“Dragon From Chicago” Short-Film Preview
September 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
When the rise of the German Third Reich menaced the world, American journalist Sigrid Schultz risked it all to out-scoop her male rivals and give readers the unvarnished truth – whether they wanted it or not. In partnership with Plumline Films, preview the documentary created in-part with material from Westport Museum about the preeminent American correspondent who covered Germany for the entire period between the wars: From the liberal exuberance of Weimar Berlin to the rise and fall of the Nazi regime. Appointed the first-ever woman bureau chief for The Chicago Tribune, Schultz ingeniously broke some of the biggest stories of the age. She was one of the first to see the true threat Hitler posed and was ruefully derided as “that dragon from Chicago” by Hermann Goering, the infamous Nazi deputy leader. Facing constant threats of expulsion and worse, Schultz pierced through the veil of Nazi lies in every one of her stories.
However, for all her accomplishments, Schultz’s story has been largely – and perplexingly – left out of the history books. This full-length film will explore the full arc of her extraordinary career: from her heady days as a young cub reporter covering Germany’s messy, new democratic Weimar Republic; to writing in secret under the alias “John Dickson” to avoid Nazi censors; to her anguish at seeing the Buchenwald concentration camp, followed by her descent into relative obscurity in Westport, Connecticut. What was it like to witness such a catastrophe unfold in real time, and what made her one of the greatest foreign correspondents of the 20th Century?
The Thursday evening event will feature a short preview of the unfinished film, a talkback with the film’s producer, and admission to the one-night only display of museum artifacts owned by Schultz including her war correspondent uniform. Enjoy light refreshments while learning more about this historic woman with all the evening’s proceeds going to support the museum’s award-winning exhibitions, programs and research.
Get your member tickets for $5 now, $10 for non-members. Limited quantities will be available at the door. Purchase your tickets using the online form. Tickets are nonrefundable. In the event you must cancel, we will consider your purchase a donation and will happily issue you a donation receipt.
Refreshments provided by Mrs. London’s Bakery & Cafè.
To learn more about Sigrid Schultz’s legacy, read our blog post and explore our virtual exhibit on her life by clicking here.
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