Author Talk – Our Nazi: An American Suburb’s Encounter with Evil

Time & Location:

Tuesday, July 7, 2026: 6-7 p.m. Special Exhibit open from 7-8 p.m.

St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum Auditorium

36 Millstone Campus Dr, St. Louis, MO 63146

About the Program:

Reinhold Kulle’s hidden past shocked the nation when, in 1981, the Office of Special Investigations identified the Oak Park and River Forest High School custodian as a former Nazi SS guard at a brutal slave labor camp. As the Chicago Sun-Times broke the story, neighbors struggled to reconcile the accusations with the man they thought they knew.

Join author and longtime OPRF teacher Michael Soffer in conversation with Chief Digital Content Officer of the St. Louis Jewish Light, Jordan Palmer, as they examine the community’s response to the Kulle Affair, exploring why some Americans defended former Nazis even after their pasts were revealed. This program is presented in connection with our special exhibit, Nazis Next Door: St. Louis Faces Nazism in the 1930s.

There will be a book signing after the discussion, with books available for purchase.

The special exhibit Nazis Next Door: St. Louis Faces Nazism in the 1930s will be open to view after the program. Admission to the special exhibit is included with your event ticket purchase.

Before Your Visit:

Free and accessible parking available on site.

Accessible seating and wheelchairs available upon request.