Gender and Memory in 20th Century Baltic States

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel explores the intricate relationship between gender and memory in the Baltic states during the 20th century, examining how gendered narratives have shaped and been shaped by historical events. Dovilė Budrytė's presentation surveys the representation of women resistance fighters in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on Lithuania, and comparing it to former Yugoslavia and Poland. It questions which women are remembered in partisan histories, how they are portrayed (as victims or heroic subjects), and who remains absent from public memory. Mara Lazda examines the evolution of gendered narratives of World War II in Latvia since 1991, utilizing oral histories, memoirs, and scholarly work to understand how women's experiences under Soviet and Nazi occupations have both contributed to and challenged established historical narratives of gender and war in the Baltic states. Vaida Kamuntavičienė deconstructs the narrative of the Kaunas Benedictine Sisters on the occasion of their 400th anniversary, exploring how Tsarist, Soviet, Nazi, and other occupations continue to affect the self-image of the sisters. Akvilė Kašiubaitė analyzes the power of the Lithuanian state over women through the assistance provided by Lithuanian nunneries between 1918 and 1940, highlighting the role of nuns in addressing social challenges and shaping the education system in interwar Lithuania. The panel collectively investigates how gendered memories are constructed, contested, and deployed in the Baltic context, shedding light on the complex interplay between gender, history, and national identity.

Sub Unit

• History: 1945-1990

Chair

• Andrei Kazakevich, European Humanities U (Lithuania)

Papers

• Gender Dimensions of Partisan Memory in Central and Eastern Europe - Dovile Budryte, Georgia Gwinnett College / Vytautas Magnus / Vilnius U (Lithuania)

• Gender and Memory of World War II Latvia - Mara Lazda, CUNY Bronx Community College

• Deconstructing Memories of Kaunas Sisters of St Benedict: On the 400th Anniversary of Their Foundation - Vaida Kamuntaviciene, Vytautas Magnus U (Lithuania)

• The Power of the Lithuanian State over Women: Assistance to the State from Lithuanian Nunneries in 1918–1940 - Akvilė Kašiubaitė, Vytautas Magnus U (Lithuania)

Discussants

• Anton Saifullayeu, U of Warsaw (Poland)

• Violeta Davoliute, Vilnius U (Lithuania)