Students of the Elite Graduate Program “East European Studies” researched the continuities between the Nazi era and the postwar period in Munich's “Ostforschung”. In a project course led by Marie-Janine Calic and Felix Jeschke, they created an exhibition that was on display from July to October 2025 at the university libraries in Munich and Regensburg. The exhibition is now also available online.
In the context of the nascent Cold War after 1945, Munich became one of the leading centers for German “Ostforschung” (East European area studies). In addition to departments at Munich University, research institutes such as the Osteuropa-Institute (East European Institute) and the Südost-Institute (Southeast Institute) were (re-)established here.
Most of the protagonists of this research – including Hans Koch, Fritz Valjavec and Georg Stadtmüller – had been supporters of the Nazi regime before 1945, spreading propaganda, looting cultural assets and participating in the occupation of Eastern Europe. After the end of the war, they were not only able to continue their careers, but often also became politically influential: Hans Koch, for example, accompanied Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer on his trip to Moscow in 1955. Quite a few were active in various intelligence services, furthering the cause of anti-communism.
The exhibition “Unbelastet? Die Münchner Osteuropaforschung in Kriegs- und Nachkriegszeit” ("Untainted? Research on Eastern European in Munich during the Second World War and in the Postwar Period") by the Elite Gradute Program “East European Studies” explores these continuities in the history of knowledge production in the early Federal Republic. It is now also available digitally: https://www.unbelastet-ausstellung.gwi.uni-muenchen.de/.
Text: Felix Jeschke, Elite Graduate Program “East European Studies”
