War of Names: ‘Lietuvisy’ and ‘Gudai’ as the Belarusian-Lithuanian Historical Mirror in the Late Perestroika Period

• In Event: Revolt of Words: Inverting the New Political Vocabulary in Late Perestroika Eastern Europe

Abstract

The Perestroika in the USSR was characterized not only by the political struggle, but also by revision of symbols and meanings. In order to strengthen their identity various political forces resorted to revision and reinvention of their neighbors’ names. Case of Lietuvisy in Belarus and Gudai in Lithuania can be a significant example

Author

• Aleh Dziarnovich, Institute of History, NAS of Belarus (Belarus)