PUDŁOCKI Tomasz - Central and Eastern Europe in the 20th Century (20h)

This course seeks to deepen students' understanding of Central and Eastern European history in 20th Century through presenting and discussing the most important chosen political and cultural issues typical for the topic from 1918 till 2004.  The course provides a broad-brush outline of the history of the region, and is particularly aimed at those students who have not previously studied the ‘History of Europe’ in depth or systematically.  The course will concentrate on processes, changes and continuities, especially in politics and culture, and will keep names and dates to the necessary minimum. Among the key themes there will be: myths and symbols connected with the region; the outcome of the Fall of German, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires for the region and the consequences of creation of the nation states (such as Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia), including the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia); economic and political struggles in the region with special focus on the nationalization of the public discourses in chosen countries, as well as the crisis of democracy; the role of culture, national minorities and religious communities in the interwar period; Central and Eastern Europe torn by Nazism and Communism (1939-1944); the consequences of the dominance of Communism in the region after 1944 , as well as the importance of the events of 1956, 1968 and 1981 for the national myths of today. Finally, the course probes the cultural impact of the trauma of World War II and the subsequent division of Europe by the ‘Iron Curtain’, followed by Europe’s partial (re-)unification since the fall of Communism, on the mentality of Central and Eastern Europeans. // ECTS Card

Professor: Tomasz PUDŁOCKI