Great Courses: Unsung Heroes World War II

The Pound Ridge Library is pleased to announce the continuation of a series of lectures which mark the eleventh year of courses which are part of the library’s continuing presentation of a new educational concept in life-long learning: a series of DVD seminars from The Teaching Company/The Great Courses encompassing a wide variety of subjects, given by outstanding scholars from major colleges and universities throughout the United States. This program, the first of its kind in the country, is designed to provide collegial, small group-setting for courses “you didn’t get to take at college, but wanted to.” The seminars, developed by the late Lawrence Brotmann of Pound Ridge, NY are held at the library on Thursdays at 12:30 pm and consist of four 30-minute (closed-captioned) lectures per session, most from 3 to 6 weeks per course.

Registration is not necessary but parking is limited. The library encourage carpooling or being dropped off.

Course Overview
World War II was one of the most harrowing and impactful events in human history. As an unparalleled international conflict and a major turning point in the 20th century, it has long engaged historians and storytellers alike. And the story of war is not just one of military might and panoramic battles. It is the story of humans, everyday people trying to do their bit in a world falling apart around them. When you dig around in the cracks of history, you can find an endless well of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

In France, you’ll find a young, unassuming mother who became the leader of the largest and most important Allied spy network in occupied France. In Poland, a brilliant, young mathematician successfully broke Germany’s Enigma code, laying the groundwork for the famed British codebreaking operation at Bletchley Park. In Belgium, a 23-year-old nurse from Brussels created an escape line that smuggled hundreds of shot-down British and American airmen out of enemy territory and back to freedom.

What did these three very different people have in common? They were all unsung heroes of war, men and women of courage and conscience who helped change the course of history but who, for various reasons, have slipped into history’s shadows. Unsung Heroes of World War II: Europe is your chance to meet these and other everyday heroes who have rarely been given the credit they deserve. Taught by historian Lynne Olson, author of seven acclaimed books about World War II, these 12 scintillating lectures offer a trove of stories across Europe and America that you have likely never heard before.

Delve into a world of citizens holding onto illicit radios so they can listen to broadcasts from the BBC, a beacon of liberty for those living in occupied territory. Mingle with spies listening to secrets, gathering intelligence, and taking risks to share information with the Allies. Meet the politicians behind the scenes who bucked their party to orchestrate great events, such as the ousting of Neville Chamberlain in the spring of 1940.

With a storyteller’s true gift for setting a scene and an eye for interesting details, Professor Olson takes you into the shadows of history to illuminate the stories behind the story. Unsung Heroes of World War II: Europe is a marvelous introduction to some of the most courageous figures in the war—all of whom did their best to defeat tyranny and restore freedom in their own countries and the world at large.