The Postcolonial Challenge: Connecting Disciplines and Bridging Debates - Instytut Pileckiego

We had asked researchers, historians, sociologists and representatives of other disciplines to present contributions of postcolonial theory approaches towards a better understanding of the entangled histories of Germany and Poland, Ukraine as well as Eastern Europe in broader terms. The result was over 30 panels, numerous panelists, lectures, and workshops—three packed days filled with a wealth of topics, complemented by intense discussions, networking opportunities, and guided exhibition tours.

All photos by Grzegorz Karkoszka (C) 

Although the conference covered a wide range of topics, the overall conclusion remained undisputed: The key concepts of postcolonialism provide valuable intellectual perspectives, particularly in enhancing our understanding of the history of Eastern and Central Europe and its perception in Germany and Western Europe.

Hanna Radziejowska and Mateusz Fałkowski presented an in-depth analysis of the results of the aforementioned Ipsos study on Germans’ knowledge of the history of World War II and Poland. A central focus of their lecture was the book Postwar: A History of Europe after 1945 by Tony Judt, in which he states: 'Today the pertinent European reference is not baptism. It is extermination. Holocaust recognition is our contemporary European entry ticket.' 

In connection with the reflections of other thinkers, such as Larry Wolff, the classic go-to critic of Eastern European Orientalism, a new interpretative framework emerged—a new lens through which the study’s findings can be analyzed. 

The majority opinions captured in the IPSOS study—among them the beliefs that most Jewish victims came from Germany, that aiding Jews was punished more severely in Germany than in Poland, and that collaborators in occupied countries were as culpable in the Holocaust as the Germans—along with the assumption that pre-war France was more multicultural and progressive than Poland, particularly regarding women's suffrage, are not merely random gaps in knowledge and education. 

Rather, they stem from a deeper philosophical logic rooted in stereotypes about Eastern Europe that have been propagated and ingrained for centuries.

Felix Ackermann, a historian and recognized expert on Eastern Europe, whose articles frequently appear in publications such as the FAZ, emphasized that while the study’s findings affected him deeply, they did not necessarily surprise him. The relationships and historical discourse between Germany, Poland, and Central and Eastern Europe continue to be shaped by an enduring asymmetry—one that stems from economic and political disparities, which were particularly stark in the 1990s. Studies of this kind could, in the long run, contribute to reducing these asymmetries.

Franziska Davies expanded the discussion with an original concept of 'decolonialism': 'The goal of decolonization should not be to create new victim identities or promote nationalist grand narratives. Instead, we should focus on decolonization as decentralization. We need to study Russian imperialism much more deeply and understand just how Russia-centric the historical discourse in Germany has actually been."

This is just a brief synopsis of a few events during the conference. There is so much more to explore and discover—watch the full conference if you haven’t done so yet, and join us next week!