New Deaf and WW 2 Website

From: NTID - Dec 21, 2006

New RIT/NTID Web Site Highlights WWII Deaf

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 18 – A Web site to help make the experiences of deaf people during World War II better known is now available through the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology.

This site, www.rit.edu/deafww2 , which features videotape clips, testimonies, articles, scripts, artwork, books and related links, explores an area of deaf studies that has been – up until now – lacking for information. The site has grown out of several years of research and is designed for students, teachers, scholars, researchers and historians.

“When I began teaching a pilot course – Deaf People and World War II – I realized how difficult it was to find and access important materials,” said Patricia Durr, associate professor in NTID’s Cultural and Creative Studies department. “This site is being made public so that others will have easy access.”

Durr noted that this topic is of particular importance given that many remaining deaf survivors and eye-witnesses of WWII have passed away or will within the coming years. “Their stories and experiences need to be preserved and shared. Historians also need to examine records, testimonies and history within the context of the Deaf experience.” Joan Naturale, RIT Librarian, secured copyright permissions for materials to be reproduced in the site. Simon Ting and Cathy Clarke are the web developers and designers.

Under video section on works from NTID is a new 25 minute documentary entitled, Exodus: A Deaf Jewish Family Escapes Nazi Europe and features the story of the Rattner / Wiener as they struggled to get out of Austria before it was too late only to be detained at Ellis Island. The film is viewable online and features ASL with English voice over and subtitles.