UNews - Christopher Epplett

History Lived Out

david.kirby — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 22:51:33 +0000

There are defining moments in each life. We remember the exact time, place and feelings that were sparked – those memories stay with us, shaping who we are and the journey we take. Dr. Gerhard Driedger’s story has been full of many such milestones, fanning a deep appreciation of history and the lessons that derive from knowledge of the past.

To honour Dr. Gerhard Driedger’s lifelong love of history, Driedger’s four children made a $100,000 donation this fall to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

For Driedger, it began in Grade 3. His teacher used a sandbox to create a model showing the protecting dikes of the mighty Vistula River, which largely runs through Poland. It intrigued and fascinated him. Later, both he and a classmate would look back at that experience as a pivotal point, an awakening to their own curiosity of history. At the time, the two children were blissfully unaware of how they would leave the Werder, and certainly had no idea of how their lives would be intertwined, later having a marriage of 69 years, surviving the war and raising four children together, two of which would be born in West Germany.

“I still remember it very clearly. I was about 14 years old when the war broke out. My dad was sure something was going on. He turned on the radio and woke us up. Hitler had started the war. I had never seen my dad like that. He cried. He swore. My mother couldn’t settle him down. He was afraid my brother and I would have to go to war. He had been a veteran of the in World War 1, and he knew what war was like,” recalls Driedger.

The fears of Driedger’s father became reality when Driedger and his older brother enlisted in the German army. His brother died in combat; Driedger, while working in medical service, was taken as a prisoner of war with the British Army. Lucky to have avoided being taken by the Soviet Army, Driedger continued to serve in various army hospitals and married his former classmate Hilda. After being discharged by the British Occupational Forces, Driedger carried on in pursuit of a medical career at the Christian Albrecht ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Kiel and graduated in December 1948.

After three years in General Practice, he and Hilda knew it was time for them to leave Germany because of threats of the Cold War. They stepped off the Beaverbrae in Saint John, NB, Canada, with a growing family and a scant $10 to their names.

Dr. Gerhard Driedger’s story has been full of many milestones, fanning a deep appreciation of history and the lessons that derive from knowledge of the past.

“I will never forget, I was so proud. They did not refer to us as immigrants but as “New Canadians,”” Driedger recounts.

After landing in Canada, Driedger worked in general medical practice for three years before he went on to complete his studies in Orthopedic Surgery at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Pennsylvania. Later, he and Hilda returned to Lethbridge, Alta, where they would put down roots.

It’s an understatement to say that Driedger has had many life-defining experiences, but his knowledge transcends texts, having lived through the real pages of time.

Understanding that memories can easily fade and be forever lost, Driedger wrote a book, The Werder, in his retirement years, an account of his homeland. Writing meant more than relaying details and dates; Driedger wanted to engage the next generation so that the same mistakes can be potentially avoided.

In a desire to honour Driedger’s lifelong love of history, Driedger’s four children made a $100,000 donation this fall to the Department of History at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“My father was an orthopedic surgeon, but he always had a great interest in history and wanted to do something to promote it,” says Walter Driedger, one of Gerhard and Hilda’s sons. “Fundamentally, he doesn’t want the next generation to be totally ignorant of the history of Eastern Europe.”

Half of the money will be used to support the history department for things like lectures, guest speakers and conferences. The remaining half will establish a scholarship that will be given to fourth-year history students of high academic standing, covering 50 per cent of their tuition and fees.

“Generous donations to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge like that of the Driedger family, in addition to strengthening the programs offered by the departments which receive them, also allow some students to attend university who might otherwise not be able, or avoid falling into debt during their studies,” says Dr. Christopher Epplett, Chair of the Department of History.

“I would simply like to thank the Driedger family for their exemplary generosity. Our department will certainly strive to use the Driedger bequest in as many ways as possible to further the study and appreciation of history, both at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and in the wider community.”

It’s a goal that resonates with Driedger, who frequently quotes John Knox, “Though the facts, here recited, are known, how long will that knowledge continue, if they are trusted merely to memory?”

War veteran's family gives to keep lessons of the past alive

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 22:42:47 +0000

A lifelong love of history, coupled with a desire to keep the lessons of the past alive and relevant today, has fueled a generous gift to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Department of History.

Dr. Christopher Epplett, left, and Dr. Gerhard Driedger. The Driedger family donation to the Department of History will support lectures, guest speakers, conferences and the establishment of a scholarship.

Dr. Gerhard Driedger, forced as a teenager to participate in a war his family did not support, would later pass the lessons of history on to his four children. It was a message that resonated within the Driedger family, prompting his children to make a $100,000 donation in support of the Department of History.

“I will not say that the politician will learn the facts of history before they engage in warfare, but we can inform people to look at history, so they do not go blind into that adventure,” says Driedger, a longtime orthopedic surgeon in Lethbridge who emigrated to Canada following the Second World War.

Pushed into service as a young teen, Driedger worked in medical service before being taken as a prisoner of war by the British Army. His older brother killed in combat, Driedger served in various army hospitals until the war’s conclusion. He would leave West Germany with his wife Hilda and their first two children, steaming across the Atlantic aboard the Beaverbrae and eventually debarking in Saint John, NB with a scant $10 to their names.

“I will never forget, I was so proud. They did not refer to us as immigrants but as New Canadians,” recounts Driedger.

The Driedger family. Back row (L to R) Maria Kimber, Walter Driedger, Bernhard Driedger and Peter Driedger. Front row (L to R) Hilda and Gerhard Driedger.

After landing in Canada, Driedger worked in general medical practice for three years before he went on to complete his studies in orthopedic surgery at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Pennsylvania. Later, he and Hilda put down roots in Lethbridge, where they have lived ever since.

