October 13, 2011
DEBORAH LIPSTADT TO ADDRESS LAW AND THE HOLOCAUST AT U.S. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM ANNUAL CHICAGO LUNCHEON
Leo and Betty Melamed Event Chairs; Chicagoans Diane and Hal Gershowitz to be Honored; Mayor Emanuel to Speak
CHICAGO – Scholar, author and the world’s leading authority on Holocaust denial, Deborah Lipstadt, will speak at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s 2011 Risa K. Lambert Chicago Luncheon. Her most recent book, The Eichmann Trial, was written while she was the Judith and Burton P. Resnick Invitational Scholar at the Museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies. This year marks the 50th anniversary of this landmark trial, and Lipstadt’s new work offers a compelling reassessment of this landmark in public awareness of the Holocaust.
Lipstadt gained international attention when she was sued by David Irving for libel after stating he was a Holocaust denier in her 1994 book, Denying the Holocaust. The proceedings garnered worldwide attention and resulted in a decisive victory for Lipstadt. The trial and its aftermath were chronicled in her 2005 book History on Trial.
“Deborah Lipstadt possesses not only a keen intellect, but great moral fortitude as well,” says Leo Melamed, a Holocaust survivor and Chairman Emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, who along with his wife Betty Melamed is serving as event chair. “Adhering to her principals carried professional and financial risk, but she understood the importance of confronting Holocaust denial wherever it appears. We are honored to have her speak in Chicago.”
In addition to Lipstadt, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel will also speak. The program will also honor Diane and Hal Gershowitz, Chicagoans who for more than 20 years have been actively involved with the Museum. Appointed by two presidents to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the Museum’s governing body, Hal has served in a number of leadership roles and was instrumental in establishing the Museum’s genocide prevention initiative, the Committee on Conscience. Diane was a driving force behind the creation of the Chicago luncheon, which has become the Museum’s largest annual event.
The Risa K. Lambert Chicago Luncheon is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s largest fundraising event, attracting more than 2,000 Chicagoans each year. The event, being held on Monday, November 7, at the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers, provides crucial support to the work of our nation’s memorial to the Holocaust as it brings Holocaust education to Chicago and communities across the country and around the world.
To purchase tickets or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact the Museum’s Midwest Regional Office Reservation Hotline at 847-604-1924 or by email at midwest@ushmm.org. Media inquiries should be directed to Andy Hollinger at 202-488-6133 or ahollinger@ushmm.org.
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, promote human dignity and prevent genocide. Federal support guarantees the Museum’s permanent place on the National Mall, and its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by the generosity of donors nationwide. For more information, visit www.ushmm.org.
