HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Robert Edsel, an author and historic preservationist, will be the first speaker for the 2015 Ray and Stella Dillon Lecture Series at Hutchinson Community College.
Edsel will lecture on February 10, at 10:30 a.m. in the Hutchinson Sports Arena. The lecture is open to the public. Cost to attend the lecture is only $10, with students admitted free.
Edsel has had a diverse and interesting career. As a young man, he spent several years as a nationally-ranked tennis player. Then he turned his interests to the developing oil and gas industry in Texas. His company, Gemini Exploration, pioneered the horizontal oil well drilling technology.
But it was while living in Florence, Italy, that Edsel discovered his true passion. He became interested in the great works of art and architecture in Italy and throughout Europe, and wondered why so many had escaped the destruction of World War II. His interest led him to the discovery of the Monuments Men division, who had saved so many of the world’s art and cultural treasures from the grip of the Nazi empire.
Edsel’s passion would lead him on a ten-year mission to chronicle the stories behind the Monuments Men, and led to his book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History.” The book was a success, and was recently made into a successful feature film starring George Clooney.
Edsel’s passion for preserving the cultural icons of the world led him to found the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art, where he and his group work to preserve art and architecture around the world for future generations.
For more information on the series, or to become a patron, call Laurie Sawyer at 665-3505.
*photo by Jimmy Bruch