Interwar Research Articles

The Promises and Perils of Periodization in Global History: Lessons from the Inter-War Era

The Promises and Perils of Periodization in Global History: Lessons from the Inter-War Era

Sociology of popular music in Czechoslovakia (1948–1989)

Abstract This article focuses on the history of the Czechoslovak sociology of popular music, which formed at the beginning of the 1960s. The article first examines the origins of thinking about ‘mass music genres’ in the Czech lands in the interwar period. It further discusses considerations of mass music genres and their audiences after World War II in light of the communist takeover in 1948, Stalinism of the 1950s and liberalisation of the 1960s. Finally, the article presents the situation after the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops in 1968. Based on analysis of archival sources and original theoretical texts, hitherto unknown in the context of Anglophone scholarship, this article seeks to show how the specific political background of the Central European state behind the Iron Curtain determined the foundation, scholarly focus and social role of the sociology of popular music and how it differed from the situation in Western capitalist countries.

An ‘obligation which we are not entitled to get rid of’: Competing Notions of Empire and the British Opposition to the Colonial Appeasement of Germany

ABSTRACT The Treaty of Versailles saw the defeated Germany’s colonies in Africa and the Pacific redistributed as ‘mandates’ of the League of Nations amongst the victors. Henceforth, the traditional notion of colonialism as an inherently exploitative endeavour would be substituted in these mandates by ‘trusteeship’. The British Empire was at its largest extent, but also saw the establishment of formal, institutional oversight of its treatment of those now under its control. The rise of Hitler in 1933 changed this entirely, with British ministers famously going to great lengths to reach a lasting settlement with Nazi Germany. Inevitably, they reached towards these mandates as a cheap way of easing Germany’s way into a permanent European peace settlement. Rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of the Nazi outlook, this attempt at colonial appeasement was met by vociferous opposition in among British imperialist Conservative MPs. By 1939, with the launch of the Colonial League, their numbers counted members of all parties, for a variety of reasons, as well as opposition groups in the colonies themselves. Largely understudied, a full analysis of this movement in Britain and the African colonies offers a fresh perspective on the changing rhetoric and conception of empire in the inter-war period.

Kwestia pańszczyzny i jej dziedzictwa w publicystyce i ideologii międzywojennego ruchu młodowiejskiego: wstęp do badań nad transformacjami pamięci o pańszczyźnie w okresie międzywojennym

The issue of serfdom and its legacy in the journalism and ideology of the inter-war rural youth movement: an introduction to the study of transformations of the memory of serfdom in the inter-war period The author of the article analyses references to serfdom in selected journalistic texts originating in the milieu of the inter-war rural youth movement, primarily the Union of Rural Youth of the Republic of Poland „Wici”. The memory of serfdom among post-serfdom generations of peasants is viewed as an example of „post-memory”, shaped not on the basis of their own experience, but on the basis of stories passed down from their ancestors. The author presents a number of arguments to substantiate the thesis that within the rural youth movement, and, especially, among the „Wici” members, the memory of serfdom became ideologised and instrumentalised. The issue of serfdom became an important part of the historical ideology developed by columnists associated with the organisation. It was also used in polemics against political opponents. The shape of the „post-memory” of serfdom within the rural youth movement was influenced less and less by intergenerational transmission, and more and more by the reception of several works, primarily Jakub Bojko’s Two Souls. It was assumed, after Bojko, that serfdom had a long-lasting impact on the mentality of peasants, including those from the post-serfdom generations. The moment of liberation from the influence of the „serf soul” as a result of the triumph of universal education was described by writers associated with the rural youth movement by means of three metaphors: darkness and light, sleep and awakening, as well as filth and cleanliness. In addition, the word „serfdom” became resemanticised and recontextualised in a variety of ways – it began to be used in meanings and contexts increasingly detached from the original ones, both economic and socio-cultural.

