JOURNAL CULTURE
PAST AND PRESENT WITH COURTNEY TOLLISON HARTNESS, PH.D.
From inhumanity to altruism Kristallnacht’s 75th anniversary to celebrate mankind’s capacity for good Nearly five years ago, Greenvillians solemnly commemorated the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, an event commonly known as the Night of Broken Glass, in which Jewish synagogues, businesses and homes in Germany and Austria were destroyed and set aflame, more than 90 Jews were killed, and 30,000 transported to concentration camps. Kristallnacht is considered amongst the first acts of state-sponsored Nazi terrorism against Jews. It was, essentially, the beginnings of the Holocaust. On Nov. 16, 2008, Rabbi Marc Wilson, Dick Berger, Bob St. Claire, and others held an evening program in the Verne Smith auditorium at Greenville Tech. The program featured excerpts from the memoir of Werner Schleyer, a survivor of Kristallnacht whose second cousin, Berger, lives in Greenville. Former Mayor Max Heller and his wife, Trude, both Holocaust survivors, read excerpts, as did WYFF-TV’s Michael Cogdill and others. As a historian of World War II, I am keenly interested in this topic. After teaching classes at Furman, I drove to Greenville Tech that evening, eagerly anticipating this program. When I arrived, I was unprepared for the situation I faced. I couldn’t
find a parking spot. When I finally did, I walked briskly toward the building, shadowed by the headlights of cars also seeking parking, and into the lobby. Several hundred people were milling about. I heard murmurs that the auditorium was full. Sure enough, the auditorium was over capacity. I was turned away. So were 400 others. While disappointed that I would not see the program that evening, I was also intrigued. As a public historian, I was thrilled to see the public so drawn to history and its observation. The pubic interest in the commemoration of Kristallnacht stunned even those who planned this event. Two months later, the group offered an encore program, and again received an overwhelmingly positive response. In May 2011, Rabbi Wilson and Bob St. Claire convened a group of community leaders in the chapel on the Furman campus and began to discuss ideas of how to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht in 2013. These discussions evolved, and eventually, the committee embraced the notion that since the 70th anniversary focused on the horrors of man’s inhumanity, the 75th anniversary could highlight man’s capacity for good. Thus was
born a yearlong effort to emphasize the goodness of mankind: the Year of Altruism. What began as a grassroots effort five years ago to commemorate the Night of Broken Glass has evolved into a 10-month long focus on altruism and philanthropy throughout our community. Dozens of events are in various planning stages, with community partners, schools, and over 40 faith-based communities participating in this effort. More than 100 community leaders have become involved over the past two years. The result: From August 2013 through May 2014, Greenvillians will gather at a multitude of venues to celebrate altruism, defined by Webster as the “unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others.” As a community, we have much to commend. Last year, the local United Way raised over 15 million dollars in funds to benefit local agencies. The Greenville Meals on Wheels is the oldest MOW organization in the Southeast, and the sixth-oldest in the nation; next month, they will celebrate their 45th year of serving hot meals to those who are housebound. The Greenville Literacy Association ranks in the top three percent nationally in terms of the number of volunteers and the number of those
it serves. We are fortunate to live in an unusually caring community. When this Year of Altruism concludes in Spring 2014, we hope to contribute a piece of public art downtown, honoring our community’s efforts to serve our own. Already, Year of Altruism partners have developed partnerships among themselves that have the potential to extend well beyond this 10-month focus period. Furthermore, we hope to encourage increased philanthropy and brand Greenville as a place of unusual community involvement. Dr. Courtney Tollison Hartness is assistant professor of history at Furman, museum historian at the Upcountry History Museum, and program coordinator for Year of Altruism. She can be reached at Courtney@upcountryhistory.org.
GET INVOLVED If you would like to become involved in efforts to promote and/or organize The Year of Altruism, contact Jamie@ startflourishing.com. If you would like to support these efforts, contact The Community Foundation Year of Altruism fund at 864-233-5925.
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