Research project Bucovina – Jewish Perspectives Until the Second World War, the historical Bukovina was known as an extremely multi-ethnic and multi-religious region. Nevertheless, the (German-speaking) public perception is often dominated by accounts published in the context of the "Landsmannschaft der Buchenlanddeutschen" (Landsmannschaft of...
Research project Bukovina Germans: Inventions, Experiences and Narratives of an (imagined) Community The Bukovina Institute at the University of Augsburg has set itself the task of preserving the history of Bukovina and its inhabitants. Inextricably linked to this are narratives of relocation and settlement, of flight and expulsion, and of integration processes in the later Federal Republic, the...
Library holdings | Archive Collections and holdings of the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie With its collection and in-house art library, including an artists’ archive, the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie (KOG) pursues a unique mission within Germany: to preserve, communicate and research the artistic heritage of the formerly German-influenced areas in Central, Eastern and Southeastern...
Series DigiOst DigiOst is a digital publication series on the history of Eastern Europe. It offers high-quality and up-to-date anthologies and conference proceedings, source editions, and monographs. On request, copies can be ordered via a print-on-demand process.
Europe in miniature? Buko...? - what was it again? Bukovina is not a familiar name to you? Don't worry, because the permanent exhibition of the Bukovina Institute at the university will introduce you to this diverse and fascinating yet little-known region. Learn more about the history of this historic cultural landscape...
Introduction Jazz in the Eastern Bloc More than just music: During the Cold War, jazz suddenly found itself between all fronts – at the same time, it served as a propaganda weapon, a symbol of freedom and a musical bridge between East and West.
Online finding aid Press clippings online The online database "Press clippings online" enables the research of press clippings from the personal dossiers of the press clippings archive at the Herder Institute for East Central European History. The service is continually updated as further material is indexed and made available online. For...
Biographical Portrait Stefan Tymiec Junior Stefan Tymiec was born in Sztynort in July 1950. “I had a happy childhood”, he says. He hardly felt anything of the tragedies that his parents had lived through. His mother was German and remained in her homeland in 1945. His father was Ukrainian, one of many people who had been forcibly resettled from southeastern Poland. Stefan's childhood happiness lasted eight years, then the family set off for the West.
Background Article The Copernicus anniversary year of 1973 in East Germany In East Germany, the Copernicus anniversary was marked by a range of ceremonies and receptions. The aim was to highlight positive relations between Germany and Poland, with Copernicus being presented as a pioneer for the socialist state’s worldview.
Object Story The Odyssey of a Rococo dresser For more than 150 years, the Rococo dresser stood on the upper floor of the Steinort castle, in the so-called "Simson room". It bears witness to the lifestyle of an East Prussian noble family. Behind it lies an adventurous journey that began after the failed assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944, when Heinrich Graf von Lehndorff, the last lord of the castle, was arrested and executed.
Research project | Publication project Under surveillance This project focuses on the observation of displaced persons' organizations and functionaries by the socialist intelligence services.
Podcast Wenzel Hans-Eckardt Wenzel, or "Wenzel" as he calls himself, is a poet and singer with Bohemian roots, born in Wittenberg in 1955. In GDR times, he studied farewell letters of young communists who lost their lives in the resistance against Hitler. Through his friendship with Antje Vollmer, he became acquainted with the story of Heinrich and Gottliebe von Lehndorff in 2008 and dedicated a song to the young aristocratic couple entitled: “The Final Letters."
Background Article Why are we still researching Eastern Europe After 1989? Why are we still conducting research on Eastern Europe? In this article, I use two empirical case studies from the post-socialist period – the founding of the Central European University or "CEU" in Budapest and Eastern European research in the German Democratic Republic – to discuss how questions regarding the legitimacy and orientation of academic research into Eastern Europe were answered by the stakeholders in the field in the East and West following the end of the Cold War.
Biographical Portrait Wolfram Jäger One day, Wolfram Jäger heard on the radio about the catastrophic condition of Lehndorff Palace. The well-known specialist in the restoration of historic buildings had recently completed a major project for UNESCO in Barcelona and immediately made his way to Masuria. In the spring of 2011, he made a momentous decision – a stroke of luck for the castle, a Herculean task for him.
Background Article “Naš puć” (Our Way) In the fall of 1947, a group of Sorbian school students in Varnsdorf in the Czech Republic launched a bold initiative to voice their political views. They began publishing a magazine, which became an appeal to young Sorbs – to join forces and help build a new society.
