cover image of After the Great War project

    About After the Great War. A New Europe 1918-1923

    The First World War completely changed East-Central Europe. Upon the ruins of four old empires, a dozen or so new countries appeared and almost all borders were redrawn, often in course of continued military conflicts, which lasted even until 1923. After having suffered very high losses, the region started rebuilding and modernising efforts. A New Europe was established.

    The new outdoor travelling exhibition created by the ENRS focuses on these turbulent years. Over 200 archive and multimedia materials – pictures, maps and films together with individual stories of people who lived back in these times – present a complex yet coherent picture of New Europe established in Central-East part of the continent after the Great War.

    The exhibition tackles an important event a century later and makes the case for why it is important for understanding not only Second World War but also East-Central Europe today.

    Prof. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett Consultant of the exhibition

    The exhibition tells a story about the creation of a new political order. The contrast between the old and the new is built thanks to the use of two materials - rigid steel contrasts with a light, bright fabric.

    Andrzej Jaworski Jaz Plus Architekci - designers of the exhibition

    Ongoing and upcoming editions

    Previous editions

    Podcast series

    The journey of our travelling exhibition ‘After the Great War’ leads through significant European cities. Each of them was the site of important events or witnessed social changes in the interwar period and each has its own, unique story worth telling. With that thought, with our partner Free Rang Productions, we produce a series of podcasts called ‘Dialogues on 20th Century History’, intended to show the ways in which the host cities’ past connects with the theme of the exhibition.

    Tallinn:



    Vilnius:



    Kaunas:



    Vienna:



    Lublin:



    Lublin [Polish version]:


    Curators

    Profile image of Robert Żurek, PhD Profile image of Robert Żurek, PhD

    Robert Żurek, PhD

    Robert Żurek studied History and Catholic Theology at the Freie Universität in Berlin. He received his PhD degree from Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg. He was a fellow at the German Historical Institute in Warsaw, deputy director of the Historical Research Center of Polish Academy of Sciences in Berlin, and the director of the Wrocław Delegation of the Institute of National Remembrance in Poland. Currently he is a board member of the Krzyzowa Foundation. He has written numerous scientific and educational publications, with a special emphasis put on the 20th-century Polish-German relations. His other projects include an exhibition about the role of Catholic Church played in Polish-German reconciliation, as well as a film documentary and a radio play dedicated to different aspects of Polish-German relations.

    People involved

    Dr Ewelina Szpak (ENRS), Antoni Zakrzewski (ENRS)

    and:

    Dr Florin Abraham, Dr Rasa Balockaite, Dr Oksana Dudko, Toomas Hiio, Dr Aliaksei Lastouski, Prof. Diana Mishkova, Dr Burkhard Olschowsky, Dr Andi Pinari, Dr Aldis Purs, Dr Emilia Salvanou, Dr Tuomas Tepora, Dr Oldřich Tůma, Prof. Matthias Weber, Dr Tobias Weger, Prof. Amra Čusto

    Academic Council:
    Prof. Andrzej Chwalba, Prof. Robert Gerwarth, Prof. Piotr Juszkiewicz, Prof. Dušan Kováč, Prof. Jan Rydel, Prof. Marcela Salagean, Prof. Arnold Suppan, Prof. László Szarka, Prof. Jay M. Winter

    Consultations:
    Prof. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Prof. Andrzej Nowak

    With the support of:
    Aniko Katona, Dr Zdenko Maršálek, Stefan Schubert, Ruta Valaityte, Madeleine Hartmann

    Academic Council of the ENRS:
    Prof. Attila Pók, Prof. Peter Haslinger, Prof. Constantin Hlihor, Viliam Jablonický, Prof. Csaba Gy. Kiss, Prof. Róbert Letz, Prof. Andrzej Nowak, Prof. Dariusz Stola, Acad. Răzvan Theodorescu, Prof. Stefan Troebst, Dr Oldřich Tůma

    Exhibition Coordinator: Ewelina Pękała, Anna Wachowiak

    ENRS Team, mainly:
    Rafał Rogulski - Director of the ENRS, Małgorzata Feusette-Czyżewska, Gábor Danyi, Marek Dąbkowski, Beata Drzazga, Weronika Kann, Joanna Orłoś-Supeł, Iga Raczyńska, Maria-Philippa Wieckowski

    Exhibition administration and logistics:
    Marek Dąbkowski

    Partners

    Financial Support
    logo of niepodlegla
    Graphic and Architectonic Design
    logo of Jaz Architekci
    Maps
    logo of PTR kartografia
    The ENRS would also like to thank the following institutions:
    logo of EU Screen
    logo of EFG
    logo of Cineteca Bologna
    logo of CNC
    logo of Deutsches Filminstitut
    logo of Eye Filmmuseum
    logo of Filmoteca Espanola
    logo of FINA
    logo of Imperial War Museums
    logo of Lietuvos centrinis valstybės archyvas
    logo of NFA
    Funding
    logo of PL ministry 2023 NEW LOGO
    logo of DE Ministry
    logo of HU ministry 2023 NEW LOGO
    logo of SL Ministry
    logo of RO Ministry
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