In 1933, as Hitler consolidated power, thousands of Jewish and dissident German artists and academics faced persecution, not only from Nazi antisemitism, but also from the regime’s totalitarian control over culture and society (known as Gleichschaltung). As Nazism spread, many painters, writers, filmmakers, and scholars sought refuge in Europe and the U.S., though restrictive and antisemitic immigration policies often blocked their escape. The 2025-26 KHC-NEH Colloquium, “Resistance, Resilience and Reinvention: Artists and Academics Escaping Nazism,” explores the history, contributions, and lasting impact of those who escaped, with help from various support networks, through lectures, poetry readings, and faculty development events each semester. Additionally, the series highlights the resistance and creative works that emerged from their survival. Before each event, we will have a moment of silence in remembrance of those who did not escape the Nazi religious, intellectual and artistic persecution. 

Organized in dialogue with contemporary issues, the series is aligned with the current KHC exhibit, The Concentration Camps: Inside the Nazi System of Incarceration and Genocide. Click here for more information about the programs and registration links.