The College Presents: Author Martin Goldsmith

Webcast now available

By College Staff, April 7, 2004

View the Presentation Watch webcast of event with RealPlayer. Running time: one hour, 16 minutes. RealNetworks provides free versions of the RealPlayer software.

Author Martin Goldsmith discussed his book, The Inextinguishable Symphony: A True Story of Music and Love in Nazi Germany, with Arts & Humanities Dean Ralph Hexter on March 18, 2004 as the College of Letters & Science held the first event in its new series, "The College Presents." A webcast of the event is available for viewing.

Through excerpts from his book and conversation with Dean Hexter, Goldsmith recounted the story of his parents, German-Jewish musicians in the Nazi-sponsored Jewish Cultural Association's orchestra in the 1930s. Their story provides insight into the Kulturbund, as it was called in German, which has been criticized for encouraging Jews to ignore the desperate circumstances outside their own tightly knit and closely controlled community.

The College Presents is a new series highlighting the intellectual vitality, diversity, and excellence of UC Berkeley's liberal arts college by presenting to the public prominent scholars, scientists, thinkers, artists, and leaders in many fields on topics of broad appeal. These events are free and open to the public.