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In preparing for mass Jewish emigration to Israel, executives of the Federation of Jewish religious communities of Yugoslavia decided on defining a specific structure within the community to deal with two basic tasks – communicating information relevant to the migration to all of the participating sides and dealing with problems potentially arising from the process. While top to bottom communication followed this model for the most part, passing information in the opposite direction proved to be much more of a challenge. Traditional dynamics of the Jewish community in Yugoslavia proved much more significant than the proposed internal hierarchy. This paper examines how the organized emigration process was influenced by the internal hierarchy, how the proposed distribution of duties amongst various levels of participants functioned when applied to real problems and what led to this framework finally failing. Documents used in writing this paper are held at the Archives of the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade.
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The active role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) comes to the fore in wartime circumstances, in carrying out activities based on international war law (the Geneva and Hague Conventions) regarding providing assistance to all war victims. In securing working conditions during World War II, the ICRC attempted to establish official relations with all belligerent parties regardless of whether they were or were not recognised as belligerent parties. Therefore, the author presents part of the ICRC efforts made in the process of recognising the international war law-regulated status of belligerent party to members of the People’s Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia, i.e. the status of prisoners of war. Despite some earlier contacts, after the designation of a permanent representative to the Independent State of Croatia (1943), the ICRC launched extensive activities in favour of members of the Yugoslav Partisan movement, the most important of which was the practical application of the international law of war. Permanent representative Schmidlin constantly intervened in the ministries and the prime minister of the Independent State of Croatia through the Central Office of the Croatian Red Cross and as well through prominent figures in the political and social life of the State. However, although the Partisans de facto achieved the position of a belligerent party in their relations with the German military forces, this status was strongly opposed by the ISC authorities.Due to the change in the British attitude towards the Yugoslav Partisans, in the summer of 1943 the ICRC leadership ordered its permanent representative in Zagreb to establish contact with members of the People’s Liberation Army of Yugoslavia as soon as possible. Very soon, Schmidlin contacted the Supreme Headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army and Partisan detachments of Yugoslavia. In late November 1943, shortly after the beginning of the Allied Conference in Tehran, the ICRC leadership also received an Allied recommendation on the same subject. The existence of the Yugoslav Committee of the Red Cross in London, which had legitimacy and was the only recognised Yugoslav national Red Cross society, was a major problem in establishing relations between the ICRC and the Yugoslav Partisans. The ICRC leadership remained committed to not recognising the new societies created during the war. After the signing of the Tito-Šubašić agreement in mid-June 1944, the ICRC leadership changed its position, and representatives of the Yugoslav government and Marshal Tito sent several letters to the ICRC Permanent Delegation in London in late September and early October 1944. In those letters, they informed the ICRC leadership of the establishment of the Central Committee of the Yugoslav Red Cross on the island of Vis. At the same time, the Royal Yugoslav Red Cross Society in London was dissolved. All of this resulted in the unification of the national organisation of the Red Cross in Yugoslavia, which led to the establishment of official relations between the ICRC and Yugoslav Partisans at the end of 1944. Based on original archival sources and literature, the author points to some aspects of cooperation until the end of World War II and in the early post-war period. One of the main aspects of the ICRC’s work during this period was the practical application of the provisions of the international law of war to prisoners of war in Yugoslavia. Tito himself made the same promises, though the Yugoslav Ministry of Social Policy made this conditional: they would be applied only if it was proven that captured members of the Partisan movement had been treated in the same way during the war. The treatment of prisoners of war in Yugoslavia could only be speculated about, and the authorities immediately refused to allow foreign diplomatic or ICRC representatives to gain insight into the treatment of prisoners of war. It is clear that the ICRC faced the same problems in its relations with the authorities of the Independent State of Croatia and the German Reich during the war and the Yugoslav authorities at the end of the war and in the immediate post-war period.
