At the beginning of April, our team member, Karina Hoření, had a chance to present her research findings in Seattle. The annual Northwest Regional Conference for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies (REECAS) at Washington University brings together West Coast and European scholars. Karina presented her case study of Gustav and Adolf – two men of German nationality who tried to reclaim their confiscated property. Karina uses their cases to illustrate the differences between Czech and Slovak post-displacement regions. It is always a challenge to present our project outside of Central Europe, and it is always valuable to get feedback and find common topics with scholars from different regions.
conference spaces in Seattle, pictures by Karina Hoření
At the end of April, Magdalena had the opportunity to present her research to students at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague. During a lecture titled “Memory of things. Material Culture displaced in the borderlands”, she introduced the aims of her PhD project and shared insights into her work on the remnants of German Protestant churches in post-displacement areas as part of the Spectral Recycling grant. Using selected case studies and visual materials–including photographs and texts from her fieldwork–Magdalena illustrated how memory and material heritage intersect in spaces transformed by resettlement. The lecture concluded with an engaging discussion, where students offered thoughtful reflections and questions on the topic. The event was made possible thanks to the generous support of Tomáš Pavlíček, Ph.D, lecturer at Charles University and researcher at the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Although the Hauerland region was historically dominated by a German population, it also included predominantly Slovak villages. As a result, German settlement in the area can be divided into several distinct zones. Our researcher, Michal Korhel, has previously conducted fieldwork in the vicinity of Handlová. However, he recently visited Nitrianske Pravno and its surrounding villages, where he encountered a reality unfamiliar from his earlier research: the visible presence of German heritage in public spaces.
The “partisan” bunker near Malinová, photo: Michal Korhel
During World War II, this area was known for strong anti-fascist resistance, led by local Germans with communist sympathies – particularly from the village of Malinová – who fought in the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) and afterwards as partisans. Their legacy is honored today in Malinová with a monument in the village center. Nearby, there is also a “partisan” bunker, which was likely never used by partisans but instead served as a shelter for the local civilian population. Due to its proximity to the village, it became a memorial site after the war. Twice a year, local residents gather there to commemorate the resistance to fascism.
Memorial to the inhabitants of Nitrianske Pravno fallen in the World War I, photo: Michal Korhel
A monument to the SNP also stands prominently in the center of Nitrianske Pravno. However, it shares space – and perhaps symbolic significance – with a monument dedicated to local inhabitants who died in the First World War, bearing exclusively German inscriptions. Just behind it is a museum of local German culture. German inscriptions can also be found in churches, both in Nitrianske Pravno and in neighboring villages such as Malinová and Tužina. Michal also visited local cemeteries, where he found many German tombstones and monuments commemorating the region’s German population.
Cemetery in Nitrianske Pravno, photo: Michal Korhel
The widespread remnants of German heritage in Nitrianske Pravno and its surroundings also evoke memories of the post-war period, when property was confiscated from local Germans and redistributed to Slovaks – some from nearby villages, others from Hungary, Poland, Romania, or Subcarpathian Ruthenia. In nearly every interview Michal conducted during his visit, locals expressed that the post-war property settlement has not been forgotten and continues to influence relations among the area’s inhabitants.
There’s a popular—though misleading—opinion circulating among some Poles: that Czechs are essentially “little Germans” and that the Czech Republic as an independent state has never truly existed. While it may sound fringe, it’s not as rare belief as one might hope.
In Episode 69 of the Czechostacja podcast Karolina Ćwiek-Rogalska together with Jakub Medek explore the long and complex relationship between the Czech lands and their neighbors over the span of more than a thousand years.
This is not a conversation full of easy answers. Even the modern concept of what it means to be “German” doesn’t fit neatly into Czech history. Historical political entities and modern national analogies simply don’t hold up under scrutiny. The topic is tangled, layered, and fascinating because of it.
Discussion spans the Holy Roman Empire, the Habsburgs, and why Jan Žižka was seen as a hero by 19th-century Germans. If you’re looking for a story that challenges national myths and digs deep into Central European history, this episode is for you.
