Radio IQ has produced a new podcast series titled “Memory Wars” that explore how Germany reckoned with the history of the Holocaust. It also examines that can be learned as America grapples with its own legacy of slavery and racism.

The new series is the result of a Fulbright grant that funded a German residency for Mallory Noe-Payne, Radio IQ’s Richmond bureau chief.  during her yearlong stay, she traveled across Germany to listen to people’s personal stories. Returning to Virginia in early 2022, Noe-Payne teamed with Richmond Times-Dispatch Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, Michael Paul Williams. Together, they balanced her observations of how German citizens are coming to grips with their country’s recent Nazi past with Williams’ research of how Virginia – and America - have dealt with racism and continue the struggle with it.

The series of five, 45-minute podcasts will be released on Thursdays, June 9, June 23, July 7, July 21, and Aug. 4. In addition to streaming on Radio IQ, episodes will be available via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, and other platforms.

The premiere podcast, entitled “The Two Reconstructions,” begins in the aftermath of World War II and exploes how people began coping with the past just after the war. The first episode lays the groundwork for the series as it looks at themes of education, memorialization, and accountability.

These new podcasts continue Radio IQ’s commitment to exploring and reporting on issues that encourage listeners to consider other perspectives. “Memory Wars” joins the station’s recently premiered “Tribal Truths” series and its civic engagement conversations.

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