The Second International Conference Revolution accomplished. Communists in power: “Power seized. East-Central Europe Ruled by Communist Parties (1948–1956)” – Budapest, 3–4 October 2019
By 1948/49 all communist parties in the East-Central European countries being in the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union seized absolute power. The communist dictatorships following the Stalinist model set up the institutions of power. The party took total control over economy and society by destroying and annihilating traditional structures. State security organizations in the service of the communist power had leading role in this process.
In the middle of the Cold War such international organizations as the Cominform (1948), the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (1949) and the military block led by the Soviet Union as well as the establishment of the Warsaw Pact (1955) or the direct supervision and intervention through counsellors served to maintain Soviet influence.
During the conference, we would like to scrutinise the similarities and differences between the communist dictatorships in East-Central European countries regarding the implementation of Stalinism. We would like to describe the fields of life the dictatorship set under its control. Our special interest shall be inner-political changes and rearrangements of power. We also would like to consider how the remembrance of these issues is being shaped.
POWER SEIZED. EAST CENTRAL EUROPE RULED BY COMMUNIST PARTIES (1948–1956)
THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE SERIES: “REVOLUTION ACCOMPLISHED. COMMUNISTS IN POWER”
BUDAPEST, 3–4 OCTOBER 2019
PROGRAMME
Thursday, 3 October 2019
9.00 Opening of the conference
Panel I
9.30 Part I:
Mirosław Szumiło: The Communist Elite of Power in Poland and Czechoslovakia in the Period of Stalinism. An Attempt to Compare
Gábor Szilágyi: The Leadership of the Hungarian Working People’s Party, 1948–1953
Bartłomiej Kapica: Gomułka’s Ideologist. Władysław Bieńkowski and His Role in ’Rightist-nationalist Deviation’ Accusation in 1948–1955
Discussion
‘Digital Histories of Communist Rule: East-Central Europe in the Files of the UK Foreign Office’ presentation by Joseph Kelly (Editorial Assistant, Digital Resources Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group)
10.50 Coffee break
11.20 Part II:
Detelina Dineva: The Bulgarian Communist Regime’s Policy against Its (Perceived) Opponents, 1948–1956
Enis Sulstarova: Resisting De-Stalinization. Communist Albania in the Years 1953–1956
Agata Domachowska: Albanian Opposition in Exile after World War II. Organization, Areas of Activities and Internal Divisions
Discussion
12.30 Lunch
14.00 Part III.:
Marta Paszek: Influence of the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR) on Military Judges and their Judgements, 1948–1955
Barbara Bank: An Example of Communist Justice. The Strictly Confidential Legislative Decree No. 26 of 1950
István Ötvös: Illegal Proceedings and their Political Usage in Hungary
Discussion
15.10 Coffee break
15.40 Panel II
Michal Przeperski: Ship without the Rudder. The Polish Journalism and the Attempt at Self-Correction of the System after 20th Congress of the CPSU
Paweł Sasanka: Authorities, Press and Journalists in Poland between the 20th CPSU Congress and October 1956
Domokos Szokolay: ’Whatever the Regime, Hungary Is Our Country.’ The Fate of Former Resisters and Middle-Class Hungarians after 1945
Discussion
16.50 Coffee break
17.20 Panel III
Dániel József Hollósi: The Nationalization of the Hungarian Industry
Dániel Luka: Commissars in the Office in the Field? Transformation of Agricultural Administration in Hungary, 1945–1956
József Ö. Kovács: Liquidation of Traditional Peasant Societies in Hungarian and East-German Aspects
Discussion
18.30 Closing remarks
Friday, 4 October 2019
9:00 Opening words
9:10 Panel IV:
Rafał Łatka: ’The One Who Survived’. Catholic Church in Poland in Stalinist Period in the Policy of Polish People’s Republic
Krasimira Todorova: The Show Trial against Evangelical Churches in Bulgaria in 1949
Viktor Attila Soós: Another Persecution against the Church. The Grősz Trial
Gergely Isó: Church Persecution from the Lutheran Point of View. The Situation of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary between 1948 and 1956
Discussion
10:40 Coffee break
11:10 Panel V
Kim Frederichsen: The Sovietization of Eastern Europe as Reflected in the Cultural Cold War
Anna Marcinkiewicz-Kaczmarczyk: ’What Does a Socialism Give Women?’ Soviet Patterns Disseminated by the Women's League in Polish People’s Republic during the Period from 1948–1956
Aleš Gabrič: Slovene Cultural Scene under the Soviet Influence
Discussion
12:20 Lunch
13:50 Panel VI
Piotr Budzyński: The Real Masters of the Academy? Organizations of the Polish United Workers’ Party at Polish Universities during Stalinian Period
Dragomir Bondžić: The Communist Party of Yugoslavia and Belgrade University, 1945–1955
Arjan Shanini: The Sovietization of Albanian Education, 1948–1956
Discussion
15:00 Coffee break
15:30 Panel VII
Jakub Tyszkiewicz: ’Soviet Related Matters’. U. S. Policy toward Poland and Other Communist Countries in Eastern Europe, 1948–1956
Jacek Tebinka: British Policy towards the Soviet Bloc Countries, 1948–1956. From Satellite States to the National Communism in Poland
Paweł Jaworski: Neutral during the Cold War? Sweden and the Soviet Satellites, 1948–1956
Aleksandar Zivotic: Stalinism without Stalin. Yugoslav (People’s) Army as the Backbone of Tito’s Regime, 1948–1954
Discussion
17:00 Closing the conference
Conference-language is English.
The conference is organized by The Institute of National Remembrance (Poland), The Committee of National Remembrance (Hungary), The Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes (Czech Republic) and The Nation’s Memory Institute (Slovakia).