Report from the conference “Transformacje Europy Wschodniej w ostatnim stuleciu”
On 20–21 November 2025, the third international conference in the series “Transformacje Europy Wschodniej w ostatnim stuleciu” was held in the hospitable setting of the Ossolineum, organised by the Historical Institute at the University of Wrocław. This year’s edition was titled: “1945 – między wojną a pokojem”. During the opening of the conference, conducted by the Dean of the Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences, dr hab. Paweł Klint, prof. UWr, the Director of the Historical Institute, dr hab. Filip Wolański, prof. UWr, and the Director of the Ossoliński National Institute, dr Łukasz Kamiński, the figure of prof. Stanisław Ciesielski (d. 2020) was recalled. He was the founder and first head of the Department of Eastern European History at the Historical Institute of the University of Wrocław, and a renowned scholar of the history of Russia and the USSR.
More than 35 researchers from several countries (Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, North Macedonia and Germany) took part in the proceedings, presenting the results of their latest research and discussing both their perspectives and the conditions of academic work. For colleagues from Ukraine or Belarus, these conditions are extremely difficult. The determination of Ukrainian scholars deserves particular recognition: despite repeated power cuts during those days, they managed to participate online in the Wrocław sessions.
The meeting provided an opportunity to deepen earlier contacts and establish new ones, as well as to exchange ideas and outline plans for further joint initiatives.
The conference organising committee wishes to thank the authorities of our university and the Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences for their financial support, as well as the local government of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship for its grant. Gratitude is also extended to the group of volunteer students from the Institute of History, who supported the smooth running of the two-day event with great commitment.
The next conference is planned for 2027. As with the previous two editions, this year’s conference will result in a publication featuring articles based on papers delivered during the meeting, which concluded on Friday evening.
Date of publication: 24.11.2025
Added by: M.K.
