Kennesaw State University’s traveling exhibition, “World War II: The War That Changed the World,” is still ongoing at the Augusta Jewish Museum (AJM) since opening last month.
To complement the exhibit, which explores the global impact of the war, the lives of many involved, and the Holocaust, the museum is hosting a discussion of the 1961 film “Judgment at Nuremberg” on July 16.
Written by Abby Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer, “Judgment at Nuremberg” tells the story of an Allied military tribunal, led by Judge Dan Haywood (played by Spencer Tracy), trying four German judges and prosecutors for participating in atrocities committed under the Nazi regime.
The courtroom drama clocks in at one minute shy of three hours. Mann wrote the first version of the film as a teleplay for the television anthology series “Playhouse 90” in 1959. It was inspired by the Judges’ Trial held in 1947 by the U.S. in Nuremberg, one of 12 trials the U.S. held for war crimes by the Nazis.
In the introduction to the 2001 stage version of the script, Mann noted that McCarthyism was in full swing when he first read the transcript of the trials.
Local attorney Rachel Ray will moderate the public discussion. While the Augusta Jewish Museum won’t be screening the film, it is encouraging the public to watch it in advance. However, even those interested who have not seen the film are welcome to attend and participate.
“The intent is to give people enough background about the Nuremberg trials, to sort of put it in perspective, even if they haven’t seen the movie,” said Judi Giri, programming chair for AJM.
The Augusta Jewish Museum will host “Judgment at Nuremberg: What Have We Learned and How Can We Apply It?” on Sunday, July 16 at 3 p.m. at 525 Telfair St. This event is free and open to the public.
The “WWII: the War that Changed the World” exhibit will continue at the museum until Aug. 6.
The museum has also provided a link for those interested in seeing the film for free online, at https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/movies/62b32d0ec4ev8f00140b5d68.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
