CENTRE FOR EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES University of Warsaw The Centre’s mission is to prepare young, well-educated and skilled specialists in Eastern issues from Poland and other countries in the region, for the purposes of academia, the nation and public service... 1990-2015 1990-2015 ORIGINS In introducing the history of Eastern Studies in Poland – which the modern day Centre for EASTERN INSTITUTE IN WARSAW (1926-1939) East European Studies UW is rooted in – it is necessary to name at least two of the most im- portant Sovietological institutions during the inter-war period. Te Institute’s main task was ideological development of young people and propagating the ideas of the Promethean movement. Te Orientalist Youth Club (established by Włodzimierz Bączkowski and Władysław Pelc) played a signifcant part in the activation of young people, especially university students. Lectures and publishing activity were conducted. One of the practical tasks of the Institute was to prepare its students for the governmental and diplomatic service in the East. Te School of Eastern Studies operating as part of the Institute was regarded as the institution to provide a comprehensive training for specialists in Eastern issues and languages. Outstanding specialists in Eastern and Oriental studies shared their knowledge with the Insti- tute’s students, among them: Stanisław Siedlecki, Stanisław Korwin-Pawłowski, Ryochu Um- eda, Ayaz Ischaki, Witold Jabłoński, Hadżi Seraja Szapszał, Giorgi Nakashydze and others. Jan Kucharzewski (1876-1952), Cover of the “Wschód/Orient” chairman of the Eastern Institute journal published by the Eastern in Warsaw, author of the 7-volume Institute in Warsaw, editor-in- work “Od białego caratu do chief W. Bączkowski (fot. Chełm The Eastern Institute in Warsaw, Tepper Palace, 7 Miodowa str. – presently czerwonego” Digital Library) the building does not exist (fot. Jarosław Zielinski’s archive) East European Research Institute in Wilno (1930-1939) Te creation of the institute was initiated by a group of professors at Stefan Batory Univer- sity in Wilno. Te institute’s main activity consisted of running the School of Political Sci- ence – three-year academic studies, whose most important elements were readings and lec- tures by national and foreign specialists. Its goal was the education and training of national teaching personnel, especially those working in eastern provinces of Poland. Within the framework of the scholarly activity of the East European Research Institute, academic studies on the Soviet system were divided into three areas of research: the Soviet economy, Soviet state legislation and national minority issues. Te most important and in- fuential members of the institute included, among others: Stefan Ehrenkreutz, Stanisław Swianiewicz, Władysław Wielhorski, Seweryn Wysłouch and Wiktor Sukiennicki. Wróblewski National Library in Wilno – the library housed the East European Research Institute and School of Political Science (photo: www.ua.mfa.lt) Logo of the School of Political Science run Stefan Ehrenkreutz Seweryn Wysłouch by the East European Wiktor Sukiennicki Stanisław Swianiewicz Władysław Wielhorski Stanisław Siedlecki (1880-1945), creator of (1900-1968), professor at Research Institute in (1901-1983), professor (1899-1997), professor of (1885-1967), director of (1877-1939), chairman of the Eastern Institute the Eastern Institute Wilno of the Eastern the Eastern Institute the Eastern Institute in the Eastern Institute in Wilno, was the last in Wilno. After the Institute in Wilno, in Wilno. He was taken Wilno, imprisoned by the in Warsaw head of Stefan Batory war, he served as later imprisoned by prisoner by the NKVD NKVD (1926-1939) University. He died in a professor at the the NKVD and was a witness to an NKVD prison in 1945 University of Wrocław the Katyn Massacre 2 1990-2015 ORIGINS Inspiration for the Centre can also be found in the Sovietological research carried out af- „OBÓZ” JOURNAL ter World War II, focused entirely within Polish émigré communities. It is especially worth noting the “Reduta” Eastern Institute in London, which published Te Eastern Review and Te organisational and intellectual roots of the Centre for East European Studies stem from ran so-called “Eastern Courses” – a series of open lectures and scholarly meetings. the underground journal Obóz (‘Camp’, as in ‘communist bloc’) established in 1981 and ed- ited throughout the 1980s by Jerzy Targalski, together with a small, sometimes changing Jerzy Giedroyć has undoubtedly been the single most infuential inspiration in the cre- group, which included Andrzej Ananicz, Kazimierz Stembrowicz, Marek Pernal, Wojciech ation of the Centre for East European Studies. He was the creator and head of the émigré Maziarski, Jan Malicki, Robert