VE Day 80 – Remembering The Silent Village: The Story of Wales and Lidice
May 29 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, please join us for a film screening of The Silent Village featuring guest speakers at Theatr Soar, Merthyr Tydfil.
In partnership with the Wiener Holocaust Library, the Josef Herman Foundation and the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre we will present The Silent Village, which remembers the Lidice massacre, whereby a mining community’s entire male population was executed by the Nazis in 1942. The film sees the villagers of Cwmgiedd, Southwest Wales, ingeniously retell and re-enact the tragic story as if happening in Cwmgiedd.
Please reserve a ticket to remember the story of Lidice and Wales (refreshments will be provided).
Speakers:
Yasmin Gledhill, the Wiener Holocaust Library’s Digital Engagement and Community Outreach Officer, will first provide historical context on the Lidice Massacre and the solidarity film. She will also share previously unseen archival material from the Wiener’s Digital Collections, relating to the film’s production and reception.
Arwel Michael was born in Cwmgiedd and featured in The Silent Village as a young boy. He is now the chair of the Ystradgynlais Heritage and Language Society and will reflect on the history of Lidice and the film.
Carole Morgan Hopkin is a Freelance Artist, Writer and Founder Trustee of the Josef Herman Art Foundation Cymru. Carole will share her family’s diary entries concerning the filming of The Silent Village and her mother’s memories of VE night with Josef Herman in Ystradgynlais.
Neil Richardson is the Project Director at the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre, managing their NLHF project to restore and renovate the much-loved Grade II-listed Victorian Synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil, bringing it back to life as the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre.
Plus more, to be confirmed.
Refreshments will be provided.
This community event is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to put on the Community Film Screening and bring people interested in Welsh, Jewish history together.
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