During World War II the United States government used colorful and catchy posters to build public support for the war and remind pilots, mechanics, and other aviation workers to follow best practices for safety, resource preservation, and efficiency.
“When you see history happening, try to get a front-row seat.”
That’s one of the life lessons that the late Edith Simon Coliver imparted to her daughters, Sandy and Susie, as they were growing up in San Francisco. And it’s a lesson that Coliver, who died in 2001, took to heart.
A Jewish refugee, Coliver fled Nazi Germany in 1938 with her immediate family. After graduating from UC Berkeley, she learned of the precedent-setting International Military Tribunal for Nazi officials set to take place in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1945 and 1946. She jumped at the opportunity to get a front-row seat at the war crimes trials and served as an interpreter for Hitler’s second-in-command, Hermann Göring.