Communist Rule Research Articles

Geschichte und Leben eines Textes: Über die Erklärung Zur Problematik der Aussiedlung der Sudetendeutschen aus 1995

The article recalls the publication and historical context of the Declaration on the Question of the Expulsion of the Sudeten Germans, which was adopted as an official statement by the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (ECCB) in 1995. The document dealt with the past and present of relations between Czechs and Germans, in particular with the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans from the Czechoslovak border regions after the Second World War. The ECCB’s declaration was intended to express the fact that the two nations caused each other considerable harm during this period. However, a common future is only possible through mutual reconciliation, forgiveness and a joint endeavour to overcome historical injustice. The creation of the declaration was a reaction to the context at the time, when the aim was to find a new way of co-operation between Czechs and Germans after the revolution of 1989. After forty years of communist rule in Czechoslovakia, mutual antipathy was once again widespread among the public. The Sudeten German Landsmannschaft was a key group in this respect. The authors of the Declaration on the Question of the Expulsion of the Sudeten Germans faced criticism, mainly because of historical inaccuracies or an alleged unnecessary humiliation of the Czechs towards the Germans. Nevertheless, the document was largely favourably received by the public and politicians and was gratefully received by the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Subsequently, the declaration was taken as inspiration for further work on the topic and, in cooperation with the EKD, a Protestant anthology on the subject was produced.

Practical aspects of morphological research in urban renewal projects

The small towns of North-Eastern Germany suffered great losses in historic buildings and economic dynamics during the Second World War and the subsequent decades of communist rule. Since 1990, these communities have suffered a major decrease in the number of inhabitants, resulting in a large number of buildings being empty. To adjust the urban structure to twenty-first century standards and regain economic vitality, both regional and local governments are supporting urban renewal projects. Sites inside medieval town centres are under pressure to amalgamate and be recreated as large-scale developer architecture or to fall into ultimate decay. As part of the study of medieval urban structures, a study of the site of the former Holy Spirit Hospice (Heiligengeist-Quarter) of Woldegk has been carried out. This paper shows how contextualization and a re-definition of the site, based on historic narratives developed by morphological research, inspired authorities and stakeholders to initiate a narrative-based development of the site. It demonstrates that urban renewal, based on historic narratives, creates wide public support for contemporary redevelopment in small urban communities. It further shows how morphological research is contributing to the establishment of relevant narratives.

Two Communist Esperantists: A Bulgarian-Japanese Dialogue

The Japanese Kurisu Kei (1910–2009) and the Bulgarian Nikola Aleksiev (1909–2002) never met. They were devoted to communism (for which they were imprisoned several times) and at the same time enthused about Esperanto. In 1933–34, Kurisu received a coded warning from a Soviet citizen (a veteran Communist and Esperantist) against Stalin’s terror regime. Kurisu put this experience aside for a long time. In the 1930s, he used Esperanto to spread Georgi Dimitrov's plea for an anti-fascist popular front in Japan. He became a renowned translator from Czech literature and maintained a worldwide correspondence. It was not until 1951 that he left the Japanese Communist Party. His Esperanto involvement contributed significantly to the departure from communist beliefs. In 1992, after the collapse of the Eastern bloc, he got in touch with Aleksiev, who had been a leading figure for the party in Bulgaria and for the Esperanto movement as well. Kurisu accused him of having unswervingly defended the imperialist policy of the Soviet Union. Aleksiev exercised some self-criticism. He admitted that communist rule had not been brought down by the class enemy , but by its own mistakes and crimes , and recalled an old taboo: the murder of Soviet Esperantists under Stalin.

Development and applications of computer science in Poland during the communist rule

Development and applications of computer science in Poland during the communist rule

Blurring the Boundaries of Governance: China’s Work Teams in Comparative Perspective

A notable feature of Chinese Communist rule, from revolutionary days on, has been the blurred boundaries of its governance mechanisms. The lines separating formal from informal, legal from illegal, and state from societal have – at least until quite recently – proven exceptionally permeable. This paper focuses on an especially fluid and flexible means of Chinese Communist governance: the deployment of mobile task forces, or “work teams,” for both routine and crisis policy implementation. Directed by higher-levels of the party-state to advance a specific mission at the grassroots, work teams mobilize society in a manner that reflects the continuing influence of China’s revolutionary experience. The paper assesses the contributions and costs of this “campaign-style” of governance in comparison to the practices of other Communist and non-Communist systems, past and present.

