A Heroic WWII Story We Must Not Forget
A Heroic WWII Story We Must Not Forget
In a time when the word “tyranny” is often invoked but not always fully understood, this special conversation with Basia Jaworska brings a deeply human perspective to its true meaning. Centered on her book, Days of the Owl, Basia reflects on her mother, Teresa’s coming-of-age during the brutal Nazi occupation of Poland. It was a period when fear, surveillance, and violence reshaped everyday life. Through Basia’s voice, Teresa’s story unfolds not as distant history, but as lived experience: a teenager drawn into the Polish resistance, enduring the hardships of a prisoner-of-war camp, and navigating a world where trust was fragile and survival demanded impossible choices. Together, we’ll explore how tyranny operates not only through force, but by eroding relationships, truth, and the very fabric of community. This conversation also follows Teresa’s postwar journey, her immigration to the United States and the building of a new life shaped by both trauma and resilience. In sharing her mother’s story, Basia offers a powerful meditation on memory, inheritance, and the responsibility of preserving firsthand accounts.
At a moment when democratic values can feel uncertain, conversations like this matter deeply. They remind us that tyranny is not abstract, it is personal, lived, and often gradual. And they underscore why bearing witness to these stories is essential: not only to honor the past, but to remain alert, informed, and humane in the present.
Arrive early—join us at 4pm in the First Light Café for drinks & light bites.
MVM Members: $15; Non-Members: $25
DETAILS
| Date | May 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| From | 5:00 pm |
| To | 6:00 pm |
| Type | Talk |
| Venue | Martha’s Vineyard Museum |