Grace Lutheran hosts Holocaust film event
Screening of ‘Einsatzgruppen: The Death Brigades’ is April 14 at Apple Valley church
by Andrew Miller
Thisweek Newspapers
Though the grisly Nazi war atrocities depicted in “Einsatzgruppen: The Death Brigades” occurred more than a half century ago, it’s a film with a message that remains relevant today, says Rev. John Matthews, senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church.
The film, which will be screened at the Apple Valley church on Thursday (April 14), tells the story of the Nazi killing squads that followed Germany’s military forces through Eastern Europe, killing Jews in every town the army invaded.
“In this day and age this stuff continues to happen,” explained Matthews, citing Darfur, Rwanda and Bosnia as contemporary examples of the genocidal acts shown in “Einsatzgruppen.”
The April 14 film event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is free and open to the public. A group discussion will follow the screening.
The event is a collaboration between the church and St. Paul-based nonprofit World Without Genocide.
While the film’s content is quite graphic, Matthews said, “ ‘Einsatzgruppen’ is not shown just to horrify people – that doesn’t accomplish anything – but to see how ordinary people became involved in rather extraordinary evil.”
One thing Matthews said he hopes people take away from the event is that, in small ways, “ordinary citizens can make a difference.”
For example, people can call 1-800-GENOCIDE, a hotline run by the Genocide Intervention Network which enables callers to lobby their elected officials on Darfur issues.
Grace Lutheran Church will also hold a Holocaust remembrance, called Yom Ha Shoah, at its regular worship services at 8:45 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday, May 1, and 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 4.
The church is located at the southwest corner of County Road 42 and Pennock Avenue in Apple Valley. For more information, contact the church at (952) 432-7273.
Andrew Miller is at andrew.miller@ecm-inc.com.