“Determined to prove a villain”

Abstract Shakespeare’s play Richard III represents a fascinating phenomenon from the perspective of critical disability studies. On the one hand, his portrayal stands at the root of the much-criticised link between evil intentions and a physical deformity; on the other, the play allows Richard to reclaim some of the agency of his own corporeality, as he uses his body to gain his political goals. Translations of this play inevitably mirror contemporary views of non-normative bodies, and the two Slovak versions of the play marking the immediate aftermath of World War II and the last years of the communist rule in former Czechoslovakia provide an ideal ground for observing these shifts against the backdrop of significant sociopolitical changes. This article explores how the subtle nuances in individual translated versions reshape Richard’s image, and ultimately highlights the changing historical narratives of disability translated for different generations of Slovak readers and theatregoers.

ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL AT PRAGUE CASTLE DURING THE PERIOD OF NORMALIZATION

This paper deals with the building modifications in the building of the Cathedral of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas, St. Adalbert and St. Mary during the period of normalization - the 1970s and 1980s. This period has so far been neglected by researchers, although many articles and publications have been written about the history, development and artistic decoration of the cathedral. Normalization, like the entire period of communist rule in Czechoslovakia, meant the oppression of church leaders, the suppression of sacred themes in religious buildings and in everyday life. Nevertheless, the cathedral was the scene of necessary reconstruction works, as well as modifications aimed at improving the use of space and interventions based on the change of the Roman Catholic liturgy. St. Vitus Cathedral is the most important Catholic church in the Czech Republic, formerly in Czechoslovakia, and even earlier in the Czech Kingdom. Its construction, spanning almost 700 years, demonstrates the development in culture, technical possibilities, architectural and building art. The cathedral is an essential part of the Prague Castle complex and the Hradčany panorama. Prague Castle was and still is the center of secular and ecclesiastical power. This connection was symbolically fulfilled by the most important ruler ceremonies (coronations, funerals, marriages, christenings), which took place in the cathedral. One of the most beautiful and most photographed views of Hradčany is dominated by the silhouette of Prague Castle and especially the cathedral. The St. Vitus Cathedral rises from the base formed by the uniform design of the facades of Prague Castle, which was created during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. For a long time the cathedral itself looked like a torso, as only the bell tower with a Renaissance and later Baroque helmet was built. The transept and the towers in the facade were not completed until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On the basis of archival research, interviews with witnesses and the study of specialist literature, the reader is introduced to the interventions in St. Vitus Cathedral and the associated change in the space for the celebration of the liturgy, as well as the space for ordinary visitors to this church during the period under study. Further attention is given to the unrealised designs and other sacred buildings in the grounds of the Castle.

Text, time, and travel: temporal pathways of postsocialism and Islam

AbstractAs the concept of postsocialism faces increased scrutiny, there is a call to expand its spatiotemporal scope beyond socialist contexts in order to reclaim its analytical capacity. In Azerbaijan, the quiet resurgence of tezkirahs – biographical anthologies rooted in both the Islamic and Soviet traditions – presents an opportunity to explore how former Soviet citizens can bridge different histories, countries, and cultural traditions to nurture an expansive sense of collective presence and moral dignity after seventy years of communist rule and disconnect. These texts help Azerbaijanis chart their diverse roots in the former imperial domains of Persians, Turks, and Russians and absorb them into their vision of who they once were and could be again. Writers and readers of tezkirahs establish connections to non‐socialist pasts and places through what I refer to as temporal pathways, where traversing time becomes a journey to another place, and vice versa. By exploring this spatialized historical sensibility through the capacious ethnographic‐textual lens of an Islamic genre, this article sheds fresh light on postsocialist possibilities.

