(DURHAM, September 12, 2007) - The War, a seven-part documentary series by New Hampshire's own Ken Burns that explores the history and horror of the Second World War, premieres on New Hampshire Public Television Sunday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. This powerful look at WWII from an American perspective is already drawing praise, with critics saying this is Burns' best film yet. In conjunction with The War, NH Outlook will focus on "NH's War Stories," hosted by Beth Carroll from the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro. The program features a Bataan Death March survivor, a concentration camp liberator, and three of five Claremont brothers who fought for their new country. The program also shows how the Portsmouth Navy Yard was critical to naval defense, and how New Hampshire veterans are participating in the national Veterans History Project. Part 1 of NH Outlook "NH's War Stories" premieres September 16 @ 9 a.m. and Part 2 premieres September 23rd at 9 a.m.; the program will re-air and be available for viewing online. See below for full broadcast schedule for both THE WAR and NH OUTLOOK series. The War tells the story of the Second World War through personal accounts from the homefront to the frontlines. Six years in the making, this epic film focuses on the stories of citizens from four geographically distributed American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and the farming town of Luverne, Minnesota. These four communities stand in for - and could represent - any town in the United States that went through the war's devastating years. Individuals from each community take the viewer through their own personal and quite often harrowing journeys into war, painting vivid portraits of how the war altered their lives and those of their neighbors, as well as the country they helped to save for generations to come. The series is directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, and is a co-production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, DC. NHPTV Broadcast Schedule for THE WARParts I - IV 9/23 - 9/26 @ 8 PM Part V 9/30 @ 8 PM Part VI & VII 10/1 - 10/2 @ 8 PM NH OUTLOOK - NH'S WAR STORIESPART I: September 16 @ 9AM; September 18 @ 7:30PM; September 23 @ 7PMClaremont War Brothers: An Italian immigrant family from Claremont refused Stalin's invitation to join his forces and instead made an extraordinary commitment to the American forces, sending five brothers into battle. Portsmouth Navy Yard: During WWII, submarine forces were critical to America's naval defense, and the Portsmouth Navy Yard built more subs than any other facility in the country. Two wartime workers share their memories of how New Hampshire men and women worked together to win the war. Wright Museum, Wolfeboro: The Wright Museum pays tribute to the common experiences of the World War II generation. Museum volunteers share what it was like growing up in 1940s America. PART II: September 23 @ 9AM; September 23 @ 7:30PM; September 25 @ 7:30PMBataan Death March Survivor: William Onufry of Freedom was part of the largest capture of American troops in U.S. history. He endured the Bataan Death March. The former prisoner of war talks about his journey to hell and back. Concentration Camp Liberator: Samuel Hagner of Durham served as a medical corpsman in WWII, and took part in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp. He talks about being a pacifist in a time of war. Veterans History Project: For the past seven years, the Library of Congress has collected stories through the Veterans History Project. Meet New Hampshire Veterans Hospital workers and volunteers who are keeping the project going. NHPTV and THE WAR: Collecting and Connecting New Hampshire's StoriesNHPTV is exploring New Hampshire's experience during the Second World War through these community initiatives: - NHPTV's The War website, www.nhptv.org\thewar, offers an opportunity to share personal reflections on war experiences and provides educational and outreach materials - NH War Stories: Student Documentary Project invites students in grades 6 - college to submit documentary films of interviews with individuals affected by past or present wars - NHPTV's public affairs program NH Outlook is covering WWII stories from NH communities For more information about THE WAR, these projects and NHPTV, visit www.nhptv.org/thewar or call (603) 868-4334. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NH OUTLOOK, NHPTV's award-winning public affairs program, is all about New Hampshire. It's dedicated to statewide coverage of the people, places, culture and politics that make the Granite State special. Watch NH Outlook Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., and also Sundays from 9 - 10 a.m. NH Outlook programs are archived and available online at www.nhptv.org/outlook. Ken Burns will appear at The Music Hall in Portsmouth on October 22 as part of the Writers on a New England Stage series. He'll discuss The War and its companion book in a presentation, followed by an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio's Laura Knoy. Details at www.themusichall.org. Support for the broadcast of The War and the NH Outlook specials provided by: WETA, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, McIninch Foundation, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Patriot Healthcare, The Arbors of Bedford, and WFEA-AM. Support for the "NH War Stories" Student Documentary Project provided by NEA-NH.
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