Kelet-Közép-Európai Történet- és Kultúratudományi Intézet (GWZO) – Leibniz Institut Leibniz-Instytut Historii i Kultury Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej (GWZO) Leibniz-inštitút pre históriu a kultúru strednej a východnej Európy (GWZO) Leibniz-ústav pro dějiny i kulturu střední a východní Evropu (GWZO) Institutul-Leibniz pentru studiul istoriei şi culturii în Europa Centrală şi de Est (GWZO) Ляйбніц-Інститут історії та культури Центральної та Східної Європи (ГВЦО) Лейбниц-Институт истории и культуры Центральной и Восточной Европы (ГВЦО) Կենտրոնական և Արևելյան Եվրոպայի պատմության և մշակույթի Լայբնից ինստիտուտ (ԳՎԶՕ)
The GWZO
The Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) focuses on the region between the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea. Its researchers explore this region’s particularities, transformations and relationships in an ever-more globalised world from Late Antiquity to the present day. The collaboration of experts working in different humanities disciplines and coming from different backgrounds is the source of vast and deep knowledge about Eastern Europe. The institute’s staff share their research results with scholars and the public through the publication of scholarly studies and guidebooks, as well as the organisation of exhibitions and events and the preparation of digital knowledge resources. In this way, the GWZO’s activities shed new light on past and current trends in Eastern Europe.
News
Leipzig Declaration
»Leipzig as a scientific centre takes a stance against anti-democracy and right-wing extremism: For academic freedom, human rights and democracy«
The academic institutions in the region of Leipzig, including the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO), are taking a firm stand against attacks on our democracy. Respect for the dignity of all people, the free and democratic basic order, plurality, tolerance, international exchange and diversity are prerequisites for our coexistence on campus, for successful research and the best study conditions.
Now out: Volume 5 of the GWZO Handbook on the History of Art
How does art react to war, destruction and upheaval? Volume 5 of the GWZO Handbook on the History of Art in Central and Eastern Europe, entitled »1570–1670: From the Renaissance to the Baroque«, is dedicated to art created during the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque in the region. This period was characterised by numerous conflicts and migratory movements, leading to intensive artistic exchange. The volume explores a multifaceted artistic landscape resulting from these processes.
This comprehensive work was edited by Agnieszka Gąsior, Director of the Silesian Museum in Görlitz and a former GWZO member of staff, and Marius Winzeler, Director of the Green Vault and the Armoury at the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD). Published by the Deutscher Kunstverlag, the book is available for purchase here:
Looking Back on the VOH Colloquium »Teaching Eastern European History in Times of Crisis«
This year's colloquium of the Verband der Osteuropahistorikerinnen und -historiker (VOH) took place in Marburg from 20 to 22 February 2025. Organised by our deputy director, Prof. Dr Julia Herzberg, and Ingrid Schierle (University of Tübingen), the colloquium focused on an interdisciplinary exchange of views on university teaching in times of war, disinformation and AI. The event captured the perspectives of students and people engaged in Slavic studies. Our GWZO colleagues Svitlana Telukha and Dorothee Riese presented the oral history project on the history of the city of Kharkiv and their contribution has been published with the title ‘The wounded city’ in the online journal Copernico.
Newly published: Brochure »Leibniz Research Network Central and Eastern Europe Expertise – Collaborations – Knowledge Transfer«
Since 2015, the Leibniz Research Network Eastern Europe has brought together over twenty institutes of the Leibniz Association that focus on or work on projects related to Eastern Europe or with Eastern European partners. This means that the network has the strongest expertise in research related to Central and Eastern Europe within German non-university science.
The network's new brochure has been published and is now available for digital viewing in both English and German. It offers a compact overview of the diverse activities of the institutes connected in the network. The network's spokesperson is GWZO Director Prof. Dr. Maren Röger, and it is coordinated by our GWZO colleague Dr. Magda Wlostowska.
GWZO at the »Long Night of the Sciences«
The »Long Night of the Sciences« Leipzig will take place on 20 June 2025. Over 50 research institutions in Leipzig will participate and showcase their research in various formats. The GWZO will also be participating in an exciting programme.