Disease Prevention in a Communist State and the Second Epidemiological Transition: The Case of Post-war Poland

Abstract This article examines the issue of disease prevention in Poland under communist rule. The analysis is primarily focused on the second epidemiological transition – the process of displacing infectious diseases as the main cause of morbidity and mortality by chronic and degenerative conditions. The epidemiological transition coincided with the establishment of the new authorities and the stabilization of the socio-political order that the communists had introduced. This text will explore the interdependence of the political system and prophylaxis. Two interrelated problems are identified: the first is the role of the state in curbing infectious diseases; and the second is the ability of state institutions to identify and respond to new threats. The latter issue is considered in relation to the sharp rise in the incidence of cancer. This article demonstrates that the relationship between state and individual inherent in the authoritarian communist state was reflected in the ways in which prevention policies operated.

“Losers” in the Age of Democratization

Studies have shown that socialization under communist rule is related to pro-authoritarian tendencies. This article argues that such tendencies are largely facilitated by “transitional legacies”—the enduring effects of life experiences following the regime change that occurred in post-communist countries. A sharp decline in socioeconomic status among the privileged class under the former regime strongly predicts anti-democratic and pro-authoritarian attitudes in the contemporary period. Conversely, those who have managed to maintain their statuses exhibit no significant opposition to democratic values. Using the data from the Life in Transition Survey (LiTS), this study demonstrates that across post-Soviet countries, the attitudes of these “losers” are remarkably consistent, irrespective of their current regime types.

Cold War Austria and Migration from Eastern Europe: Refugees and Labor Migrants

Abstract This article revisits Austria's migration history from the end of World War II until the end of the Cold War. Recent research has challenged the persistently commemorated welcoming Austrian attitude toward refugees who had been living under communism. The initial humanitarian efforts in 1956 and 1968, respectively, were remarkable. However, an analysis beyond the first weeks of both events reveals that (though to different degrees) public and political attitudes toward refugees took a negative turn. Throughout the 1970s, asylum for dissidents was portrayed as a continuation of the country's humanitarian tradition. However, in 1981, refugees from Poland were immediately perceived as unwanted labor migrants. In 1989/90, the scenario was similar: while the transiting East German refugees were welcomed, migrants from other countries (like Romania) were not. In the early 1990s, Austria decided on a reform of its asylum and foreigner policies. But when and why did the (supposedly welcome) refugees from countries under communist rule turn into unwelcome labor migrants? The analysis in this article explores the potential impact of the age of détente and the repercussions of the 1970s economic crises and the resulting end to active recruitment of foreign workers.

A Realist and a Prophet: The Role of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński during Communist Rule in Poland

Largely thanks to the outstanding personality and leadership talents of Cardinal Wyszyński and his great authority, the Catholic Church in Poland did not fully submit to the Communist power; in contrast, it not only retained but also significantly increased its influence in society. The plan to break up the church and atheise Poles ended in defeat, and the primate of the millennium played a key role in this failure. Thanks to the pastoral programmes he prepared and carried out, the Catholic faith and attachment of Poles to the church deepened significantly. This movement can also be traced to an increase in independent and oppositional attitudes towards the authorities of the Polish People’s Republic, which significantly gained strength in the 1970s, the most important expression of which was the establishment in 1980 of the Solidarity social movement. It was this significant role of the church that distinguished Poland from other countries in the Soviet bloc, which did not have a leader of such stature as Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński.

Whistleblower’s Rights in a Legal Investigation: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities in Albania

