ReCollections

Fort Lennox: The Accidental Immigrants

In 1930s Europe, thousands of Jewish men and teenagers escaped the Nazi regime as refugees, only to be labelled as “enemy aliens” and sent to internment camps across eastern Canada. One of those camps was at Fort Lennox, an old military stronghold on Quebec’s Ile aux Noix. We’ll hear from one internee, the late Rabbi Erwin Schild, whose story helps illustrate the experience of hundreds of German and Austrian Jews who were imprisoned at Fort Lennox National Historic Site. Oral history recordings of Rabbi Erwin Schild used in this episode:  ©1996 USC Shoah Foundation   ©1988 Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre Learn more: Fort Lennox National Historic Site Plan Your Visit Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: Fort Lennox Heritage Designation: Fort Lennox National Historic Site designation Heritage value description of each Fort Lennox building USC Shoah Foundation Toronto Holocaust Museum Montreal Holocaust Museum Other Media: Major conservation work at Fort Lennox National Historic Site (Parks Canada YouTube) None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933-1948 by Irving Abella and Harold Troper Special thanks to: Faye Blum of the Ontario Jewish Archives Teigan Goldsmith of the Ottawa Jewish Archives The Montreal Holocaust Museum The Toronto Holocaust Museum USC Shoah Foundation Questions about the ReCollections podcast or any of the episodes? Please contact us at ⁠nouveauxmedias-newmedia@pc.gc.ca Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.

Red Bay: Discovering the Basque Whalers of Terra Nova

The southern coast of Labrador in the 1500s was the scene of Canada’s first oil boom. Each summer, Basque crews from Spain and France traversed the Atlantic to hunt whales and render their blubber into a precious commodity: oil that lit the lamps of Europe. It was dangerous, messy… and profitable. The story was all but lost until the 1970s, when researchers and archaeologists flocked to the tiny community of Red Bay, digging in the gardens and diving in the harbour, to uncover the secrets of Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Special thanks to Joxe Felipe Auzmendi and Iñaki Beraetxe, to Daniel Payne for use of his song Selma Barkham’s Waltz, and to Javier Vicente for recording assistance. Our condolences to the family of Robert Grenier, who led Parks Canada’s underwater archaeology work at Red Bay. Robert passed away in January 2026. Learn more: Red Bay National Historic Site Plan your visit Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: Red Bay Heritage Designation: Red Bay National Historic Site UNESCO World Heritage Site designation Other Media: The Great Whale Robbery of Labrador by Canadiana The underwater archaeology of Red Bay: Basque shipbuilding and whaling in the 16th century, edited by Robert Grenier, Marc-André Bernier, and Willis Stevens.  Email us at nouveauxmedias-newmedia@pc.gc.ca for any questions or suggestions. Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.

ReCollections is back for Season Two

ReCollections, the award-winning history and archaeology podcast from Parks Canada, is back for Season Two. Four new stories from national parks and national historic sites across Canada: ● Red Bay: Discovering the Basque Whalers of Terra Nova ● Fort Lennox: The Accidental Immigrants ● Bar U Ranch: Grass Into Money ● Waterton Lakes: Archaeology in a Burned Landscape Join us for a journey of national historic significance.

Introducing ReCollections: A Parks Canada Podcast

Join us for a journey of national historic significance.

L’Anse aux Meadows: The Saga of Vinland

Travel back to the Viking Age to uncover the remnants of a thousand-year-old Norse encampment. We’ll hear about their incredible journey from Greenland to northern Newfoundland from a diverse group of experts including historians, archaeologists, and interpreters at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site.Learn more:  L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows  Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: https://g.co/arts/zsrgMj8ex1cQe5yK7 Plan your visit: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/visit  UNESCO page: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/4/ National Film Board documentaries: The Man Who Discovered America: https://www.nfb.ca/film/man_discovered_america  The Vinland Mystery: https://www.nfb.ca/film/vinland_mystery/ Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections