Join us on Dec. 11 for an evening of music, archival exploration, and learning about the life of Werner Simon, who documented his life and escape from Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

The evening will feature a small exhibit of archival materials from the Werner Simon papers in the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, a presentation on Simon’s life by UMN student Ryken Farr, and a brief musical performance by UMN student Hanxi Zheng on Werner Simon’s Guadagnini violin, housed with the School of Music.

This event is free and open to all. Please register if you plan to attend.

About the speaker

Ryken Farr is a University of Minnesota Honors undergraduate student, majoring in History, with minors in Jewish Studies, German, and Museum and Curatorial Studies. Ryken’s studies and work as an undergraduate have focused on Holocaust history and the stories of Jewish Holocaust survivors in the Twin Cities. This event will be the culmination of Ryken’s work completing an internship-style project through the Art History department at the University of Minnesota.

About the Werner Simon papers

The items on display will include programs from concerts Simon performed in, textbook and grade report materials related to his time as a medical student both in Germany and in the United States, and journals (Tagebücher), written in German, where he documented his life in and escape from Nazi Germany. Donated in 2023, the Werner Simon papers are archived at the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives.

Event program

• 6 p.m. – Welcome by Kate Dietrick, Archivist, Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
• 6:10 p.m. – Presentation by UMN student Ryken Farr on the life of Werner Simon
• 6:30 p.m. – UMN School of Music student Hanxi Zheng performs two compositions on Werner Simon’s Guadagnini violin: Adagio from J.S. Bach’s Sonata for Solo Violin in G minor, and Recitativo and Scherzo by Fritz Kreisler
• 6:45 p.m. – Q&A
• 7-7:30 p.m. – Guest reception in the atrium

Co-sponsors

This event is sponsored by the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, the University of Minnesota School of Music, the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and the Center for Jewish Studies.

Event details

What: Musician, Doctor, Survivor: An Overture of the Life of Werner Simon
When: Thursday, Dec. 11, 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library | Parking (Lot 86)