November 25th Meeting
Please join us for the November 2025 meeting where we have speaker Peggy Merritt discussing the story and research of her new book, “Finding Democracy Through the Lens of a Young German Woman, 1944-1950.” Tuesday evening, Nov 25, 6pm-8pm.
The book (amazon link) is about a true story of a young woman who, through her art, photographs, and letters, chronicled the end of Nazi Germany and the early years of the American occupation.
The talk will not only cover the story, but how the World War 2 research was conducted and compiled.
On the back cover, it reads: As the U.S. Army’s 8th Air Force attacked Berlin on February 3, 1945, nineteen-year-old Tilly escaped fires engulfing the city and dodged strafing by fighter bombers to reach safety, only to flee again from invading Russian troops intent on inflicting an orgy of revenge. She joined a migrating sea of displaced and bewildered refugees, traveling through the American occupation zone to reach the historic Bavarian town of Freising. There, she worked for U.S. Army forces, chronicling an in-depth picture of the American occupation from the viewpoint of a young German woman. Her perspective offers insights into how American officers influenced her understanding of democratic life after experiencing Nazi fascism. As a young woman seeking to survive war and reshape her fate, Tilly’s coming-of-age journey enriches World War II histories by bringing new images and documents to light. By revealing Tilly’s experiences tempered with a U.S. military perspective, this story leaves a legacy of greater understanding and serves as an urgent warning from the past that remains relevant today.
The meeting location will be at the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Museum, 406 Cushman St, Fairbanks, Alaska. Refreshments will be served, feel free to bring something to share. The program will also be live broadcast on Zoom. Please send us an email to request the link. fbksgensociety@gmail.com
How do our meetings go? We are a friendly group and welcome all to attend. We meet at 6pm and start the meeting where we discuss the minutes from the previous meeting, the latest newsletter, anything we have been working on (such as research, talks, emails), and discuss any questions a member may have about their research. Then we break for food and drink. At 7pm the program begins and the speaker will present a slide show or handouts. Typically it lasts under an hour. Sometimes, it is very exciting and goes longer than an hour. Questions are taken, then we say goodbye til next time, and clean up the refreshment table. It is always a great time and very inspiring to work on your family tree. Many attend Pioneer events, many attend the Mining Museum talks, but our meetings need more in attendace! They are very similar to other history events! We welcome you to attend. If you are interested in speaking at a future meeting, please sign up, we would love to have you.
