Leisure under Control?: The Politicisation of Popular Entertainment in the Multiethnic Cities of Warsaw, Poznan and Lviv 1890-1914 

In the decades around 1900, popular entertainment became a central component of urban life. While there are already numerous studies on this topic for the cities of western Europe, entertainment cultures are only a marginal phenomenon in research on the cities of eastern Europe. So far, research has focused mainly on opera houses and national theatres and their role in processes of nationalisation. However, this research reproduces the already- established narratives of national conflict. Without the integration of entertainment cultures, an essential part of everyday life is missing in the historiography of East-Central European cities. Their integration can help to recontour the image of these cities around 1900. The project examines a broad spectrum of popular urban entertainment in Warsaw, Poznan and Lviv. This approach promises new perspectives on public spheres and communication in urban spaces. The central question is to what extent political conflicts in these multiethnic cities affected everyday urban life.