Background: This article examines the issues, possibilities, and methods associated with whistleblowing in Albania. Transparency and accountability became increasingly important as the country moved from communist rule to democracy. The passage of the Whistleblower Protection Law in 2016 laid the groundwork for recognising and protecting whistleblowers. This article discusses the legal framework of Law No. 60/2016, as well as other legal initiatives, in the light of the rights and protection provided for whistleblowers, following up with an administrative investigation and criminal proceeding. However, despite these legal strides, whistleblowing is hindered by several issues, including a lack of public awareness, a continuing fear of retaliation, limited legislative safeguards, and resource restrictions among whistleblower-handling organisations. As Albania continues to grapple with these challenges and seize the opportunities at hand, the challenge stands in strengthening the culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability. Commitment to this critical part of governance not only strengthens whistleblower practices but also adds to the fight against corruption and the rule of law. This article concludes with recommendations on turning challenges into opportunities and strengths through the right governance and tools, aligning with the best international practices. Methods: The methodology applied for exploring whistleblowing practices in Albania included a thorough assessment of relevant legal texts, legislative frameworks, and academic literature. Primary sources included a careful review of Albanian whistleblower legislation, emphasising clauses covering rights, safeguards, and processes. This legal research offered a solid grasp of the statutory systems in place to facilitate whistleblowing practices in the nation. Furthermore, a thorough assessment of academic papers, reports from international organisations, and case studies was carried out to capture the practical consequences and obstacles faced by whistleblowers in Albania. This multidimensional approach enabled a full analysis of the theoretical underpinnings as well as real-world uses of whistleblower mechanisms in the Albanian setting. Results and conclusions: The whistleblower practice in Albania has encountered many challenges, but improvements have been made to guarantee access to justice. The main problem that the whistleblower faces is retaliation, which creates such a fear that most will choose to stay silent in the face of injustice or illegal acts. Another issue is certainly job insecurity because many can’t afford to switch jobs or find jobs that meet their criteria. Some recommendations for improving whistleblowing practices and guaranteeing more protection for vulnerable subjects include whistleblower training, strengthening the whistleblower network, evaluating results often and putting financial safeguards in place.

Kyrill Kunakhovich. Communism’s Public Sphere: Culture as Politics in Cold War Poland and East Germany. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2022

The enduring interest in exploring the regimes of public spheres within communist societies has not waned in recent years. Much of this can be attributed to communism’s constraints on free expression, rendering cultural domains as almost the sole platforms for public spheres. In his book, historian Kyrill Kunakhovich, who specializes in contemporary Central and Eastern Europe, sheds light on the political role played by cultural spaces under communist regimes. By focusing on Leipzig (former East Germany) and Kraków (Poland) as comparative units of analysis, Kunakhovich traces the evolution of state-society relationships within cultural realms under the communist rule, from the arrival of the Red Army in Eastern Europe in 1944 to the reunification of Germany in 1990. The author explores how these interactions reshaped the sociopolitical landscapes of both countries and brought about transformations in communist politics. Employing a comparative and transnational historical approach, Kunakhovich transcends the mere juxtaposition of national case studies examining them in tandem, a perspective that “inevitably highlights the contrasts between them” (p. 16). Given the limitation of comparative case studies that may not fully encompass the entirety of the panorama, the book seeks to illuminate the dynamics within both countries’ public spheres as they manifested in communist cultural spaces. Text in English

Work Motivation under Communist Rule: Heritage from the Past in Modern Public Sector Organisations

Abstract Applying retrospective design methodology, the article adds to our knowledge about inherited organisational values and their impact on management policies and practices. Questioning the label of Central and Eastern European workforce as low-motivated, shirking and passive, this article outlines the historical context of work motivation in former communist countries, investigating to what extent the motivation in public service organisations today may be explained by the past. It employs a framework developed by Vandenabeele et al. (2013) that connects management intentions to organisational and employee outcomes to analyse the malfunctions of the former rewards system and to examine how those impairments continue to influence public sector motivation today. Confirming Inglehart’s ‘scarcity’ theory, this article demonstrates that the several decades that passed after the fall of communism were insufficient in completely overcoming communist heritage. Malfunctions of the centralised communist motivation system resulted from the discordance between the management intentions and actions. Dysfunctions of monetary-based incentive schemes caused overwhelming work lethargy of shirking employees, who were discouraged from being creative or displaying initiative. Such patterns have still been observable at some public organisations in former Soviet countries. Thus, the past centralisation of the state continues to determine individual work motivation in public sector domains even today.

