Agreement with the German Historical Institute Warsaw establishes cooperation in research on the history of Central and Eastern Europe

The Max Weber Foundation, represented by the German Historical Institute (GHI) Warsaw, and the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University have signed a cooperation agreement. At a joint meeting on December 17, 2025, the agreement was confirmed by the head of the Prague branch of the GHI, Dr. Jaromír Mrňka, and the dean of the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, Dr. Eva Lehečková.

"The signing of the memorandum represents a commitment to knowledge exchange, the promotion of mobility, and the deepening of institutional responsibility. It is not only a framework for further cooperation, but also a confirmation of the shared conviction that historical research in Central and Eastern Europe can only be meaningfully developed in a transnational context. Open international dialogue is a prerequisite for gaining new interpretative perspectives or critically reevaluating existing ones. The memorandum thus creates conditions for further deepening the connection between Czech and German historiography, both in everyday research work and in teaching and broader public debate," said Jaromír Mrňka.

The memorandum, which was signed for a period of three years, i.e. 2025–2028, provides for the development of cooperation between the two institutions in research and teaching in the fields of Central and Eastern European history, cultural history, memory studies, and global history. The Faculty of Arts of Charles University and the GHI intend to work together on popularization and research projects, especially international projects. Scientific mobility and the mutual exchange of experts in commissions, expert councils, and similar bodies are also planned. The agreement also covers the participation of scientists in teaching and supervising theses, as well as the sharing of scientific and research-related infrastructure.

The newly founded Institute of History builds on the existing rich international cooperation of the former historical institutes at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, which it aims to significantly expand and deepen. For this reason, we have established close cooperation with the German Historical Institute in Warsaw this year. We plan to involve German and Polish historians affiliated with the GHI in teaching at the institute, organize academic exchange programs, joint public lectures, workshops, and research projects, and collaborate on doctoral studies. Both sides have a lot to offer each other," said lecturer Dr. Matěj Spurný, director of the Institute of History at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University.

Since its opening in 2018, the Prague branch of the German Historical Institute Warsaw has been supporting academic research into Czech, German, and Polish history in a European context, organizing academic conferences and lectures, and promoting the publication of specialist academic works. It works closely with the Prague branch of the Munich Collegium Carolinum and with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.

Source: Charles University Prague, December 19, 2025.