Features

Features offer in-depth accounts of issues related to the region without prior peer-review process.

Breaking the silence again Hungarian Jewish witness accounts of the Nazi camps from 1945–1946

Survivors actually created manifold historical sources on the Holocaust and even completed a broad array of relevant publications before the end of 1940s; these sources were largely neglected afterwards and have remained underexplored to this day.

By Ferenc L. Laczó January 21, 2015

Art and Ownership in Eastern European Art History

When it comes to art museums in post-Soviet Eastern Europe, ownership is an especially loaded issue that continues to bring out new skeletons from its closeted past. Ludwig’s gigantic art collection, consisting of some 50,000 artworks, came into being because of his goal of inscribing himself into the future of art history.

By Margaret Tali October 20, 2014

nation-building À la russe How Putin’s government is educating the Russian elites of tomorrow

The nationally organized camp Seliger All-Russia Youth Forum gathers tens of thousands of young Russians every year. Here a report from the inside of the camp, observations in contemporary nation-building.

By Kristiina Silvan October 18, 2014

Memoralization of the holocaust in the polish film aftermath

The author argues that the history of the Holocaust is the history of Europe; "as Europeans, we all continue to live it". "It is not wise to appropriate to ourselves the story of suffering, because even in the short term such a course will lead to isolation and a rise in anti-Semitism."

By Andrea Petö October 18, 2014

Post-Soviet Dilemma: Increased number of stray dogs

Many postcommunist countries have large numbers of stray dogs. In several localitites in Russia poisoned meat has been put out to keep the number of strays down. Before major events, such as the Winter olympics in Sochi, mass culling has been announced. Dog rights activists rather suggest sterilization programs and animal shelters.

By Ninna Mörner April 30, 2014

Stettin (Szczecin) A node in a geopolitical network

The author shows how one small region, Stettin/Szczecin, because of its strategic place became involved in important events throughout history.

By Thomas Lundén February 4, 2014

Tbilisi destroys its past. The Old Town is transformed

A growing number of architects, artists and academics have been protesting against the rapid transformation of the Old Town in Tbilisi, claiming that World Heritage is demolished. But there is a dilemma: many of the Old Town inhabitants welcome the changes.

By Sara Bergfors January 24, 2014

Children left behind A growing problem in EU

Many who migrate are forced to leave their children in their home country. Children being left behind in this way has become a problem in the EU, as Påhl Ruin relates in a report from Lithuania. The children don’t thrive, and there is a risk that they will become social outsiders.

By Påhl Ruin January 22, 2014

The geoaesthetics of (east) european tristesse. Ulrich Seidl’s Import/Export

Literary scholar David Williams analyzes Ulrich Seidl’s film Import/Export and criticizes Seidl for using and humiliating amateur actors with the aim of telling a story that ultimately only underscores a stereotypical image of the East: as precisely an object of pleasure for the West.

By David Williams January 21, 2014

Design institute VNIITE closes its doors

VNIITE, once the world’s largest institute of design research, ceased to exist on June 14, 2013. It was once conceived as a marriage of engineering and aesthetics. Intellectual abilities and sensitivity were to be respected rather than viewed as problems.

By Margareta Tillberg November 12, 2013