The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum will present a special program titled “Soccer Under the Swastika: Stories of Survival and Resistance During the Holocaust,” featuring historian and author Dr. Kevin E. Simpson. The event is part of the Dr. Arthur and Marilyn Gale Holocaust Lecture Series and aims to bring lesser‑known Holocaust narratives to a broader audience.
Soccer as a Lifeline in Dark Times
Simpson’s research, drawn from survivor testimony, rare photographs and meticulous archival work, reveals that organized matches were staged in ghettos, labor camps and concentration camps across Nazi‑occupied Europe. In places such as the Theresienstadt ghetto and the Auschwitz labor camp, the sport offered prisoners moments of dignity, community and, at times, a subtle avenue to improve their chances of survival.
Bringing Hidden Stories to Light
The presentation is timed to coincide with this summer’s FIFA World Cup, using the global spectacle as a backdrop to highlight a little‑known facet of Holocaust history. By framing the discussion through the universal language of soccer, the program seeks to reach audiences who might not otherwise engage with the subject.
Ellen Gale, who helped shape the lecture series, hopes the talk will make Holocaust narratives more accessible by connecting them to familiar cultural touchstones like soccer. Her vision aligns with the series’ broader goal of using contemporary interests to illuminate enduring lessons from the past.
Attendees can expect excerpts from Simpson’s forthcoming book, archival images of players in striped uniforms, and reflections on how the simple act of kicking a ball could mean the difference between life and death for many. The event underscores the power of sport to preserve memory and foster resilience across generations.