Educational Resources
Historical Context
When Dr. David B. Wilsey wrote home in the final years of World War II, his hundreds of letters became an unparalleled testament to the experiences of the men and women he served alongside. These letters, chronicling his journey through France, Germany, and ultimately, the liberation of Dachau Concentration Camp, serve as a reminder of WWII and its many horrors.
More information on Dr. Wilsey’s life can be found online, including The Oregonian and The New Republic.
Today, Dr. Wilsey’s daughter, Clarice Wilsey, is a member of the Holocaust Center for Humanity’s Speakers Bureau. She shares her father’s experiences with schools around the Northwest, and it is our hope that educators can use these resources below to help further this knowledge sharing.
Clarice Wilsey is also the co-author of a book about her father, his experience at liberation, and their relationship -- Letters from Dachau: A Father's Witness of War, a Daughter's Dream of Peace. *Please note that this book is appropriate for grades 11 and above.
You may contact the Holocaust Center about booking Clarice for an in-person or virtual Speakers Bureau presentation via this web form.
Further resources and learning for your students regarding Dachau, liberation, and more can be found at the following links:
- Liberation primary sources -- from "Americans and the Holocaust" online exhibition, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
- Basic info on Dachau -- from the Holocaust Encyclopedia, USHMM.
- Liberation: An Overview -- with additional links. From the USHMM.
- "The Liberation" podcast and virtual tours -- from KZ Gedenkstaette Dachau (the Dachau memorial site).
- 75th Anniversary of Liberation messages -- written testimony from Dachau survivors and liberators (including the late Dee Eberhart of Ellensburg, Washington), April 2020, KZ Gedenkstaette Dachau.
Lessons, Activities, and Handouts
In the Classroom
Would you like to use this collection as a primary source tool for students in the classroom? Interested in hosting Clarice Wilsey from the Speakers Bureau and want to make the most of their visit or Zoom presentation? Download these activities for students to do while using the website.
Creative Writing Exercise | Primary Source Exercise | Letter Excerpts Handout
Teaching Trunks
For another way to study the Holocaust, teachers can request a Trunk or replica Artifact Kit from the Center. Trunks contain books for an entire class, activities, replica artifacts, and teacher guides to assist students in studying the Holocaust using primary source materials.
Additional Resources
The Holocaust Center for Humanity has a variety of educational resources available for teachers, librarians, and other practitioners -- including the "Best Practices" curricula for Washington State educators following state standards. Find information on the Center's website about this set of curricula and many other resources.