Partnership and Competition: The strategic alliance between Schneider et Cie and the Škoda Works during the Interwar Period

Strategic alliances play an important role in business. This article analyses the interwar relationship between two major European arms manufacturing enterprises – the Czechoslovak Škoda Works and its post First World War majority shareholder the French Schneider et Cie – from the Czechoslovak viewpoint, based chiefly on the extensive research of unpublished sources. This study illustrates the development of mutual relations using the example of exports of artillery material under the so-called Artillery Convention, which divided export territories between the two companies and was valid for most of the monitored period. Though relations between the companies were initially determined by the proprietary relationship, they gradually stabilised, and these functioning relations can be considered an example of a successful joint venture between the enterprises. Schneider’s involvement in Škoda was positive for Škoda and Czechoslovakia because it also contributed to Škoda’s attainment of a strong position in the international arms trade.

Tobacco Factories in Lublin: Past, Present, Future

Despite the highly detrimental effects of tobacco on human health, the trade in tobacco products has historically been, and is likely to remain, a highly profitable venture. This article presents the complex history of the former Tobacco Factories in Lublin, which were part of the Polish Tobacco Monopoly. During the interwar period, this sector generated up to 16% of the state’s revenue. The development of the facility was primarily driven by immense market demand, which fueled the rapid expansion of the Lublin factory. This expansion necessitated the acquisition of adjacent land and the construction of large buildings, reaching a peak area of approximately 100,000 square meters. The progression of the enterprise was not halted by the actions of War, rather production ceased due to a lack of raw materials for processing, not due to damage or looting of equipment. Development was ultimately arrested only after systemic changes occurred, rendering production unprofitable and leading the underfunded facility to declare bankruptcy. This paper also discusses the transformations that have taken place in recent years following the conclusion of the facility’s liquidation process. A new company acquired the property and gradually began investing in and attempting to revitalize this degraded area of the city, which possesses significant potential despite its limited opportunities. The article addresses the historical context of the site, its current state, and possible directions for the future development of this somewhat forgotten and greatly undervalued location on the map of Lublin.

“The Field of Endless Intrigue”: The Contest for North Iranian Oil, 1916–1947

Abstract The interwar period saw fitful attempts by British, American, French, and Russian interests to secure oil concessions for Iran’s northern provinces, in a region traditionally perceived as a Russian sphere of interest. Drawing on corporate as well as familiar state archives, this article argues that the contest over concessions in this region served political more than narrowly economic agendas. Although this contest was convoluted, repetitive, and ultimately inconclusive, it sheds light on the emergence of a world oil cartel, as well as the relations between oil-producing and oil-consuming countries before World War II. This article challenges familiar state-centered narratives of oil diplomacy and critiques the tendency to view the history of Iranian oil as one of all-out plunder by Britain and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. It outlines the political as well as intellectual obstacles—obstacles not only to achieving a more equitable allocation of Pahlavi Iran’s oil wealth prior to Mossadegh’s 1951 nationalization, but to conceptualizing what such an equitable allocation might have looked like.

The House of Baha’u’llah and the Struggle for Religious Visibility in Mandatory Iraq

Abstract This article analyses the struggle for possession of the House of Baha’u’llah in Baghdad during the 1920s and 1930s. One of the Bahai religion’s most sacred sites, the House of Baha’u’llah was the subject of protracted legal and political-diplomatic disputes following efforts by anti-Bahai activists to appropriate it from its Bahai custodians in 1921. The ensuing case touched almost every facet of the Iraqi judicial system, galvanised the international Bahai community and captured the attention of the British colonial state, the Iraqi government and the League of Nations. This article explores the causes and implications of the dispute, which can be considered one of the first incidents of religious persecution in modern Iraq. Rather than explaining the incident with reference to the intolerant attitudes of the Shi`i majority, the article argues for the role of the institutions of colonial modernity – the Mandates system, the new minorities regime, the praxis and discourse of colonial expansion, and the internationalism of the interwar period – for the unravelling of the case itself and for affecting modern, secular articulations of anti-Bahai prejudice.

