Six Dutch immigrant workers who lost their lives in an excavation disaster in Dresden nearly 70 years ago will be remembered in Chatham next month.
A week-long storefront exhibit and documentary presentation in August will commemorate the workers who were buried alive, tell the story of the disaster and the circumstances that brought the men to Dresden, said director Eric Philpott.
The Dresden disaster occurred during construction of a pumping station beside the Sydenham River.
Philpott says he has a personal connection to the story as his late father, Keith, was a young site engineer on the project and his mother was also a Dutch immigrant.
The filmmaker said he began investigating the tragedy after discovering records, correspondence, and other materials his father had preserved from 1957.
“Events like these give us a chance not only to share what we are discovering as the film takes shape, but also to meet people in the community and hear their own stories and experiences,” said Philpott. “It is easy to become absorbed in the film-making process, but spending time in the places where these events unfolded and listening to the people who live there is essential to telling this story well.”
The exhibit will be on display at Turns & Tales in downtown Chatham from August 9 until August 16 and includes historical artifacts, archival material, and interpretive displays. The exhibit opens on August 9 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.
A special documentary presentation of Tragedy Forgotten: Dresden 1957 will be held at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Chatham on August 14, the anniversary of the excavation collapse that killed the workers. The public can meet the documentary filmmakers and enjoy refreshments during the event. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Organizers noted there will be a moment of silence at 7 p.m. for the men who died, the time of the excavation collapse.
The Dresden Market Fair will have a preview of the Dresden 1957 documentary on July 25 from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. The public will be able to meet the director and others involved in the project and learn more about the documentary, exhibit, and anniversary presentation.
Both the exhibit and the film presentation are free to the public and are being presented with support from seven Chatham-Kent councillors who contributed Ward Funding to the Dresden 1957 project, according to organizers.
