Resistance Through Their Eyes Project. Historical seminar

25 May 2023
Lyon Resistance Museum

Resistance Through Their Eyes Project Historical seminar

The study of resistance during the Second World War is an important and complex topic, and one that is often explored from a national or regional perspective. This half-day seminar aims to provide a comparative perspective, exploring the similarities and differences in resistance movements across different countries in Europe. By bringing together historians, academics, museum directors, curators, and experts, the seminar will offer a diverse range of perspectives on this complex topic. By exploring different approaches to studying and presenting resistance during the Second World War, the seminar will offer new insights into this important aspect of the war’s memory.

The objectives of this seminar are to:

• Provide a comparative perspective on resistance during the Second World War across different countries in Europe.
• Explore the challenges and opportunities of studying and presenting resistance to the public.
• Foster dialogue and exchange information among historians, academics, and practitioners working in the field of resistance studies.
• Offer new insights and understanding into the complex and multi-faceted history of resistance during the Second World War.

Programme

13.00  Registration and networking
13.20 Welcome (Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation)

13.30 Session 1: Comparative Perspectives on Resistance in Europe
‐ Keynote presentation: overview of resistance movements in Europe during the Second World War, exploring the similarities and differences across different countries
Speaker: Prof. Olivier Wieviorka (Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Member of the LREF Historical Advisory Board)
‐ Case studies of resistance in a specific countries and regions, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities of studying resistance in that context.

• Resistance within Nazi Germany<
  Speaker: Elizabeth Ruge (Foundation July 20, 1944, Berlin)
• Resistance and underground Armies in Eastern Europe, specific case of Poland
  Speaker: Prof. Anna Zapalec (University of Pedagogy, Institute of History, Krakow)
• Resistance movements in Yugoslavia, a resistance and liberation perspective
  Speaker: PhD Rade Ristanović (Institute for Contemporary History, Belgrade)

15.00 Break

15.30 Session 2: Presenting Resistance to the Public
– Panel discussion between museum directors and curators, educators and academics to discuss the challenges and opportunities of presenting resistance to the public, especially youth groups, exploring issues of memory, representation, and interpretation. It will include case studies such as exhibition development, educational programs etc.

• PhD Lars Erik Rowe – Director of Norway’s Resistance Museum in Oslo
• Frank Schroeder – Director of the National Museum of Resistance in Luxembourg
• PhD Juraj Lepiš – Museum of the Slovak National Uprising

16.45 Conclusion:
The two sessions will be followed by a concluding discussion led by an academic, exploring the common themes and unique challenges in studying and presenting resistance during the Second World War, including perspectives from the “Resistance through their Eyes” project partners. The session will conclude with a Q&A session, allowing participants to ask questions and engage in further discussion.

• PhD Mirco Carrattieri, President of the LRE Italy Historical Advisory Board coordination and moderation of the conclusion session
• PhD Hildegard Kronawitter, Director of the White Rose Foundation in Munich
• Sara Zanisi, Director of the Ferruccio Parri National Institute in Milan
• PhD Greta Fedele, historian, Ferruccio Parri National Institute in Milan
• PhD Mateusz Gawlik, historian, Home Army Museum in Krakow
• Jakub Bryndal, educator, Home Army Museum in Krakow
• Vera van Noort, project officer, Resistance Museum in Amsterdam
• Jos Sinnema, Resistance Museum in Amsterdam

17.30 End