Reimagining the Second Republic: Interwar Poland in History and Memory

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Polish Second Republic and as current political changes in Poland affect dominant historical interpretations and narratives, this roundtable provides a forum for scholars from North America and Europe to discuss conceptualizations of the interwar period. Drawing on their experiences of researching various aspects of the Second Republic—from inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations to technological and cultural developments and political and ideological radicalization—participants will discuss both new historiographical trends and broader questions about how the interwar period is currently being reinterpreted and commemorated. In particular, the roundtable seeks to address the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-linguistic character of the state, the intersections with global history, and the continuities and changes between the interwar period, on the one hand, and other traditionally accepted “periods” of Polish history, including the Partitions, World War II, People’s Poland, and Post-Communism, on the other. The roundtable format will allow participants (and audience members) to reflect on the broader context of their own research, rather than simply to present the findings of that research in traditional paper format. In addition, we envisage a conversation in which participants build upon one other’s comments in an organic way, so as to arrive at some broader conclusions about current and future directions for research.

Sub Unit

• History: Central and Southeast Europe, Since 1918

Chair

• Irena Grudzinska Gross, Princeton U

Roundtable Members

• Kathryn Ciancia, U of Wisconsin-Madison

• Agnieszka Pasieka, U of Vienna (Austria)

• Marci Lynn Shore, Yale U

• Nathaniel D. Wood, U of Kansas