Director and multiple-Emmy-winner Mike Edwards joins us to screen and discuss his powerful documentary A Train Near Magdeburg (90 mins). This film recounts the true, almost forgotten story of U.S. soldiers who, in April 1945, liberated a train carrying over 2,500 concentration camp prisoners. Edwards’ work shines a light on the dramatic final moments of World War II and the profound impact these acts of liberation had on the survivors and the soldiers involved. Following the screening, Mike Edwards will lead a Q&A session, offering insights into the filmmaking process, the importance of uncovering hidden histories, and the legacy of these overlooked heroes.

The Inextinguishable Symphony

Winter Journey

Friday, January 9, 2026
7:00 pm
Milwaukee Public Museum
800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233

Experience the transformative power of music with former NPR Performance Today host and author Martin Goldsmith, joined by celebrated violinist Eugene Drucker of the Emerson String Quartet. The evening centers on a screening of the film Winter Journey (90 mins), which was inspired by Goldsmith's memoir, The Inextinguishable Symphony: A True Story of Music and Love in Nazi Germany. The film recounts the complex story of Goldsmith's musician parents who met and performed in the Jewish Cultural League Orchestra in 1930s Germany. This special session will feature both guests providing historical and artistic context during the introduction. The post-screening Q&A will be a rich, dual conversation where Goldsmith discusses his family's history and Drucker offers the perspective of a world-class musician on the role of music as a tool for hope, defiance, and cultural survival.

Boswell Books will be our official bookseller for the evening; arrive early to grab your copies and join the signing line after the program.

Courage in Captivity

Footsteps of My Father

Tuesday, January 13, 2026
7:00 pm
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
3270 Mitchell Park Dr, Brookfield, WI 53045

Join us for a powerful evening centered on the story of Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds—the highest-ranking American Non-Commissioned Officer at Stalag IXA—whose extraordinary moral courage changed history. The program will explore the moment when Edmonds boldly stood up to his German captors to protect 200 Jewish-American POWs, famously declaring, “We are all Jews here.” The event will include a screening of the 40-minute documentary Footsteps of My Father, which traces this remarkable act of bravery and the legacy it left behind.

Books & Company will be our official bookseller for the evening; arrive early to grab your copy.

Learn more about Edmonds journey to learn more about his father, and view the documentary short released 2 years before Footsteps of my Father.