Two renowned speakers, one an expert on German soldiers in World War II and the other a prominent public health physician, will give free lectures at ETSU today.
The first lecturer, Dr. Stephen G. Fritz of the ETSU history department, will give a lecture called “The Twisted Road to Auschwitz: Implementing the Holocaust.” The lecture will take place at the Carroll Reece Museum at noon.
This lecture is in conjunction with “Living On: Portraits of Tennessee Survivors and Liberators,” a traveling documentary exhibition. This is a project of the Tennessee Holocaust Commission and is on display at the Reece Museum through Nov. 29.
Fritz is the author of Endkampf: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Death of the Third Reich and Frontsoldaten: The German Soldier in World War II, a study of letters and correspondence of soldiers in the Werhmacht on the Eastern Front.
Fritz holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and has taught at ETSU since 1984.
He has written numerous articles and conference papers on World War II and the Holocaust.
In addition to the German soldier, his research interests include the everyday lives of Germans during wartime and the years following.
The Reece Museum is on Gilbreath Drive near the ETSU Foundation Carillon. Regular museum hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. For more information or for special assistance for those with disabilities, call 439-4392.
The second lecture is “Health Literacy: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You” delivered by Dr. Nathan Stinson, President of the Center for Multicultural Health at 7 p.m. in the Ball Hall Auditorium.
Stinson, who is the former President of the Health Literacy Foundation, is appearing at ETSU within the Pfizer Visiting Professorship in Health Literacy/Clear Health Communication Award.
“Health literacy is the process by which individuals gather and comprehend new health information and use this knowledge to make appropriate health decisions,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, ETSU Dean of Public and Allied Health.?
“Leaders now recognize health literacy as an important element that is necessary for improving the health care system of the United States,” he said.
Stinson also previously held the position of Director of Minority Health and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
His appearance at ETSU is the first in a yearlong series featuring nationally renowned speakers who will present on campus.?
Other noted individuals scheduled to appear include the Honorable Bill Frist, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and the Honorable David Satcher, 16th U.S. Surgeon General, among others.
For more information, or to request special assistance, call 439-4243.

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