30 Years of GWZO: Anniversary Celebrations Look to the Future
The Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) celebrated its 30th anniversary on 22 and 23 May 2025. As part of the anniversary conference entitled »On not knowing: Thirty Years of Research on Central and Eastern Europe«, numerous guests from academia, politics and society came together to honour three decades of interdisciplinary, cross-epochal research and international academic exchange. There was also a focus on upcoming projects, including the new Leipzig-based Junior Research Group »Global Armenia/ns. Entangled Histories of Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus« and the new GWZO department »Knowledge and Participation«, which will begin its work in Prague in late summer 2025.
A new promotional film, released during the celebrations, provides an overview of the GWZO’s history, key areas of focus and organisational structure.
Online exhibition »Destroyed Ukrainian Heritage«
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Ukraine's cultural heritage has also suffered immense losses. Kyiv architectural historian Dr. Semen Shyrochyn, in collaboration with the GWZO, has curated the English-language online exhibition »Destroyed Ukrainian Heritage. Ukraine's Built Heritage since February 24, 2022. A Record of Destruction«. It uses 40 selected examples from across Ukraine to show the extent and scope of the systematic destruction of Ukraine's built heritage. A podcast with further detailed information can be found here. Additionally, an analogue, roll-up version of the digital exhibition is touring Leipzig's district libraries. It is currently on display at the Volkmarsdorf district library.
Awarded article
Congratulations: The article »Early mediaeval lead glass bangles from Czerno, Poland: Results of elemental and lead isotopes analyses«, by our GWZO colleague Prof. Dr. Marcin Wołoszyn, among others, was awarded an honour. Published in April 2024 (Vol. 66, Issue 2), it is one of the most frequently cited articles in the renowned journal »Archeometry« in 2024.
The article examines the origin of 30 glass bangles dating from the 12th to 13th centuries. The international team of scientists successfully classified two types of lead glass. Using isotopic analyses, they were able to prove, among other things, that the lead flow for one of the glasses probably originated from the Kraków-Upper Silesia region in southern Poland.
ERC SynG “EUROpest”: GWZO involved in international consortium
The Leibniz Institute for History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) is part of a new research project that will be funded by the European Commission and the European Research Council from mid-2025: At the European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant »EUROpest«. Under the title »A Novel Understanding of Pandemic Disease in Preindustrial Europe (1300-1800): Combining History, Machine Learning and Natural Sciences«, the project will be launched in the middle of next year. It brings together ten leading research institutions from Europe and the USA – including the GWZO, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, JLU Giessen and Georgetown University in Washington. »EUROpest« is dedicated to the question of why one and the same virus, bacterium or pathogen can have completely different biological and social consequences depending on the social and historical context. In an interdisciplinary collaboration, geneticists, climatologists, archaeologists, historians and ecologists will investigate over 50 historical epidemics in Europe – from the plague in the Middle Ages to the introduction of the smallpox vaccine at the beginning of industrialization. The consortium is coordinated by the University of Warsaw under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Adam Izdebski. Further information will be available soon.
Frieden für die Ukraine
Unsere Gedanken sind bei unseren ukrainischen Kolleg*innen und Freund*innen. Auf Befehl Putins hat das russische Militär am 24. Februar 2022 ein Land im Herzen Europas angegriffen, mit dessen Wissenschaftler*innen wir vielfältige Kooperationen pflegen, in dem Freund*innen, Kolleg*innen und Familienmitglieder unserer Mitarbeiter*innen leben. Wir sind in Sorge als Menschen und alarmiert als Wissenschaftler*innen, dass massive Geschichtsklitterung als Vorwand für eine völkerrechtswidrige Invasion dient. Wir appellieren an die deutsche Öffentlichkeit, beim Blick auf das östliche Europa ihren Expert*innen und nicht Geschichtsfälschungen zuzuhören. Wir hoffen mit den Menschen in der Ukraine auf das Ende der Aggression, verbeugen uns vor ihrem Einsatz und vor den vielen Menschen in Russland und Belarus, die trotz aller Gefahren offen Kritik üben.