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In Poland, there is a noticeable deficit of knowledge about the mass Soviet women’s press. After all, it for decades shaped the views and attitudes of millions of Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian women and other residents of the Soviet Union. Such periodicals as “Robotnica”, “Włościanka”, “Kobieta Sowiecka”, being at the central level a part of a powerful propaganda machine, facilitated the Communist Party’s ‘piecemeal’ of women’s souls in the spirit of Marxist feminism. And its promoters, such as Nadezhda Krupska, Anna Ulyanova-Yelizarova, Inessa Armand, Aleksandra Kołłontaj and many others like them, so much that less known associates of Vladimir Lenin and his successors combined political and journalistic activity. The consequence of this situation was not only the instrumentalization of the women’s press politicized by the communist party, but also the limitation of its agency.
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The author of the essay considers Jan Grabowski’s book Na posterunku. Udział polskiej policji granatowej i kryminalnej w zagładzie Żydów [At the Station: The Participation of the Blue Police and Criminal Police in the Extermination of Jews], which presents research into the behavior of Polish policemen toward Jews during the Nazi occupation. The findings reveal that the entire organization—apart from exceptions, of course—behaved terribly. The negative behavior of the policemen went beyond even the attitude imposed by the occupiers. In the essayist’s opinion, a very valuable element of the work is its presentation of the realities of those times on the lower levels of social organization: in villages and in ghettos established in small towns. Grabowski thus made use of material that historians rarely consider. For instance, the duty roster of a police post was as significant to him as the decrees of the authorities. The essayist considers Grabowski’s work to be especially important for having appeared during a time of intense debate over relations between Christians and Jews during the occupation of Poland. The essayist emphasizes the topicality of problems of the past and certain historical publications. The appearance of the book should call into question the traditions and conception of the past to which the police force itself refers.
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La présenation succincte des moments de la lutte pour la démocratisation de l'administration d'état de Galatzi après le 23 Août 1944 essaie de surprendre des aspects éloquents, caractéristiques de cette lutte, où les actions die démocratisation apparaissent comme un objectif stratégique indicible des habitants de Galatzi.
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The article reveals the main aspects related to the organization of sanitary and medical services for ethnic Germans, exported by the Nazi authorities from the occupied regions of Ukraine in 1943-1944. Research methods. Problem-chronological, descriptive and comparative methods were used. Scientific novelty. Based on the involvement of a wide range of archival documents, for the first time in historiography, it was possible to highlight in detail one of the little-known and at the same time essential subjects of the evacuation of ethnic Germans from the occupied Ukrainian regions in 1943-1944. Conclusions. The level of health care for German refugees depended mostly on the territory of their stay. At the first stage of the evacuation, the Nazi authorities were unable to pay due attention to this significant issue since many resources were at the Wehrmacht disposal. The negligent attitude of indeed responsible authorities to the evacuated ethnic Germans' problems also played an important role. Very significant changes in refugees' situation took place only after moving to German territory in early 1944. Trying to prevent the mass spread of various infectious diseases among them, the Nazi administration was forced to take several urgent measures (such as disinfection, quarantine, and vaccination), which helped stabilize the sanitary and epidemiological situation gradually.
