Together with the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, we invite to an international conference devoted to the evolving practices of Holocaust remembrance across individual, community, and institutional contexts.

Eighty years after the end of World War II, practices of Holocaust remembrance continue to evolve across generations, regions, and political contexts. While addressing local, national, and transnational memory cultures, we are particularly – though not exclusively – interested in research focusing on East Central Europe.

Research on public and private memorials, their ideological and material backgrounds, and the mnemonic practices for approaching them still seems insufficient. In accordance with recent trends of transnational memory studies, it is especially worth looking at the connections between commemorative forms undertaken “on site”, i.e., where the mass murders of Jews took place, and those raised in other parts of the world. Furthermore, many private and family-based forms of remembrance have received scholarly attention only in recent years. Personal acts of memory – such as preserving family archives, conducting genealogical research, engaging in ritual practices, creating digital memorials, or producing artistic works – play a crucial role in shaping contemporary understandings of the Holocaust. These practices often challenge, complicate, or reinterpret dominant institutional narratives.

Private and familial memory work across three to four generations of survivors frequently intersects with the activities of non-Jewish memory activists who organize local ceremonies, exhibitions, and festivals. In doing so, they act as mediators between different memory communities and contribute to the negotiation of shared, contested, or multidirectional pasts. At the same time, governmental agencies, cultural institutions, and international organizations continue to introduce new memorial practices, educational curricula, legal frameworks, and cultural policies that reflect shifting political priorities, collective identities, and international relations.

This conference will examine the evolving relationship between individual, activist, and institutional forms of Holocaust remembrance and the broader social, political, and cultural forces that shape them.

Call for Papers