This spring, Magdalena Bubík continued her field research in the city of Piła, uncovering new layers of local memory and heritage. In March and April, she conducted a series of in-depth interviews and site visits, leading to several fascinating findings.
One particularly compelling story she encountered was that of a baptismal bowl from the formerly Protestant church. During one of her conversations with Piła inhabitants Magdalena was able to view it: a burnished brass baptismal bowl from one of Piła’s former Protestant churches. No one knows exactly which church this bowl came from, and perhaps it is Magdalena who will be able to find out?
As part of her broader research, Magdalena explored various parts of the city—including the Stanisław Staszic Municipal Park in Piła, where his monument is. Born in Piła and baptized there in 1755, Staszic was a priest, Enlightenment thinker, and important figure in Polish intellectual history. After 1945, he became one of the symbols frequently evoked as proof of “Polish character” of the city.
Despite having gathered a wealth of material, Magdalena’s research continues. With many questions still open, she looks forward to her next trips and further opportunities to deepen our understanding of Piła’s layered past.
Monument od Stanisław Staszic in Municipal Park, photo: Magdalena Bubík
Is there anything more contrasting than Arizona and the Sudetenland? In this blog post, Karina Hoření highlights the surprising parallels between these two regions. She begins with the concept of “borderlands,” a term that applies to both areas, and reveals that their similarities go beyond language. By applying the idea of settler colonialism, she demonstrates how both regions operated under its principles, including the displacement of native populations, the notion of the “Wild West,” utopian ideals, control, renaming, and forgetting.
We are proud to share that our PI, Karolina Ćwiek-Rogalska, has been honored with the title of Ambassador of Wałcz, awarded by the Wałcz municipality in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the study and preservation of the region’s history and heritage.
The distinction was presented during the Gala of Leaders 2025, an annual celebration held on March 7 at the Wałcz Cultural Centre. The event celebrated individuals and institutions whose dedication, passion, and everyday work contribute to the development and unique character of the town. Awards were given across several categories, including social, cultural, educational, and business initiatives.
Karolina received the award for her extensive research into the local past—work she continues as part of our project. We warmly congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition!
The idea of the Czech Republic as an atheistic country is a prevalent myth in Poland, but the reality is more complex. Karolina Ćwiek-Rogalska sheds light on this topic in episode no. 68 of Czechostacja podcast. Can you be an atheistic Christian? What is secular Christianity? Where does the skeptical attitude towards institutional religions, especially Catholicism, come from? Were the Hussites Protestants? And how does contemporary Czechia relate to all this? It’s important to consider the nuances and complexities of beliefs and attitudes rather than perpetuate simplistic myths.
Programme of Research Stays at The Polish Academy of Sciences – Scientific Centre in Vienna for Doctoral Students from the Doctoral Schools of the Polish Academy of Sciences aims to disseminate and promote scientific activities. The competition is designed to enable PhD students to present their research results to the international scientific community in Vienna. Selection criteria for the winners included the substantive value of the project, innovativeness, interdisciplinarity, and social significance.
More information about the programme you can find here.
On February 4, our PI, Karolina Ćwiek-Rogalska, took part in a timely conversation held in the evocative setting of Poznań Castle—a place with a complex and often painful history. Once used by Nazi officials during the German occupation of Poland, the Castle today serves as a vibrant cultural hub. Its layered past made it a fitting venue for a discussion on one of Poland’s most sensitive and enduring topics: the legacy of the “Recovered Territories”—formerly German regions incorporated into Poland after World War II.
Karolina joined Professor Robert Traba (Institute of Political Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences) and Dr. Piotr Oleksy (Faculty of History, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań) to explore how these territories have been negotiated and reimagined by subsequent generations of settlers. Drawing from her own fieldwork, Karolina highlighted the diverse ways in which people relate to and manage formerly German objects—from everyday acts of care to lingering silences and spectral presences.
The conversation quickly expanded into a lively dialogue with the public, reflecting just how deeply the topic resonates today. This event demonstrated not only the ongoing importance of engaging with the past’s unresolved questions but also the need for spaces—like Poznań Castle—where these conversations can unfold with honesty, nuance, and openness.