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The paper analyses nine Roma families who lived in Stupnik Municipality; more precisely, in the villages of Žitarka and Razborišće, on the eve of World War II. The research draws from a questionnaire used by the municipal authorities in late August 1939 to survey and register the Roma men and women from those families, seeking to implement a policy of the Banovina authorities aimed at better controlling the migration of Roma people. Nowadays, these files are kept at the State Archives in Zagreb, in the holdings of the Administrative Municipality of Stupnik. The analysis of these data served as a basis for examining the demographic and socio-economic structure of individual Roma families in inter-war Croatia, more specifically, in the Banovina of Croatia. The first piece of data from the 1939 census of Stupnik Roma that can be analysed is their demographic structure. The average age of the total of 30 registered Roma was 26.9 years, which indicates a middle age structure. Roma parents were on average 35.2 years old, while the average age of their children was 16.4 years, which merely confirms their middle age structure. These data correspond to the age structure of Roma in other areas of inter-war Croatia, where approximately 44% of all Roma registered in the Sava Banovina in 1931 were between 20 and 59 years old. The family structure shows that the nine registered Roma families had an average of 3.5 members, while three families had no children. Almost all families consisted of a married couple with or without children, while only one family included a mother-in-law (husband›s mother). This file also reveals whether the Roma were legally married or lived in a “concubinage”, i.e. in an extramarital union. Half of the Roma couples were legally married, while the other half were unmarried. The issue of marriage legality is followed by the issue of their attitudes to religion, especially when it comes to the baptism of children. All Roma interviewed stated that they had been baptised, as well as their children, which suggests that the registered Roma from Stupnik were religious insofar as they and their children had been baptised, but the documents themselves provide no insight into their personal attitude toward religion. A review of the data from the Roma census enables an analysis of their economic position and migration routes. All registered Roma people stated that they were engaged in agriculture on small plots of land. When it comes to migration, it is important to point out that those Roma lived a sedentary lifestyle. Comparison between the birthplace of the registered Roma and the place of their residence in Stupnik municipality shows that they had been migrating only within the wider Zagreb area. In addition, data were collected on their plans to emigrate from their (Stupnik) municipality, with all registered Roma stating that they intended to stay in that area, which further underlines the high level of their social integration. The final question of the interviews with the Roma was related to military service. These data reveal that a part of the Roma served in the army during World War I, while the second part was declared unfit for the army, although some of them also took part in military operations during the war. The analysis of the above data leads to certain conclusions. In 1939, nine Roma families with a total of 27 members lived in Stupnik municipality. They were permanent residents of the villages of Žitarka and Razborišće. Their average age of 26 corresponds to the average age of registered Roma in the Sava Banovina. Most Roma families consisted of a mother and father with children, while only one of them included a mother-in-law. Half of the Roma partners were legally married, while the other half were unmarried or living in concubinage. It is interesting to note that all registered Roma had been baptised, which can be explained by a certain level of adaptation to the local environment. The analysis of the above data reveals that the majority of Roma households were engaged in agriculture, while a minor part were workers. The Stupnik authorities were particularly interested in where the Roma had immigrated from and whether they intended to stay or relocate. All registered Roma were born and lived near Stupnik municipality, mostly in the areas of Sv. Klara, Sv. Nedjelja and Samobor. The question concerning military service also reveals the attitude of the Roma towards state authorities. These data are diverse, too. While some stated that they had actively fought in World War I, others had been declared unfit. Further research into the history of the Stupnik Roma shows that the municipal authorities registered Roma twice in two years (in May 1940 and in July 1941). That was in line with the local provisions of official authorities for resolving the issue of relations with the Roma. Those Roma were also victims of the Ustasha genocidal policy of Roma extermination. In early June 1942, they were forcibly evicted and deported to the Jasenovac concentration camp, where they were killed. This historical demographic and socio-economic analysis of the Roma community in a certain area aims to contribute to a better understanding of the history of the Roma in Croatia.
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In its first part the article presents the education of the theologian (1904–1936). The most important circumstances and events mentioned in this part show the way the convictions and opinions of K. Rahner were formed. The second and third part discuss the years 1937–1950, beginnigs of his scientific career, and the years prior to the Second Vatican Council from 1951–1962. The next part deals with the course of events in the period from 1962 to 1965, during which the Second Vatican Council took place. In this time K. Rahner was appointed as a peritus and had the possibility to influence the decisions made during the Council. The last part depicts his work and publications from 1965 to 1984, which were aimed to promote the decisions resulting from the Vatican Council.
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The article analyses two speeches commemorating the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, delivered by the German President Frank Walter Steinmeier and the Polish President Andrzej Duda. The authors examine the two texts and ask what aspects of World War II the politicians evoke in their speeches, what images of the Self and the Other are created and what goals are pursued. In the beginning, the article outlines the different meanings of World War II in Polish and German collective memory, and then it proceeds to briefly characterize the commemorative speech as a type of speech. A special emphasis is placed on the analysis of the perspectives underlying the speeches, including the theses presented, as well as on the comparison of the most important differences.
