WEST BEND, Wis. — A Saukville 83-year-old is converting interviews he recorded decades ago for digital streaming to share local history.
Richard Liersch came to Let's Talk Washington County and told TMJ4 News about his passion project to share historical videos he has spent his life producing.
The first video he recorded, edited, and made into a VHS tape was an interview with his late father.
"Dad was the most interesting man I’ve ever met," Liersch said. "He knew politicians and he knew famous people."
Liersch has produced tapes, CDs, and DVDs and is now working to put his videos on streaming services. He has interviewed WWII heroes who recently passed, but their stories live on at the Ozaukee County Historical Society.
"I’m passionate about hearing other people’s stories," he said. "I want other people to really have an interest in their loved ones."
Watch: 83-year-old Saukville man converts decades-old interviews to share local history:
Liersch also created a CD people can check out from Washington County libraries called My Living Legacy.
West Bend Public Library historian John Degnitz said perspectives from the past can be valuable for people in the present.
“It’s good to have that connection to the past to know where you came from and identify who you are," Degnitz said.
Liersch hopes sharing his story will inspire others to record their own loved ones, edit their own videos, and save the footage for a better future.
“We live in a world today after COVID where people are disjointed," he said. "People have lost that warmth, so I’m trying to get people to feel what it’s really like to get to know mom, dad, and their loved ones.”
Liersch also said he's working with movie producers to turn his story into a full-length film.
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