Today I published a pair of obituaries for men who were inarguably very influential in the world.
Born in Berlin in 1928, Georges Borchardt survived World War II in hiding in France before emigrating to New York in 1947. Twenty years later, he founded his own publishing company and introduced the United states to the likes of Samuel Beckett and Jean-Paul Sartre. But his most significant achievement was championing Elie Wiesel’s Night, ensuring its publication as a seminal Holocaust memoir.
Watch his obituary here.
Rob Hirst, meanwhile, is likely more well known. A founding member of Midnight Oil, Hirst’s ferocious energy and complex beats defined the band’s sound, propelling global anthems like Beds Are Burning and The Power and the Passion. Famous for his kinetic stage presence and iconic water-tank percussion, he was also a gifted lyricist who fiercely championed Indigenous rights and environmental justice.
Watch his obituary here.