MANKATO – The Blue Earth County Historical Society is hosting it’s annual meeting on Saturday, March 22 at the Centennial Student Union at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The annual meeting includes the business meeting, luncheon and keynote speaker Dr. Kyle Ward,  Director of Social Studies Education at MNSU. Tickets are $50/Adults, $45/BECHS Members.

The annual meeting features a meal, a short State-of-the-Society business meeting, and a keynote address by Dr. Kyle Ward titled “The Nordic Countries and the Holocaust.”

The history of the Nordic countries and the Holocaust involves varying degrees of Nazi occupation, collaboration, and resistance. The countries of Scandinavia–Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland–had different experiences during the Nazi regime, and their involvement with the Holocaust varied in terms of actions taken toward Jews and other persecuted groups. The presentation will discuss how each of these nations reacted to and dealt with the Holocaust and the treatment of their fellow Jewish citizens during World War II.

Dr. Ward’s address is in collaboration with the traveling exhibit Americans and the Holocaust on display at the Memorial Library from March 19 – April 26, 2025. The exhibit examines the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s-1940s. It also addresses important themes in American history, exploring the many factors that influenced decisions made by the U.S. Government, the news media, organizations, and individuals as they responded to Nazism.

For more information, please contact BECHS at 507-345-5566 or visit our website at www.BlueEarthCountyHistory.com.