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The tragic events for the Romanian nation at the end of the summer of 1940 also affected Luduş locality. As a border town, Luduş witnessed population transfers from both sides of the new border. In Luduș and neighbouring communes, colonists arrived from different parts of NW of Transylvania. Shortly after, general Ion Antonescu implemented a plan to supply the army with clothing made with the help of the Village Household Industry, in order to help the poor population from the villages. Raw materials from own sources or from the army were used. For these items, domestic producers were remunerated in accordance with a decree. Becoming a border locality, Luduș benefited from specific institutions. Under these conditions a post of border guards was set up. The 2nd Grăniceri-Guard and the 4th Grăniceri-Guard Luduș were installed, which were part of the 7th Grăniceri-Guard Alba-Iulia Regiment, aimed at overseeing more than 100km of the border.
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The article describes the history of the activity, the program and authors of programs in Polish broadcasted by Italian radio from the 1940s to the first decade of this century. These programs were directed to Poles living in the Apennine Peninsula, in their own homeland and in other countries, and at present a little knowledge about them is available from the preserved partial archival resources, the records in Italian Polonica and the interviews with some of their authors. Polish-language broadcasts on Radio RAI constitute an important part of Polonia and Polish-language media around the world.
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The focal point of this article is life and work of Ramiz-ef. Dobrača, a renowned ‘ālim of Rogatica who served in the Islamic Community for over sixty years. The first part of the article presents the basic biographical data of Ramiz-ef., following is a presentation of his activity and service as imām and mu’alim in Rogatica, Sarajevo, Gornji Rahić, and his engagement as the secretary of the Board of the Islamic Community and the president of ‘Ilmiyyah Society in Brčko. His engagement in societies and organisations for increasing the literacy rate in Muslim population and their enlightenment, for prevention of alcoholism and begging on the streets and for helping and caring for neglected and homeless.
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In the period 1939–1949, the association “Yung Muslims” was active in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, its short history has been studied in three periods: formative, (1939–1943), its activities within the role youth club of the Ilmiyyah Association (1943–1946) and the period in which it was functioning illegally (1946–1949) which ended by repression of the socialist state. The author here analyses the origin of the name of the association and is of the opinion that the association borrowed its name from the Egyptian Association. It is evident from the Arabic title of the Association “Aš-šubban-ul-muslimin”, as well as from the nature and the kind of endeavours of two ‘alims educated in Cairo: Mehmed-efendi Handžić and Kasim-efendi Dobrača. However, no functional links between Egyptian and Bosnian Associations have been established.
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Review of: Tomasz Pudłocki - Maciej Górny, Kreślarze ojczyzn. Geografowie i granice międzywojennej Europy, Warszawa 2017, Instytut Historii PAN, ss. 264, Metamorfozy społeczne 11
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Book-Review: Marie Bader, Life and Love in Nazi Prague. Letters from an Occupied City. Hrsg. von Kate Ottevanger und Jan Láníček. Bloomsbury. London u. a. 2019. 292 S., III., graph. Darst. ISBN 978-1-78831-256-1. (£ 20, .) ‒ Teresa Walch
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The study “Sovietization Through Culture in Satu Mare: the Romanian Association for Strengthening Links with the USSR (ARLUS) between 1947–1950” continues the previous studies about the Association’s history, between 1945–1946, with the period from 1947 to 1950. After some brief general considerations related to the study on the 1945–1946 period, the main part of the paper focuses on a history of ARLUS activity in Satu Mare County between 1947 and 1950 and is structured in three chapters. The first chapter studies the Association’s new wave of expansion after 1947, starting from the instructions received from the ARLUS headquarters, whose main objective is the establishment of village sections in the rural areas. The second chapter presents aspects of cultural activity of the ARLUS Satu Mare branch during the studied period and is structured in three subchapters. The first subchapter presents the cultural activity rendered in the ARLUS activity reports, the second subchapter focuses on the organization and the unfolding of the events during the Romanian-Soviet Friendship Week (1–7 November), and the third subchapter follows the planning and work activity in the ARLUS branch. At the end of the study, the author’s conclusions are presented. They point to the significant increase in ARLUS affiliates and the number of members after 1947, the increasing control that the Romanian Workers’ Party exercises over the Association, and the role that ARLUS Satu Mare Branch had in the Sovietization of the county through culture.
