Lynn’s Very Own Blue Miracle

By GALIT ALTER

Staff Writer

At first glance, the dusty, old books found on Lynn’s library look like nothing more than ancient history, but a closer look reveals a coveted ancient artifact; the notes taken at the Nuremberg Trials also known as the Blue Series.

In 1941, the world was introduced to one of the most evil forces in the world, the Nazis. Five years later, four great countries came together to bring back justice to the world.

The first ever international court was formed and one of the most famous trials in history took place: the Nuremberg Trials. Little did the world know that more than 65 years later the notes taken during the famous trial would end up in Lynn’s very own library.

George Rhetts, a soldier who served in the US army in WWII, was a war book collector. In 1947, he saw an advertisement which announced the publication of the Blue Series from the Nuremberg Trials. He had to wait over nine years until he could save enough money to buy the 42 volume set.

In 1956, he had finally saved enough money, only to learn that one of the volumes was missing. Rhetts wanted the complete series and so he wrote to his congressman, John Roush.

Roush contacted the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court and different libraries around DC. A clerk from the Supreme Court told Roush that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson had stored the 42 volume set in the basement of the Supreme Court building.

Roush was able to retrieve the Blue Series and sent it to Rhett with the condition that he donate the Blue Series to a library when he was done with it. When Rhetts was done with the 42 volume series he gave the books to his sister in law, Marylin Shorenstein. Shorenstein had recently joined a new organization called LEAH (League for Educational Awareness of the Holocaust).

Shorenstein donated the entire 42 volume series to Lynn and 12 years later Rabbi Jessica Brockman from Temple Beth El in Boca Raton learned about the LEAH donation to Lynn during a Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony.

Brockman was fascinated at having the entire Nuremberg Trials transcripts in her very own city and went in search of the Blue Series. Brockman discovered that Lynn staff had almost thrown out the books when Lynn was refurbishing its Library.

Brockman spoke to the Dean of Academic Affairs about putting the books to use and a few months later Sindee Kerker, a passionate professor, created an entire course centered around the Nuremberg Trials.

“I get goosebumps when I think that our library is home to the actual Blue Series set that once belonged to United States Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, the Chief Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials,” said Kerker. “To think that my students get to hold and smell history from these primary documents is a professor’s dream come true.”

Students in the class look forward to the day when they get to take a mini field trip to a hidden door inside Lynn’s library. Upon entering the secret door, it seems as if it is nothing more than a ordinary office, but a closer look will re-veal the entire Blue Series from the Nuremberg trials.

“Being able to access the Blue Series was incredibly special,” said James William, rising senior. “It helped me get a detailed look into the Nuremberg Trials.”

The books smell as old as they look, which seems to excite the students even more.

“Learning about the Nuremberg trial was something that felt real especially when I got to use and feel the blue se-ries,” said Jada, recent Lynn graduate. “It literally put everything into perspective and allowed me to be a part of the history.”