Elgin Heritage Commission member quits over artist's Hitler claim
A member of Elgin's Heritage Commission abruptly resigned Monday, saying she could not support the commission helping fund an exhibit about the Lisa Boehm School of Dance because a teenage Boehm once danced in front of Adolf Hitler.
Shelley Barnett, who spent 2½ years on the commission, objected to Boehm's biographical information touting the fact that she once danced for Hitler and Hermann Goering, second in command of the Third Reich.
"I don't consider that wonderful or something I want to spend public money on," Barnett said.
The commission voted 5-1 last week to spend up to $750 on a catalog to preserve an exhibit that looks at the 50-year history of the Elgin dance studio, which closed in 2005.
Bill Briska, a commission member who also serves as treasurer for the Elgin Area Historical Society, said the information about Boehm performing for the Nazi leaders was just meant to illustrate what caliber of dancer she was as a teen.
The focus of the exhibit, slated to open in March, is the studio's role in Elgin and Beohm's contributions to the city's culture through performances of "The Nutcracker" at the Hemmens Cultural Center for 33 years.
"Thousands and thousands of people attended (Boehm's) recitals. Thousands of young women trained under her," Briska said. "(The catalog) will be the one chance to capture and explore this piece of Elgin's cultural history."
Boehm was born in Germany and eventually fled with her family to Switzerland in the early 1940s. She now lives in a California nursing home.
Frank Boehm, Lisa's son who in recent years has been a spokesman for her, said the performance needs to be looked at in its proper context.
"She didn't dance just for Adolf Hitler and Hermann Goering. Because she was prima ballerina at the Berlin Opera, people came to see her perform," he said. "To achieve a rank like that is a lifelong dream. It's tough to say. Should you quit in protest? The bigger moral question is at what point would one say: 'This is simply not a situation that I can function in as an artist.'"
Barnett also said commission members laughed at her objections.
"I don't consider this a laughing matter," she said.
But Briska said it was Barnett's suggestion that Boehm should have shot Hitler during the performance is what drew a few chuckles.
Commission member Betsy Couture also said she was surprised by Barnett's departure.
"It seems silly to me that she resigned over that. I'm shocked," Couture said. "I think it's too bad. You can't be effective if you resign."