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Complex socio-historical processes and turning epochs, as well as numerous segments that are an integral part of people's lives, are the subject of interdisciplinary studies. War is one of the most dramatic, most complex social phenomena. In addition to armed operations, there are a number of other dimensions related to war, starting from psychological, legal, sociological, social, economic, cultural to others. Critical and multiple perspectives contribute to the completion of images of politics, wars and their relations. The disintegrations of the ideological paradigm and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were accompanied by the (re)construction of new national identities, the outbreak and duration of „wars“ of different memories, the reshaping of consciousness and the re-examination of history, especially those related to World War II. The history of that war in Yugoslavia was undoubtedly the history of several wars which were stacked on top of each other. The main issue with Bosniaks in that war is a multiperspectival topic that requires a multidimensional and deideologized presentation of the position and the position of all involved actors. Numerous issues related to that war, the complex position of Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sandžak, the emergence of civic responsibility, Bosniak protection of the vulnerable Serb Orthodox population, humanity and assistance, beyond post-war ideological premises and „official truths“ remained more or less marginalized, although they seek more objective and complete answers from multiple angles, for the sake of a more complete view of the past. What is called „local“ or „regional history“, as evidenced by diverse experiences, indicates the multidimensionality of the past, its features and specifics in a certain area. The Second World War in Sandžak could not be understood more objectively outside the broader Yugoslav context. This is also special for the history of Novi Pazar, the largest city in Sandžak which was the subject of many different political plans and conceptions. The history of this city has several sections. After the withdrawal of German forces from Novi Pazar, the Chetniks tried to conquer this city for three times in the fall of 1941. However, thanks to the dedicated defense and the help of Albanian armed groups from Kosovo, Bosniaks managed to defend themselves and Novi Pazar. Even in such a dramatic situation, numerous examples of humanity, solidarity and assistance of Bosniaks to the intimidated Serb urban population have been recorded. In the most difficult days of the war, when Novi Pazar was exposed to Chetnik attacks, a significant part of Bosniaks took actions to prevent anarchy, to save Serbs from terror and revenge. The task of science is to constantly discover forgotten and unknown parts of the past, to re-examine previous knowledge. Everything that happened has a whole range of perspectives. It is necessary to have a multidimensional understanding of the causes and course of events, circuits and time limits, to explain narrowed alternatives. Any reduction of historical totality to only one dimension is problematic. Every nation, every state, in a way, write their „histories“, remember different personalities, events, dates, emphasize various roles, perpetuates monuments, emphatize with different causes and consequences. Contemporary abuses of the interpretation of the war past, one-sided approaches, fierce prejucides and quasi-historical analyzes in the service of the politics damage interethic relations and lead to further growth of tensions and distancing between nations and states in their region.
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The aim of the article is to analyse figurative language in use. According to the core writings in cognitive linguistics, figurative language is representative of figurative thought. Human beings express themselves figuratively because their thinking is primarily figurative. Similar ideas have been advanced since the writings of Max Black, Charles K. Ogden, I. A. Richards, and Paul Ricoeur; however, these ideas gained a wider recognition at the end of the 1980s, when George Lakoff and Mark Johnson published their seminal work “Metaphors We Live By”, thus propelling the development of cognitive linguistics and cognitive stylistics. The properties of figurative thought are excellently demonstrated via those examples where interaction of the verbal and visual discourse occurs. The poster collection of the National Library of Latvia is well-suited for this purpose. The posters created during the Soviet occupation (1940–1991) abound in propaganda; nevertheless, they present a remarkable source for research. Seven posters from 1940 to 1964 are analysed in this article. The eventual results demonstrate the pervasive use of metonymies and their interaction with other figurative patterns to shape multimodal discourse.
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