Half of the money will be used to support the history department for activities such as lectures, guest speakers and conferences. The remaining half will establish a scholarship that will be presented to fourth-year history students of high academic standing, covering 50 per cent of their tuition and fees.

Honouring long service

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:24:26 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ held its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony recently, honouring 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. A total of 23 retiring employees were also honoured.

Following is a list of honoured employees.

RETIREES

Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O'Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells

LONG SERVICE RECIPIENTS

40 Years | Maria Draper

35 Years | Chris Charles, Bryan Kolb, Peter McCormick and Gerda VanderFluit

30 Years | Jane Allan, Cheryl Calver, Dayna Daniels, Gayle Durand, Rex Forsyth, Laurel Hamilton, Jay Johnston, Linda Kucheran, Greg Martin, David Naylor, Shari Platt and Leanne Wehlage-Ellis

25 Years | Shamsul Alam, Lana Barton, Bryson Brown, Cathy Campbell, Patricia Chuchryk, Leslie Gatner, Allan Gergel, Nancy Grigg, Tyler Hayward, Mary Anne Hellinga, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Margaret Joblonkay, Kas Mazurek, Alice Miller, Richard Mrazek, Thomas Robinson, Doug Ross, Jadranka Smiljanec, Brian Sullivan, Richard Tedesco, David Townsend, Sandy Wiest and Joan Zimmer

20 Years | Patti-Jo Aiken, Linda Anderson, Roberto Aragon-Garcia, Jochen Bocksnick, Carl Budny, James Byrne, Peter Dibble, Deborah Grant, Bill Halma, Andrew Hurly, Janet Macdonald, Karen McCallum, Louise Miller, Al Mueller, Claudia Notzke, Sergio Pellis, Dwayne Pepin, Vern Peterson, Maria Quinteros, Kathy Schrage, Colleen Sullivan, Brian Titley, Donna Townley and Mark Walton

15 Years | Doug Berry, James Dobbie, Jackie Edwards, Lance Grigg,
Michelle Hogue, Marie Matkin, Ian McAdam, Gerald McConaghy, Chris Moroz, Jeff Oliver, Derek Peddle, Michael Perry, John Poulsen, William Ramp, Keith Roscoe, Elizabeth Schultz, Ivan Townshend and Kenneth Vos

10 Years | Louise Arsenault, Stella Baah, Brenda Bell, Donald Birchfield, Ryan Buckman, Jill Cassidy, Lorena deLange, Christopher Epplett, Margaret Forgie, Don Gill, Bill Glaister, Val Hill, Patricia Horrocks, Nancy Hosgood, Frank Huss, Deborah Jarvie, Helen Kelley, Carol Knibbs, Keith Knowles, Josh Korthuis, Christopher Kukucha, Greg Lacey, Corie Lazenby, Wayne Lippa, Karen Mahar, Jeremiah Merkl, Josephine Mills, Joy Morris, Chris Nicol, Chris Picken, Jeremy Pierson, Mike Pinder, Catharine Reader, Michael Robinson, Victor Rodych, Tammy Rogness, Mark Sabo, Robin Schafthuizen, Shelley Scott, Behnam Seyed Mahmoud, Gerry Ste. Marie, Robert Sutherland, William Tietz, Raquel Trillia, John von Heyking, Kevin Ward, Katherine Wasiak, Robert Williams, Barbara Williams, Jim Wishloff, Robert Wood and Jing Zhu

To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Historical knowledge leads to future insight

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:43:44 +0000

By ERIC LOW
Dr. Christopher Epplett teaches in the History Department at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and has a broad number of research interests that include ancient military and social history, particularly that of the Hellenistic world and the later Roman Empire. He is not, however, always thinking of the past.

Epplett believes the study of the ancients is one way of understanding contemporary situations and events. His work with the Galt Museum & Archives, for example, helps him keep an eye to the future.

Epplett believes that knowledge of local history can help a community move forward in a direction that's consistent with the path it has chosen in the past.

"I have an interest in local history even though it's not my specialty," Epplett says, "it's essential for a community to keep in touch with its roots, to understand where it came from."

Awareness of all the accomplishments of citizens in the past builds pride and a sense of community. At the Galt Museum & Archives, Epplett helps develop upcoming exhibits, such as the Medieval and Egyptian exhibits in 2008, strategies for fundraising, and ways to increase awareness of the Galt in the community and at various levels of government. He assists in ensuring that the Galt has a broad appeal for all members of the community.

Since January 2008, Epplett has also served as chair of the Galt's Cultural History Collection Committee, which works with the curator to set policy decisions related to acquisition, storage, and de-accession of artifacts. The committee makes policy decisions after considering future exhibits at the Galt, as well as complementary exhibits at other museums, and then brings a plan back to the board. Lucelle Prindle, chair of the Galt's board, feels it is beneficial to both the museum and the U of L to have faculty members like Epplett on the board.

They bring "valuable expertise and insight," Lucelle says, and the museum provides "opportunities for students to gain experience by working in the archives and exhibits of the museum."

As a teacher and a researcher, Epplett believes it is important to support and to play an active role in the community.

"I think it's the responsibility of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he notes, "to ensure that its programs and its graduates are well-prepared to serve the community and perform a useful function. Those who study history and have a good grasp of it are better-rounded citizens."

Motivated by his passion for history and his sense of duty to educate both the local and broader community, Epplett enjoys finding and fitting together pieces of the historical puzzle. While present-day southern Alberta is a long way and time from the Roman Empire, Epplett is gaining recognition internationally for his research, and contributing to the cultural well being of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the local area.
This story originally appeared in Lethbridge living magazine

UNews - Christopher Epplett

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