Bogdański, and later, also Leszek Hensel, Krzysztof Dębnicki, Institute of Literature, editor of the inordinately infuential publication “Kultura”, as well as Jolanta Sierakowska-Dyndo, Grażyna Gyłybow and Iwanyczo Gyłybow. From its inception, the author of the “ULB” concept – a conviction that Poland must cooperate with Ukraine, Obóz, as stated in its sub-heading, focused on the “problems of nations in the communist Lithuania and Belarus, and that gaining independence by these countries, as well as good bloc.” relations with Poland, are of key signifcance, not only in terms of the security of Poland, but indeed the entire region. Te Centre was created as a direct continuation of the work begun during the “Solidarność” (Solidarity) period (namely, Obóz), which later carried over into underground publications, but also into scholarly-organizational work (the underground East European Institute). Further covers of Obóz. Volumes 1-20 were published underground, while further Cover and table of contents of the first editions were published by the Centre for edition of Obóz East European Studies BIO – INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN OF OBÓZ Jan Malicki visiting Jerzy Giedroyć at Maisons Laffitte, 1990s BIO was published in 1985-1989. It prepared news bulletins for the underground press, which had an immense impact on the availability of news and information at the time. EAST EUROPEAN Te editing team included: Z. and A. Ananicz, R. Bogdański, A. Jarosiński, W. Maziarski, INSTITUTE (1983-1985) K. Turlejski, K. Stembrowicz, A. Zambrowski and others. Te foundation on which the Centre for East European Studies later built on was the East European Institute, established in autumn 1983 (Jan Malicki, as well as Jerzy Chmielewski, Stefan Rakows- ki i Jerzy Kumaniecki). Unfortunately, owing to the great difculty in creating a regular academic-analytical institu- tion underground – and especially due to the arrest of its creator – the initiative was forced to cease it activity for a num- ber of years. ZONA was a publication for Communist Cover of “BIO –Information Bloc countries no. 1, 1988. published Bulletin of Obóz” Document declaring the creation of the in Hungarian and Czech. Ukrainian edition underground East European Institute, 1983 was not published 3 1990-2015 CREATION OF THE CENTRE FOR EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES Afer 1989, it was decided that Obóz and its activities should be extended to include academic Somewhat later, afer the fall of the USSR, it was decided to change the name of the institute coursework, thus continuing the eforts of the underground Institute of Eastern Europe. In to the Centre for East European and Central Asian Studies. It was then modifed to its cur- 1990, thanks to the kindness of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, rent name – the Centre for East European Studies. the Seminar for Ethnic Problems of the Soviet Union and Central & Eastern Europe was es- tablished under the academic supervision of Professor Tadeusz Majda, an expert in Turkish issues. Tis new entity was initiated by Andrzej Ananicz, Jan Malicki, and supported by Ta- deusz Majda. Te Centre’s frst “headquarters” were located in the ofce of Prof. Majda, who became its frst director. From left to right: Zofia Ananicz, Prof. Tadeusz Majda, Dr. Andrzej Ananicz Project for the creation of the Seminar for Ethnic Problems of the Soviet Union and Central & Eastern Europe Official minutes from the meeting of the Senate of the University of Warsaw on 5 December 1990, during which the creation of the Centre for East European Studies was unanimously Letter from UW Rector, Prof. Andrzej Kajetan Wróblewski, to the Dean of the Faculty of accepted Neophilology confirming the Centre’s change of name 4 1990-2015 THE CENTRE’S EARLY YEARS Jan Malicki with the Centre’s first mobile Professor Marek Śliwiński, 1994 phone, donated by Centertel and weighing nearly half a kilogram Initially, the Centre only organized annual seminar and open lectures. Despite a difcult frst few years, the Centre’s contribution to Eastern issues was recognized by numerous renowned lecturers, who generously ofered their expertise to the Centre without recom- pense. One of them was Prof. Marek Śliwiński, who was the frst to regularly come to lec- ture at the Centre while still employed as a lecturer at the University of Geneva. Report summarizing the activities of the Centre and its future plans, 1991 The Centre’s curriculum for the 1992-93 academic year 5 1990-2015 EAST EUROPEAN SUMMER SCHOOL Te East European Summer School is the Centre’s oldest initiative. It was established in 1991 and started ofering courses as part of a three-week international visiting scholarship programme in 1992. Each July, the Summer School ofers academic sessions designed for