Sigrid Schultz has been remembered — belatedly — in her longtime hometown of Westport, with a parking lot named in her honor.
But there is a lot more to her story than that.
Serving as the Chicago Tribune’s Berlin bureau chief from 1926 to 1941, Schultz masked her intense loathing for the Nazis in order to cultivate contacts at the highest level of the Third Reich. Among her many accomplishments, Schultz interviewed Adolf Hitler several times. She also fearlessly cast a barb at Hermann Göring for his failed attempt to have her arrested.
She boldly covered the persecution of Jews, was one of the first to report on abuses at the German concentration camps, and was once called “Hitler’s greatest enemy.”
Yet for all her accomplishments, Schultz’s story is largely untold.
Vanessa Johnston is working on a documentary film about her. It will explore her extraordinary career, from her heady days as a young reporter covering the Weimar Republic, to her writing in secret under an alias to avoid Nazi censors, on through her anguish at seeing the Buchenwald concentration camp, then her relatively obscure life in Westport.
Tomorrow (Thursday, September 19, 7 p.m., Westport Museum for History & Culture), Johnston will preview her unfinished film. There’s a talkback with the producer, and a look at a one-night-only display of artifacts owned by Schultz.
Click here for tickets ($5 for members, $10 for non-members). Proceeds support the museum’s exhibitions, programs and research.
Sigrid Schultz
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It’s almost one year since Hamas assaulted Israeli villages, and took hundreds of people hostage.
A group of Westporters will remember them on Sunday October 6 (12 to 3 p.m., Compo Beach).
The event will include words, songs, and 101 chairs — one for each of the remaining hostages.
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Veterans of Foreign Wars Joseph J. Clinton Post 399’s 51st straight monthly Red Cross Blood Drive honors lance corporal Charles Rochlin, of the Marine Corps.
The 2003 Staples High School graduate spent 7 months in Iraq. He was on leave in Westport when he died in an automobile accident.
The blood drive is this Friday (September 20, noon to 5 p.m.).
Click here for an appointment; use sponsor code VFWWESTPORT. You can also call 800-733-2767.
LCPL Charley Rochlin
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CraftWestport returns to the Staples High School fieldhouse November 2-3. Over 175 vendors kick off the holiday shopping season, with thousands of products in mediums like ceramics, textiles, woodworking, jewelry, glass art and more.
Plus food items like bourbon-barrel aged maple syrup, hand-painted chocolates, teas, honey, cheese spreads, curds, baked goods, and skincare products, soaps, candles, etc.
All-weekend admission is $11; seniors $10, children 12-18 $5, children under 12 are free. Click here for more details. CraftWestport is presented by the Westport Young Woman’s League.
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The one good thing that has come out of the death of Rachel Doran — the 2015 Staples High School graduate who died just before her senior year at Cornell University after a rare reaction to common medication — is Rach’s Hope.
The non-profit provides nutritious food, lodging, transportation and encouragement to family members when a child is in intensive care.
Well, there’s one other good thing: community participating in “Walk the Extra Mile … for Rach’s Hope.”
The 4th annual event is Sunday, October 6 (Compo Beach Ned Dimes Marina, 3 p.m.).
The day includes community spirit, fresh air, a fun beach walk, live music by Ellis Island Acoustic, the Pizza Pie Wagon truck, wine and beer courtesy of Greens Farms Spirit Shop, and Rach’s signature black and white cookies.
All are welcome. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Rachel Doran
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A clarification on yesterday’s Roundup post about CLASP’s “Music Through the Decades” benefit (October 18, Fairfield Theatre Company).
Band Central — the great entertainment — is not “the CLASP house group.”
Band Central is made up of very talented professional musicians. At different times, members have played with very high-powered groups — including the Rolling Stones.
Band Central was created to unite a community of non-profits, musicians, donors, and audience members through themed music concerts. They’ve raised $6 million for over 60 Fairfield County organizations, and produced more than 150 events.
The October 18 show will raise funds to support CLASP’s clients, with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A 6:30 p.m. pre-party includes light bites from Blue + Berries and Little Pub. The main event kicks off at 7:30.
Guests are encouraged to dress in the fashion of their favorite decade.
Tickets are $45 in person at the FTC office, $54 online or by phone (203-319-1404).
Band Central
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Yesterday’s Westport Rotary Club lunch speaker was Amit Oren.
A clinical psychiatrist at the Yale Department of Psychology with a private practice, she spoke about her work as lead psychologist at Mountain Seed Foundation. It provides healing camps in places like the Austrian Alps for veterans of foreign wars who are suffering from trauma or war loss, and their families.
The week-long program includes physical activities like mountain climbing, zip lining, nature walks and art therapy.
Amit Oren (Photo/Ellin Curley)
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On Sunday night, Alex Sherman was walking his dog near Compo Road South.
Alex got to hear Peter Frampton’s concert (for free).
Plus, he spotted this cool-looking owl on Baker Street. It’s a great image, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Alex Sherman)
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And finally … in the midst of one of the most polarized times in American history, today is National Respect Day.
(If you respect “06880” — or even just like it a little bit — please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support our work. Just click here. Thank you!)
It would be nice to see an unfiltered version of the owl photo! It’s a bit difficult to see.
Dan, thank you for posting about CraftWestport! This is the 47th year of the fair and all proceeds raised by the WYWL go to grants for local non-profits.