Stalin’s lists from Georgia (2011-2013) (closed project) In 2011-13 Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) in cooperation with International Society “Memorial” (Russian Federation) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia with financial support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia and Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office implemented a project "Stalin's lists from Georgia." The group of researchers was searching and analyzing information about the 1937-38 “Great Terror” victims for more than 2 years.
Rethinking Soviet Past Debating the totalitarian part of a country’s history is a precondition to shape the transition process dedicated to democratic values. To help overcome these legacies of the past, the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office (HBF) has a new initiative to develop new projects on rethinking the Soviet Past. To set up the projects, the HBF and partners are drawing on international expertise, in both coming to terms with a dictatorial past and in engaging the public with such difficult questions.
Publishing of the Collection of Archival Documents, related to 5-9 March, 1956 Three years after Stalin’s death, Nikita Khrushchev condemned the cult of Stalin and values that had been at the core of the Soviet experience for a period of at least 30 years. His secret speech shook the Party at its foundations.
Understanding Stalin’s Cult of Personality in Today’s Reality Stalin still evokes sympathy decades and generations later, as more time passes. What do schools teach pupils about Stalin, why does the new generation feel sympathy for Stalin’s image?
Playing with Statues: Stalin Here and Now 49 photos and 3 essays presented in catalogue “Playing with Statues: Stalin Here and Now” is the imprint of the Soviet regime on modern Georgia. This regime had been waging the war against its own people for decades by persecuting its own citizens, restricting their freedom of speech, choice and movement, spying and using violence against them. By Nino Lejava
Figures of the National in the Soviet Empire: Perception of Georgia in Russian Literature, 1920-1930 At the first convention of Soviet writers in 1934, Titsian Tabidze and Paolo Iashvili were strongly criticized. However, during this period their essays were also translated, events were organized in their honor, and their poems were widely read. By Franziska Thun-Hohenstein
Human Beings and Space for Humanity in Totalitarian Uniformity: What Kind of Knowledge do Archives Provide? This discussion held at HBF’s South Caucasus Regional Office concerned archives. What is the knowledge that can be generated, or what is the knowledge preserved by, archives? How can researchers or regular citizens find information and read case materials? What are the problems regarding this issue in Georgia and Russia?
Back to the Future: Developing a Topography of the Terror Which places show the developments of the 1930s? Which places are particularly valuable? Where were the orders signed? Where were they carried out? Where did the hidden history of the city happen?