Information of the Commandant of the Yambol Military Prison about the Prisoners, the Administration and the Office of the Prison within the Period 1938–1940

In this publication, we will present information and statistical data on the condition and status of prisoners in the Yambol Military Prison, orders for career development of employees and other reports in the period from 1938 to 1940, stored in Fund 16 of the State Military History Archive in the town of Veliko Tarnovo. In the course of our study we will focus on the data about the age and social composition of the prisoners and about the specific character of their sentences. Our main purpose is to present new touches from the history of the Yambol garrison (in the interwar period) and in particular of the Yambol Military Prison. After abolition of the military restrictions on Bulgaria in the summer of 1938, imposed by the victors of the First World War, the Bulgarian authorities proceeded to quickly restore the combat effectivеness of the Bulgarian Army, respectively its transition from a voluntary into conscript army.

THE RECEPTION OF RUDOLF STEINER, CÉLESTIN FREINET AND HELEN PARKHURST IN INTERWAR ROMANIA

The article presents a theoretical and comparative approach based on primary sources, including press articles and educational publications of the time, as well as secondary sources such as pedagogical works and compendiums. The research method encompasses a historical study, that involves analysing, contrasting and comparing sources. The research premise is that although the Romanian cultural environment was peripheral during the interwar period, there was nevertheless good readiness for pedagogical innovations from Europe and America. We chose to test this hypothesis through the pedagogical contributions of Steiner, Freinet, and Helen Parkhurst. Due to the increased influence and popularity of Maria Montessori, reflected in the large number of appearances in specialized publications and in the Romanian interwar press, she was not included in this study. Future studies will address the impact of Montessori in interwar Romania. The study shows that there was a desire in the interwar specialized publications to evolve beyond the rigidity and formality of traditional Herbartian approaches. The discussions included not only laudatory, but also critical and pragmatic assessments of Pestalozzi, Rein, Dewey, Piaget, Parkhurst, Montessori, and Freinet. The research premise is partially confirmed because, among the three modern educational alternatives specified in the title, Rudolf Steiner’s contributions were the least mentioned and appreciated in the Romanian literature during the interwar period. Steiner was more commonly known for his “anthroposophy” concerns rather than his pedagogical views. Upon Steiner’s death, Lucian Blaga wrote a laudatory article that briefly mentioned the Austrian educator’s educational views.

Analysis of the Governments Role in the Economic Crisis During the Interwar Period

An economic crisis or a financial crisis encompasses a broad variety of undesirable situations that impact the economy, including recession, inflation, and stagflation. Using two examples from the Interwar Period, this paper examines the role of the state and its reactions in response to economic crises. Both economic crises led to high unemployment, social unrest, and mass impoverishment in their respective countries. Similarly, both nations found their way out through strong government interventionism and legislative changes, resulting in greater state control over the market. This paper settles on two major economic crises from the early 20th century, hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic and the Great Depression of the United State, and take a further look at the causes of these crises, their impacts, and the state's efforts to overcome them. In conclusion, although two economic crises are specifically caused by different reasons under different backgrounds, both of the countries overcome the effects through more similar procedures. In short, both countries increased their government presence and level of interventionism in the economy. Especially in increasing government investments on public projects, such as infrastructure and improvement on social securities, appeared to be the solution for economic crises during the Interwar Period

Turbulent Takeoff—Hard Landing: State-Airline Relations and the Challenges of Early Commercial Aviation in Iran, 1923–1932

