldiers who fought in World War II as part of its 20th anniversary commemoration.
I’m writing to inform you about our plans for this milestone occasion, which include a National Tribute in Washington, DC, as well as a National Tour honoring Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans in four cities across the country. We hope as many veterans as possible will join us at these historic gatherings and request your assistance in sharing this information with the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.
As you know well, World War II was the salient event in the 20th Century – and its legacy continues to shape the 21st. The values we cherish were threatened by cruel and oppressive ideologies. But the generation that signed up and put on a uniform, which believed in the essential goodness of America, and which unselfishly answered the call to duty, was a generation willing to sacrifice everything to preserve our way of life. The freedoms we enjoy today were assured by the veterans of World War II. The Museum recognizes this, and thus wishes to reach out to all American veterans of World War II and to accord to them our highest honor and deepest gratitude.
At the National Tribute in Washington, DC on April 28 – 29, 2013 we will bring together the people who lived this history – Holocaust survivors, World War II veterans, rescuers, and their families – in the largest numbers we can – along with U.S. and European officials and Museum supporters and partners, for what will most likely be the last gathering of eyewitnesses on this scale.
Working in close cooperation with the World War II Memorial, we are expecting thousands to join Elie Wiesel, our founding chairman, at this two-day gathering, which begins with a Tribute Dinner on Sunday, April 28th at the Washington, DC Convention Center – free for survivors and WWII veterans, who may bring one companion for $50. Regular cost is $250/person. At the Tribute Dinner, we will present the Museum’s Elie Wiesel Award, our highest honor, to the American service men and women who fought in World War II, with Susan Eisenhower accepting on their behalf. Through this tribute, we hope to remind the American public, especially our youth, of just what was at stake during World War II and the enormous sacrifices that were made to preserve the free world.
The National Tribute continues on Monday, April 29th at the Museum, which will be closed to the public to mark this historic occasion. The day will begin with a ceremony on our Eisenhower Plaza featuring the flags of the U.S. Army Divisions that liberated the Nazi concentration camps. An Open House follows with a day of special programs, tours, and family activities throughout the Museum. In addition, “affinity tables” will provide opportunities for those from the same divisions or communities to socialize. The day, which includes lunch, is free with advance registration.
Since we know that many veterans and survivors may not be able to travel to Washington, DC for the National Tribute gathering in April, we are hosting free, daylong public events in four cities: Boca Raton (December 9), Los Angeles (February 17), New York (March 3), and Chicago (June 9). Throughout the day, veterans and their families will have the opportunity to meet with curators and conservators about personal collections. They may attend panel discussions with well-known experts, presentations of rarely seen film clips from our collection, and participatory family activities. And, of course, there will be opportunities to socialize. The day will conclude with a special tribute to local survivors and World War II veterans.
We would be honored if your members could join us at one of the local National Tour events or consider traveling to Washington, DC in April for the National Tribute. And, we hope everyone will bring their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren!
The following links include additional information.
(1) A flyer that has event details and contact information can be found at: http://www.ushmm.org/neveragain/pdfs/20th-flyer.pdf
(2) A preliminary schedule for the programming for the Boca Raton Tour stop (which will be similar in all four cities of the tour) can be found at: http://www.ushmm.org/neveragain/pdfs/20th-tour-program-Boca-Raton.pdf
(3) A hotel information sheet for the Washington DC event on April 28-29, 2013 can be found at: http://www.ushmm.org/neveragain/pdfs/HotelTribute.pdf
You may register now for the tour events in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago and/or request an invitation to the National Tribute in DC by accessing our website www.ushmm.org/neveragain
If you have questions contact Stephen Goodell at 1-866-998-7466, 1-202-488-0484 or via e-mail sgoodell@ushmm.org
You may also contact my colleague, Jessie Viggiano, at 202- 488-0412 or jviggiano@ushmm.org
Sincerely,
Stephen Goodell
Director of Veterans Outreach