Call for papers

The 20^th century, plagued by two world wars, witnessing the rivalry between the world of democracy and the world of totalitarianism, also brought the biggest migrations in modern history which to a great extent were dictated by political reasons. They especially affected East-Central Europe from where about 30 million people emigrated in the years 1939-1946. After World War II most of them permanently stayed outside their home countries. Long years of Communist rule in East-Central Europe were the reason for new emigration waves after every political crisis. On the other hand many emigrants did not withstand the hardships of exile and decided to return. Political émigrés became an important factor exploited by both sides of the Cold War conflict.

The opening of secret archives of communist security services in the 1990s brought about a breakthrough in the research on the history of East-Central European political émigrés. Thus the activities of communist security services directed against political émigrés will be the central topic of an international conference planned for November 2008. The conference will proceed in English, German and Polish with simultaneous interpretation. The conference will be structured in 4 parts.

• Soviet patterns and directives from Moscow – operations against or involving Russian émigrés in the West (before, during and after the Second World War).
  An overview over the state and security apparatus structures involved in actions against émigrés from Soviet republics (Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine), Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania and Bulgaria.
• Case studies on communist countries’ actions against political émigrés in the West (Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian), émigré institutions and organisations (governments and other political representations in exile; centres of émigré civic and cultural life; Christian Democrat, Socialist, Agrarian and Liberal Internationals; Radio Free Europe Desks), as well as on special operations against selected individuals, working methods, etc.
• Western intelligence and counter-intelligence vis-à-vis East-Central European émigrés.

All those interested in attending the conference are invited – either as speakers or as participants of the discussion. The conference organizers will provide accommodation and board free of charge to authors of presentations as well as will reimburse them their travel expenses (all trains 2nd class, flight tickets economy class / APEX tariff). The conference organizers will also book hotel rooms at the conference venue for other participants of the conference (the number of rooms is limited).

The deadline for submitting registration form for authors of presentations is the 30th April 2008. Please attach an abstract of your presentation (up to 500 words) in German, Polish or English and a short biographical note to your registration form.

The registration forms from other participants will be accepted until the rooms at the conference venue run out but not later than the 30^th September 2008.

Please e-mail your registration form to: slawomir.lukasiewicz@ipn.gov.pl

or send it to the following address:

Dr Sławomir Łukasiewicz
Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, Oddział w Lublinie
Biuro Edukacji Publicznej
ul. Szewska 2
20-086 Lublin

tel. +48.81.53.63.464
fax: +48.81.53.63.462

Additional information:
http://www.ipn.gov.pl