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Back In Time: “Oklahoma’s Nazi Prisoners” premiere screening and panel discussion
January 8, 1 p.m.–3 p.m.
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On Wednesday, January 8, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) and the Oklahoma Historical Society will partner to host the premiere screening of the OETA Back in Time series episode “Oklahoma’s Nazi Prisoners.” The public is invited to this exclusive premiere screening and panel discussion.
Back in Time is OETA’s award-winning documentary series that delves into significant people, events, and stories that have shaped Oklahoma’s history. The forthcoming episode, “Oklahoma’s Nazi Prisoners” explores the state’s role during World War II as a refuge for twenty thousand German prisoners of war from 1943 to 1946. These POW camps, situated in locations such as Fort Sill, Alva, Tonkawa, and El Reno, provided prisoners with educational programs, recreational activities, and work opportunities on local farms, fostering complex relationships between the POWs and Oklahoma communities.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the episode’s producer and other special guests, offering deeper insights into this intriguing chapter of Oklahoma’s history. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the creators and historians behind the episode. Panelists include Dr. Bill Corbett, Author and Former Professor; Evelyn Coyle, Former Tonkawa Mayor & POW Researcher, and Tim Zwink – Former Professor at Northwestern State.
Back In Time: “Oklahoma’s Nazi Prisoners” is scheduled to air on OETA on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. However, this special event provides an exclusive first look for history
enthusiasts and the general public alike.