This article studies the rise and fall of commercial aviation in Iran, then known as Persia, between 1923 and 1932. Two airlines, the German Junkers Luftverkehr AG and Britain’s Imperial Airways, invested significant time and effort in developing air routes but eventually failed due to financial hardship and political intransigence. Exploring this erratic development, the article has two aims: first, to investigate the entangled history of two of the world’s oldest airlines and the challenges they navigated; and second, to assess the fraught relationship between state and business interests. The German and British airlines were rivals in Iran, but they became partly dependent on each other. Both airlines suffered from the global political dynamics of the interwar period while Junkers, in particular, also struggled financially. Meanwhile, the Iranian state had yet to decide whether to view the new technology with enthusiasm or concern. Its ambivalent and reluctant reaction had profound effects on the trajectories of Junkers and Imperial Airways. Assessing the capability of a nascent airline industry to develop viable business models outside of Europe, the article also serves as a case study revealing the headwinds airlines encountered in the earliest phase of commercial aviation.

“Bringing ‘The Magic Carpet Up to Date’: Imperial Airways in Iraq, 1920–1932”

Abstract Scholars working on mandate Iraq have demonstrated the centrality of indiscriminate air power in the British Empire's “policing” tactics, recognising an intimate link between the Royal Air Force and mandatory rule. Less clear, however, is how Iraq's emergence as a node in interwar commercial aviation routes was also the product of British control. Foregrounding the activities of the British airline Imperial Airways (1924–1939) sheds light on the imperial roots of air tourism in Iraq. Using government records and the archives of Imperial Airways—alongside popular press books, magazines, newspapers, and ephemeral promotional material—this article draws attention to how Imperial Airways’ proponents talked about air travel in Iraq both as a boon for the British Empire and as a means of “developing” the mandated state itself. In this latter vein, promoters of “air-mindedness” emphasised Iraq's antiquity for multiple ends. First, and perhaps most obvious, to make it more enticing for tourists. Second, they juxtaposed an image of Iraq as frozen in the past with aviation's modernising potential. Ultimately, in foregrounding civic aviation, this article aims to contribute to the nascent historiography of tourism in Iraq alongside broader debates about transportation infrastructure, culture, and empire in the interwar period.

IDENTITATEA CONFESIONALĂ A ROMÂNILOR GRECO-CATOLICI ÎN PERIOADA INTERBELICĂ – ELEMENTE ALE DISCURSULUI IDENTITAR

The Confessional Identity of Greek-Catholic Romanians in the Interwar Period - Elements of Identity Discourse. The paper analyzes the evolution of the confessional identity of the Greek-Catholic Church from Romania, in the Inter-Wars period. The discourse of identity of the Romanian Uniate Church has many themes originated in the works of the ecclesiastical elite from the mid 18th century. On the other hand, the period after the union of Transylvania with Romania placed the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church in a very different political, social and cultural context, becoming a minority inside the wider Romanian national community of an Orthodox majority. Thus, new elements were added to the confessional discourse of identity, strengthening the theme of belonging to the Catholic, Western, spiritual environment.

Antwerp's Joys: Diamonds, Jewish Immigrant Workers, and Labour Organization in the Interwar Period

Abstract In the 1920s, Eastern European Jewish immigrants settled in Antwerp and became economically active in the diamond industry. While historians have focused on the role of Jewish commerce and the development of the diamond industry in Antwerp, the role of Jewish labour has been paid only scant attention. The current article focuses on the specific economic position of Eastern European Jewish immigrant diamond workers in Antwerp. It sheds light on the social and working conditions under which Jewish immigrants laboured. The reaction of Belgian diamond workers and their union towards the arrival of Jewish immigrants in the industry is also discussed. Special interest is accorded to the attempts of Jewish political parties and the Diamantbewerkersbond van België (ADB, General Diamond Workers Union of Belgium) to unionize the new arrivals. In this way, the article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics between immigrant labour, union organization, and (imported) political ideologies in the attempts to integrate foreign workers within the industry.

