Timothy Snyder, a famed historian and professor at Yale University’s Department of History, gave a lecture titled “Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning” at the eighth floor hall in the East Research Building on Mita Campus on January 12.
This was the first time Professor Snyder visited Japan. In his welcome speech, Vice-President Keigo Komamura, who is also the director of the Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI), said it was an honor to have Professor Snyder, a world-famous historian, give a lecture at Keio University. Professor Emeritus Toshiho Ikeda, who has translated several works by Professor Snyder into Japanese and introduced him to the Japanese public, followed with an introduction of the historian and his achievements. Over the hour-long lecture, Professor Snyder talked on the subject of the development of the Holocaust and the existence of nations, using specific examples and numbers, such as a comparison between Estonia and Denmark.
Professor Snyder took questions from five audience members during the questions and answers session. He answered these with such eagerness that the lecture went into overtime. In addition to Keio students and faculty members, many people from outside the university attended the lecture. It was so successful that people were standing to hear Professor Snyder speak.