VAŽNOST NAČELA KONTINUITETA I PRIMATA DRŽAVLJANSTVA U POSTUPCIMA DENACIONALIZACIJE NA PRIMJERU SLUČAJA GROFA DRAŠKOVIĆA

In denationalization procedures, that is, the right to compensation and/or return of confiscated property according to the Law on Compensation for Property Confiscated During the Yugoslav Communist Rule, the question of nationality is (was) extremely important. Namely, from 1996 to 2002, foreign nationals did not have the right to be entitled to compensation. Since 2002, the holder of the right to compensation is any previous owner, regardless of nationality, whose right to compensation for confiscated property is not regulated by an intergovernmental agreement. Therefore, the question of nationality is still important for the possibility of instigating denationalization procedures. In the mentioned procedures, until 2002, the question could arise as to whether a person was a Croatian national or not, that is, after 2002, the question could arise as to whether a person was a national of a state with which there is an intergovernmental agreement on compensation for confiscated property. In determining the nationality of a potential recipient of compensation, two principles of nationality law are extremely important - the principle of continuity and the principle of the primacy of nationality. The paper will analyze these two principles and their application in the denationalization process will be shown in the case of count Drašković.

Jakša Kušan’s Forgotten Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Croatia

Croatian journalist and writer Jakša Kušan (1931–2019) was one of the most prominent Croatian émigré dissidents. By editing and publishing the non-partisan magazine Nova Hrvatska (New Croatia), he tried to inform the global public about the suppression of human rights and civil liberties in socialist Yugoslavia, even under constant threat of being attacked by the Yugoslav secret police. After the fall of communism, he returned to Croatia and continued his work in the media and the civil sector for a brief time. In this article, I offer an overview of the most relevant of Kušan’s oppositional activities during the period of communist rule in Croatia and Yugoslavia and consider the roles and impact of his activities. I also venture some explanation as to why his life and work have mostly been forgotten in today’s Croatia. One possible answer to this question could be his complex relationships with the Croatian dissidents who won the first multiparty elections in Croatia in 1990. My discussion is based on the findings of the COURAGE project (Cultural Opposition – Understanding the Cultural Heritage of Dissent in the Former Socialist Countries), oral history sources, and archival documents of the Yugoslav secret police.

Najbardziej dotkliwy socjalny powód niezadowolenia społecznego w Polsce „ludowej”. Polityka mieszkaniowa komunistów w latach 1944–1970

The article concerns selected aspects of the housing policy of “people’s” Poland, due to the adaptation of new legal regulations regarding the housing market in the post-Stalinist period. They are shown against the background of normative acts and the actual situation in the first, post-war decade of communist rule in Poland. The actual exclusive electrical installation was also presented: Elbląg and Wąbrzeźno. The basis of the article was the literature on the subject, legal acts regarding housing management in the “Journal of Laws” and “Monitor Polski”, as well as archival documents, providing access to selected cities during the communist period for socio-economic purposes.

A Comparative Study on Political Trust in Transition Countries

This paper investigates the origin of political trust in post-communist Central European and Soviet Union countries. By comparing two competing theories that explain political trust, institutionalism, and socialization theory, the paper tried to explore which theory shows a higher explanatory power in the transitional context. The research employs ordinary least squares (OLS) methodology, using country and time as dummies to control for unobserved heterogeneity. The main independent variable is constructed based on the ‘cohort effect,’ representing years of experience of communist rule. The study explores the role of socialization, institutionalism, and labor market experiences as determinants of political trust. Findings indicate that socialization under communism resisted democracy and market economy adoption, but economic and political situations played a more significant role in shaping political trust. Additionally, being employed in the state sector or self-employed during the transition period positively influenced political trust levels. This research sheds light on the intricate factors influencing political trust in the aftermath of significant institutional transformations in post-communist countries.

Obraz lat 50. XX wieku w prozie epistolarno­‑wspomnieniowej Antonína Bajaji "Nad piękną modrą Dřevnicą"

The purpose ofthe paper is the interpretation of the novel Nad piękną modrą Dřevnicą by Antonin Bajaja in terms of the image of the Stalinist period in Czechoslovakia. The interpretive perspective has been determined by the theory of letter (Stefania Skwarczyńska and Anita Całek), the category of autobiographical memory, autobiographical place, as understood by Małgorzata Czermińska, as well as autotherapy through work with memory. By bringing back memories in the letters to his sister, the narrator updates the concept of his identity and reshapes his self­‑awareness, which was manipulated in his childhood by the communist propaganda. The mechanisms behind this propaganda are revealed years later by the protagonist­‑narrator. The schizophrenic type of life under communist rule has been illustrated by the example of the family and city Zlina/Gottwaldova.