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Friday 14 April 2023
08.30 - 10.30
M-9
ETH05
Microhistorical Approaches to the 20th Century: Transatlantic Perspectives
C32
Constantin Iordachi :
Living in Hideout: the Biography of a Rebel Peasant in Communist Romania
This paper concentrates on the life story of a peasant from Northern Moldavia, who lived in hideout for no less than 22 years, from 1949 to 1971, fearing repression for his participation to a violent anti-collectivization revolt. I argue that, beyond the “sensationalist” aspects of this life trajectory—amply reported in ... (Show more)This paper concentrates on the life story of a peasant from Northern Moldavia, who lived in hideout for no less than 22 years, from 1949 to 1971, fearing repression for his participation to a violent anti-collectivization revolt. I argue that, beyond the “sensationalist” aspects of this life trajectory—amply reported in the post-communist media--, this story is symptomatic for the intricate relationship between the peasantry and the Communist Party-State. Based on oral interviews, the peasant's autobiography, and secrete police sources, the paper explores issues related to notions of violence, legality, personhood and morality in a communist village but also the construction of notions of heroism and resistance in postcommunist times. The paper employs a biographical approach and is in line with the current tendency to shift the research focus on land collectivization from macro- to micro-social perspectives. (Show less)
Anna Mazurkiewicz :
Transatlantic Crossings in the Life of a Polish American: between Sentimental Engagement and Career Options
This paper delves into a single life-story in order to unveil career trajectories in the U.S. diplomacy, military, intelligence and their intersection with the ethnic background of an individual. William J. Tonesk (1906-1992) was born in the United States to a Polish American family. He knew the language, studied the ... (Show more)This paper delves into a single life-story in order to unveil career trajectories in the U.S. diplomacy, military, intelligence and their intersection with the ethnic background of an individual. William J. Tonesk (1906-1992) was born in the United States to a Polish American family. He knew the language, studied the literature and culture, visited the region, all of which made him a suitable candidate for many programs that the U.S. government inaugurated since the outbreak of WWII. I look into Tonesk‘s motivations, opportunities and agency observing him navigate through the four decades of the Cold War continuously as a useful asset to governmental programs. His Odyssey includes postings on four continents, only to return to the Polish-centered programs in the U.S. itself. (Show less)
Victoria Phillips :
Biography as Microhistory, 1917-1945-1953-1989: Ruptures in War, Love, and Death in Europe and the United States
This paper uses the analytical spine of microhistory to analyze Eleanor Lansing Dulles, a politically prominent and powerful yet overlooked woman. Periodizing her life using traditional cradle-to-grave biographical analysis shows a woman who navigated two World Wars and the Cold War looped into cultural battles with sexism, nationalism, elitism, and ... (Show more)This paper uses the analytical spine of microhistory to analyze Eleanor Lansing Dulles, a politically prominent and powerful yet overlooked woman. Periodizing her life using traditional cradle-to-grave biographical analysis shows a woman who navigated two World Wars and the Cold War looped into cultural battles with sexism, nationalism, elitism, and prejudice. Yet using the framework of potent and historically notable years gives the woman agency. Dulles put herself in France to support the Allies in WWI, arriving even before US army troops in 1917, and with some sympathy for the Bolshevik Revolution. After Hitler committed suicide and before Germany surrendered, she immediately sailed to London to work on de-Nazification and reconstruction programs. In 1953, with the death of Stalin she intensified her efforts in Berlin, the divided city. In all cases, Dulles was not thrown by the winds of chance as a well-connected member of the American ruling elite. She made choices and took action during these moments of historical rupture. The paper asks how the use of a microhistorical spine shifts the practice of life-telling for the historian. (Show less)
Francis Raska :
At Home and In Exile: the Activities of Czechoslovak Journalist Antonín J. Liehm (1924-2020)
Antonín J. Liehm is widely recognized in the Czech Republic as a so-called public awakener in 1960s Czechoslovakia, when Communist Czechoslovakia was awakening from the Stalinist cultural slumber of the 1950s. Though Liehm became a Communist during the Second World War and welcomed the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in February ... (Show more)Antonín J. Liehm is widely recognized in the Czech Republic as a so-called public awakener in 1960s Czechoslovakia, when Communist Czechoslovakia was awakening from the Stalinist cultural slumber of the 1950s. Though Liehm became a Communist during the Second World War and welcomed the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in February 1948, he soon became disillusioned with Communist reality in his homeland. This resulted in his being dismissed from a number of positions in the 1950s and being reduced to a mere translator of approved foreign works. Having played a key role in the Prague Spring reforms of 1968, Liehm fled to the West after the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. For a short period, he was in Paris, but then went to the United States where he taught at various universities for over ten years. Throughout his years in exile, Liehm remained committed to socialist (not Communist) ideals. The purpose of this presentation is to provide listeners with a biographical sketch of Liehm’s thought and cultural activities at home and in exile. (Show less)
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