The Paradoxes of Eurasianism. George Vernadsky, Exile Networks, and the Origins of American Ukrainian Studies

The article delves into a little-known role played by historian George Vernadsky, a prominent figure in the Eurasian intellectual movement, in shaping Ukrainian studies in North America both during and following the Second World War. By conducting research in the historian’s personal archives, it examines his extensive intellectual evolution – from his earlier strongly anti-Ukrainian views during the interwar period to his subsequent transformation into a fervent supporter of Ukrainian culture and history. Additionally, the article explores how his network of non-Russian connections played a crucial part in facilitating this transition.

Sprawozdanie i list Mieczysława Orłowicza o uroczystości Bożego Ciała w Myszyńcu 27 maja 1937 roku

The Feast of Corpus Christi in Myszyniec on May 27, 1937, went down in history as one of the best-documented events in Kurpie during the interwar period. This article presents two unknown sources on this topic. The author of both sources is Mieczysław Orłowicz, a well-known promoter of tourism. The quoted texts allow for a more detailed picture of the Corpus Christi procession in Myszyniec.

Visions of World Order in the Interwar Years: International Movements and the Quest for a Liberal Order

One of the most famous catchphrases to describe the First World War was H.G. Well's ‘war to end all wars’. Once an idealistic slogan, it is now mainly used sardonically as a tragic depiction of what felt at the time to be the longest and bloodiest war of the age. But Wells described what in 1914 seemed a plausible outcome of the war: this was expected to be the last great conflict between nations before an international order was finally established. This view was later shared by another well-known liberal internationalist, Alfred Zimmern, who advocated for a treaty that made war a crime in any circumstance and a covenant to substitute the old order of ‘power-politics’ with ‘responsibility-polities’. As one of the chief interpreters of the League of Nations (LON), Zimmern remains a symbol of the contradictions of the institution in its quest to establish a ‘new order’ through the rule of law. However, this new order was not destined to last, as the League's life was short, eventful and ultimately tragic.

‘A little knowledge is a dangerous thing’: Rural realities, professional ideals, and the forgotten history of cottage nursing c. 1880–1939

Abstract This paper examines the rise and fall of cottage nursing, a controversial approach to rural healthcare that was championed across the United Kingdom from the 1880s to the interwar period. Defying the strategies being used to professionalise nursing in urban centres, cottage nursing supporters argued that nurses for the rural poor should be recruited from the lowest social classes, given only the briefest training, and prepared to do both nursing and menial domestic work. Their critics espoused the noble ideal of providing the rural poor with only the best-trained lady district nurses from the apparent moral high ground, persuasively arguing that the ‘little knowledge’ given to cottage nurses was a ‘dangerous thing’ – both for patients and for the nursing profession. And yet, cottage nursing supporters boldly challenged this position, arguing that noble ideals and excellent standards could simultaneously be pursued on behalf of rural patients and at their expense.

New moderationism: medical discourses on alcohol and the decline of drunkenness in interwar Britain.

This article explores the significant yet underappreciated role of medical experts in consolidating the promotion of moderate drinking as a viable solution to Britain's alcohol problem during the interwar period. The country's experience with alcohol regulation in the First World War showed that widespread drunkenness could be effectively managed through policies that restricted the availability of alcohol and encouraged moderation. This realization weakened the political standing of the temperance movement, as support for alcohol prohibition and abstinence waned, leading to the liberalization of social attitudes towards drinking. Such circumstances facilitated the emergence of New Moderationism, a renewed policy approach that regarded moderate drinking as relatively benign while cautioning against the dangers of heavy consumption. Medical professionals provided the conceptual foundation for New Moderationism by reassessing several assumptions on alcohol's conflicting reputation as either a 'poison' or a 'food', its benefits to drinkers, and its potential to cause disease. These considerations led to the conclusion that alcohol policy should focus not on whether people should drink, but on how much. This study thus underscores the pivotal contribution of medical professionals in the evolution of the alcohol debate between the two world wars, revealing the transformative impact of expertise on policymaking and social change in modern Britain.