Our Host Sam Hopkins (’61) Invites you 
to a Virtual Presentation by James Chastain
Germany:  From 1963 to the 1993 Collapse of the Soviet Union

James Chastain did his graduate studies in Social Science and History in Munich, continuing his studies on Soviet Government with Dr. Fainsod, to see divided Germany in perspective.  German urban, cultural and economic borders extended from the Biscay to the Urals.  The Soviet capture of German archives deposited the overwhelming majority of them in eastern repositories in Potsdam and Merseburg.  Thus, James was forced to travel to the latter to continue his research. 

As a graduate student in Munich James made frequent trips to visit a Czech family during Prague Spring.  In the east, he shared the everyday life of the average person of 'a thousand little things,' sharing their daily indignities with outward silence, in the face of stupidities of government.  Crossing over at border checkpoints was the surreal experience of entering a Kafaesque region. 

The sale of inherited Choctaw lands allowed him to buy homes in London and in France where he retired to reflect on his areas of academic interest.  

The program will allow time for discussion and for classmates to share their own thoughts and experiences on the history of Germany and the Soviet Union. 

Saturday, January 16^th, from 1 pm to 3 pm Eastern, with a Q&A Session

RSVP to Tom Blodgett by Friday, January 8^th with Chastain in your subject line, 

and I will email you the Zoom log-in information before the Event.

Thank you.  Hope to see you there!