The End and the Beginning Chopin Theatre

Sep 2nd, 10am - Chopin Theatre hosts its 3rd annual discussion series, "The End and the Beginning".  This year's theme -- "Phony War and Fake News", will focus on the world's media reaction to the attack on Poland and the outbreak of WWII  -- which ultimately cost over 70 million lives worldwide.  The aim of our event is to commemorate the tragedy of the Nazi invasion of Poland but at the same time put into broader discussion how media shape reality, what is the nature of propaganda and how fake news can be a perfect tool of social manipulation.  

Complimentary event. Reservation encouraged.

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09/02/17 - 09/02/17

10am - 2pm


The End and the Beginning
Phony War and Fake News. World's Media Reaction to Nazi Invasion of Poland, Sep 1, 1939


On Saturday, September 2, Chopin Theatre hosts its annual discussion series, "The End and the Beginning." This commemoration of the anniversary of the attack on Poland and the outbreak of World War II -- which ultimately cost over 70 million lives worldwide -- seeks to raise awareness of the not-so-Phony War, September 1939 to May 1940, when Nazis and Soviets combined to crush Poland while Western Europe trembled at the brink, technically at war but granted a respite from the suffering experienced by Poland.


The event will begin with complimentary brunch at 10am, followed by conversation at 11am with Dr. Marek Suszko (Loyola University), Prof Alton Miller and Prof Dominic Pacyga (Columbia College Chicago) and Peter McClendon (Political Strategist and Ret. Research Director County Clerk David Orr) and include audience discussion. Macedonian pianist Jana Pavlovska will open the event with etudes by Fryderyk Chopin. Casual attire.


This year's theme -- "Phony War and Fake News", will focus on the world's media reaction to the invasion of Poland -- and will address this pivotal crisis of Western civilization, which indiscriminately targeted victims from different nationalities, religions and political systems. German media justified the attack as "defensive action against unforgiveable Polish aggression", echoed by American press coverage which seemed to dismiss the war in the East -- which was anything but "Phoney". Hitler's propaganda was effective, despite the reality that Poland was marked for extinction, its elites murdered and institutions extinguished.


The aim of our event is to commemorate the tragedy of the Nazi invasion of Poland, but at the same to put it into a broader discussion on how media shape reality, what is the nature of propaganda, and how fake news can be a perfect tool of social manipulation. We would like to start off with comparison of war on Poland (but all quiet on the western front) to contemporary confrontations in Europe, Middle East and North Korea.


With the significant decline of traditional moral authorities -- President, Congress, the media, religion, etc., the need is greater than ever to bridge the divide through personal interactions.


Chopin Theatre has tried to create such a forum with hundreds of similar events since 1990. One side sees us as "community organizers" and the other as part of "thousand points of lights".


We prefer you just to come and say something!


P.S. For this occasion Chopin Theatre will also distribute 10,000 copies of "The End and the Beginning", from MIRACLE FAIR by Wislawa Szymborska, translated by Joanna Trzeciak. Copyright © 2001 by Joanna Trzeciak. Used by permission of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

 

Performers
Pianist Jana Pavlovska (Macedonia). Panelists were Dr Marek Suszko (Loyola University); Prof Alton Miller and Prof Dominic Pacyga (Columbia College Chicago) and Peter McClendon (Political Strategist and Ret. Research Director for County Clerk David Orr)

Tags: Literary, Polish, , 2017