- Can you tell us about your background and what attracted you to the Ridgefield Historical Society?
Growing up in Germany with my grandparents going through two world wars and one side of the family being expelled from the Czech Republic; history was always part of life growing up. Understanding the context of who did what in the family and why always fascinated me.
- How long have you lived in Ridgefield and what brought you here?
We moved to Ridgefield in 2008, mainly because it had a walkable downtown and a good school system that was attractive for a family.
- What is your area of focus on the Board of Directors at the Historical Society?
I focus on development and a little bit of fundraising. I am helping to organize the various house tours that the society organizes as well as other events that help raise money for the society.
One of our more recent projects is about modernism in our “mad for modern” series. We plan to showcase modernist houses and art from the area and plan to collaborate with other organizations in that field.
- What is your favorite era of history (Ridgefield, national, or international)? Why? Is there a particular historical person, event, or topic you’re most interested in?
This could be an exceedingly long answer, and my taste varies greatly and probably does not make a lot of sense but… I love medieval European history, modernism and was absolutely fascinated by Nelson Mandela’s rise to become South Africa first president and how the country developed post apartheid.
Not to say that I do not like American and Ridgefield’s history as well.
- Why should people care about history and the Ridgefield Historical Society in particular?
History is essential for all of us to understand where we come from and how we define our actions. The RHS does that for our community in helping everybody understand why we live in such a beautiful town and how to preserve it.
- What other interests do you have?
My wife and I are highly active and big animal lovers, hiking our three dogs every day in the woods around Ridgefield and working on our midcentury modern home and garden.
