Margot Blewett’s experience in Nazi Germany still vivid

Margot Blewett, the German native who grew up during the Nazi regime and who once stood face-to- face with Adolph Hitler, has become a familiar presence on the North Lake campus. She has spoken to students, often multiple times a year, since 2002 about her experiences in Germany, and while she has often used her history as the centerpiece of her presentation, these days she is also focusing on the future.

“People today are afraid of Islam,” said Blewett, author of the book “Feet in the Fire,” which details her experiences as a child in Nazi Germany. Blewett believes that many Americans do not understand the images they see of the war in Iraq and anti-American reaction from Iraqi citizens. Americans don't understand these reactions, she said, and so it is natural for them to be afraid of them.

“When Americans see riots in the Middle East, you can see that kind of fear,” she said.

Blewett believes there are major differences in America's attitude today and the psyche of her native country during World War II, but she also believes that America should be cautious.

“For Germans, [Hitler] was a shoe-in. Germans follow authority. Americans, however, tend to oppose authority. The Nazis learned how to manipulate peoples' fears,” she said.

It is that manipulation of fear that worries Blewett today. “[Fear] is being politicized in this country,” she said. “I hope Americans will wake up and really fight for what is there.”

Christan Amundsen, a psychology professor at North Lake who helps arrange Blewett's appearances on campus, believes that it is important for students to hear her message. “She represents a period in history that must never be repeated,” he said.

Her focus on current events didn't escape Amundsen, either. “Extremist groups cause her concern, and she pondered openly whether we were approaching a new worldwide calamity,” he said.

Amundsen believes that Blewett's greatest fear is that Americans will do nothing. “After all, she saw firsthand what silence does.”