Alex Kershaw, author of “The Liberator: One World War II Soldier’s 500-Day Odyssey From the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau” and historian of the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C, hosted a presentation in the media center, educating attendees on the extent of his research and knowledge gained while writing “The Liberator.”
Kershaw’s nonfiction novel follows the wartime journey of the U.S. Army officer Felix Sparks, commander of the 157th Infantry Regiment, and his unit through nearly two years of combat across Axis-controlled Western Europe during World War II. His presentation included a showcase of photographs and maps documenting the 157th’s odyssey to liberate concentration camps, with particular emphasis on their time at the Dachau concentration camp in southern Germany. “If you don’t study history, you don’t know how to stand up and stop bad things,” Kershaw said. “You don’t know how lucky we are to live in a democracy, and you don’t understand the human condition.”
After the presentation, audience members had the opportunity to ask Kershaw questions regarding his research, experiences, and writing process while creating “The Liberator” and the other 12 novels he has written.
“It was mind-blowing to grasp how long it took him to gather all that information,” event attendee and communications senior Ethan Malka said. “None of us would understand the amount of effort he put in if someone didn’t have the guts to ask.”
Kershaw concluded by leaving the audience with a warning for the future.
“When society tolerates racism, history shows how easily it can lead to genocide,” Kershaw said. “That’s why artists, especially, must keep their eyes open.”