Heirlooms Held Hostage - Lecture by Rachel Podber-Kennison (Holocaust Museum LA)

Heirlooms Held Hostage Guest Lecture by Rachel Podber-Kennison

During World War II and the Holocaust, the Nazis looted an estimated 20% of Europe's artwork. This talk will delve into the systematic efforts behind the theft of priceless cultural treasures, where the stolen art ended up, and the heroic actions of the Monuments Men in recovering and preserving these masterpieces. The discussion will also highlight various legal cases and examine the ongoing challenges surrounding restitution and repatriation efforts.In Person: Ahavath AchimVirtual: Zoom Join ZoomRachel Podber-Kennison grew up in the Jewish community of Atlanta and is the granddaughter of Polish Holocaust survivors. As theEducation Programs Manager atHolocaust Museum LA, she aims to make Holocaust education accessible to all learning styles and is passionate about providing students with the resources they need to navigate and combat antisemitism in their schools and communities. She completed her undergraduate degree inFilm and Television at Boston University, and as a student, single-handedly sorted and organized the Hebrew section ofElie Wiesel's archival collection. She holds aMaster of Arts in Museum Studies from theUniversity of Leicester, with a dissertation entitled "Heirlooms Held Hostage: The Fate of Nazi-Looted Art in Museum Collections". She has lectured on topics including museum ethics, Nazi-looted art, the experience of Jews in the Roman Empire, and intercultural relations in antiquity, including a live cooking demonstration on ancient Roman cooking.