Vortrag
A Bridge over the Past: Czech-German Relations in the Light of Historical Memory

On the occasion of the upcoming roundtable “Friendship or Frenmity? Assessing the Impact of the Reconciliatory Memory Projects in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe Against the Backdrop of the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II”, international scholars will explore the successes and failures of postwar memory initiatives aimed at transforming former enemies into partners—especially in a time of resurging nationalism, memory wars, and open conflict in Europe.

Dr. Klára Pinerová will contribute a case study on Czech-German relations, focusing on the long and complex path toward reconciliation shaped by the trauma of Nazi occupation and the postwar expulsion of Sudeten Germans. In her talk “A Bridge over the Past: Czech-German Relations in the Light of Historical Memory”, she will discuss milestones such as the 1997 Czech-German Declaration, the work of bilateral textbook and historians’ commissions, and the role of the Czech-German Future Fund in fostering civic-level cooperation and shared remembrance.

Her presentation will also reflect on the limitations of expert memory projects in reaching broader public discourse, and how politically motivated reinterpretations of the past continue to challenge reconciliation in a polarized Europe.

This talk is part of the conference "9th Annual Meeting of the Memory Studies Association. Beyond Crises: Resilience and (In)stability". Further information on registration and the conference fee can be found on the conference website: https://msaprague2025.dryfta.com/86-registration/attendee-registration-tickets