Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SpectralRecycling (Recycling the German Ghosts. Resettlement Cultures in Poland, Czechia and Slovakia after 1945)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2024-11-30
Every 2 seconds, 1 person is displaced, and currently there are over 70 million expellees all over the world. But the process of migration consists not only of expulsion but also of resettlement of the lands from which previous inhabitants were removed. What remains after those who were displaced abandon their homeland? How does a new culture of the settlers emerge? The SpectralRecycling project intends to answer these questions, investigating the emergence of various resettlement cultures in post-displacement regions. It explores the case of 3 regions in Poland, Czechia and Slovakia, where after 1945 over 10 million Germans were expelled from and replaced by new settlers of various cultural backgrounds. The fundamental intuition underlying the project is a conviction that the expellees are in a way present through things encountered by the new settlers. Despite attempts to erase their presence these thing remain in the local landscape, occupying it as “ghosts,” reminding the settlers of the former inhabitants. How do these ghosts manifest themselves? I test a ground-breaking theoretical assumption: the emergence of the resettlement cultures could be analyzed in connection with the spectral character of the lands subjected to forced migration. By spectral, I mean “of or like a ghost,” where ghosts are material remains preserved in the physical environment in the aftermath of the disappearance of humans which bring to light denied, overlooked, and forgotten elements of cultures in the post-displacement regions.
The proposed study focus on the mutual encounters between things left behind (nonhumans) and the new settlers (humans). It also examines how these encounters influence both humans and things. To these objects was ascribed a specific quality of “post-displacement” (in this case study: “post-German”). Past research on displacement concentrated so far on the causes, methods of implementation and consequences of expelling populations within changing landscapes of governance and conflict. The question that was not directly addressed was how the materiality that had been left influenced displacement and resettlement. Thus, to go beyond the scope of the past studies, I put forward a hypothesis, that the things left behind were equal actors of everyday social relations. I claim that the things left behind were used in the specific context of post-displacement “spatial practices”, undertaken by new settlers in the place to which they came. As a result, things left behind were not only commodified but also actively contributed to the culture formation. Their spectral character forced the settlers to face and confront them. The specific objectives of this project are: Objective 1: To understand when things start having their “post-displacement” character. Objective 2: To investigate the attitude of settlers towards these things. Objective 3: To define the specificity of human-nonhuman relations in post-displacement regions and show how the experience of migration influences spatial practices, especially people getting into relationships with things.
By choosing 3 case studies from different countries, the project overcomes narrow state-centered approaches. It allows to deepen the discussion on how the culture is produced, and contributes to a profound understanding of socio-economic, cultural, and political aspects of everyday life in post-displacement regions. Only a distinctively cross-disciplinary and European narrative can capture the full ramifications and legacies of this phenomenon.
The proposed study focus on the mutual encounters between things left behind (nonhumans) and the new settlers (humans). It also examines how these encounters influence both humans and things. To these objects was ascribed a specific quality of “post-displacement” (in this case study: “post-German”). Past research on displacement concentrated so far on the causes, methods of implementation and consequences of expelling populations within changing landscapes of governance and conflict. The question that was not directly addressed was how the materiality that had been left influenced displacement and resettlement. Thus, to go beyond the scope of the past studies, I put forward a hypothesis, that the things left behind were equal actors of everyday social relations. I claim that the things left behind were used in the specific context of post-displacement “spatial practices”, undertaken by new settlers in the place to which they came. As a result, things left behind were not only commodified but also actively contributed to the culture formation. Their spectral character forced the settlers to face and confront them. The specific objectives of this project are: Objective 1: To understand when things start having their “post-displacement” character. Objective 2: To investigate the attitude of settlers towards these things. Objective 3: To define the specificity of human-nonhuman relations in post-displacement regions and show how the experience of migration influences spatial practices, especially people getting into relationships with things.
By choosing 3 case studies from different countries, the project overcomes narrow state-centered approaches. It allows to deepen the discussion on how the culture is produced, and contributes to a profound understanding of socio-economic, cultural, and political aspects of everyday life in post-displacement regions. Only a distinctively cross-disciplinary and European narrative can capture the full ramifications and legacies of this phenomenon.
To achieve Objective 1, we examined how the concept of “post-displacement” is linked to national and local policies. Our research methodology involved archival queries in both national and local archives, and ethnographic fieldwork in 3 selected regions. As a result, we have developed a working definition, which takes into account variations between vernacular and official language across the 3 Slavic cultures under scrutiny. Additionally, we explored legal solutions, revealing differing approaches by authorities toward formerly German things. Operationalizing the category of “post-displacement” as “post-German,” we distinguish it from the descriptive category of “formerly German” used by our interview partners. Furthermore, we explored the memory strategies and approaches to German materiality in the post-displacement regions we study, including the narratives of the reappropriation of German things by the new settlers in the public discourse and how these are reflected in family stories. The latter was explored also through the underrepresented perspective of settlers and their children. We introduced the new hypothesis that the social revolution, i.e. the emergence of an egalitarian post-war society, was made possible by the national revolution, i.e. the expulsion of the German-speaking inhabitants of Central Europe. We followed how the definition of the quality of “post-displacement” evolves over time. Thus, we consider the contemporary relationship with post-displacement objects, which have undergone resemantization, i.e. they are no longer associated with their former German owners but regarded as family heirlooms.
To achieve Objective 2, we commence to examine the egodocuments unveiled in the local archives, and continue the fieldwork. We started to determine how settlers used to use things and how they talked about them, as well as what they kept silent about, and in turn, what influence these practices had on the emerging of a culture of resettlement in each country. Here, we addressed the question of individual strategies adopted by the settlers to interact with things left behind, such as recycling. It enables us to see that humans use things left behind not only for the purpose for which they were created, and the way they acquired things influenced their perception of them.
To achieve Objective 3, we started to analyse the recycling strategies applied by the new settlers to tell the consequences they have on the current cultures of the regions. One of them is the negligence of the German skills and know-how. In turn, the process of recycling still continues. In other words, the “post-displacement” nonhumans were not fully domesticated and they are still spectral. We have found distinctive case studies to follow, i.e. the fruit orchards, Great War memorials, urban planning and natural catastrophes.
Until the end of May, 2024, we successfully gathered nearly 200 interviews. This dataset encompasses both oral history interviews and ethnographic approaches.
We presented the results in conferences, public lectures, articles and poster.
To achieve Objective 2, we commence to examine the egodocuments unveiled in the local archives, and continue the fieldwork. We started to determine how settlers used to use things and how they talked about them, as well as what they kept silent about, and in turn, what influence these practices had on the emerging of a culture of resettlement in each country. Here, we addressed the question of individual strategies adopted by the settlers to interact with things left behind, such as recycling. It enables us to see that humans use things left behind not only for the purpose for which they were created, and the way they acquired things influenced their perception of them.
To achieve Objective 3, we started to analyse the recycling strategies applied by the new settlers to tell the consequences they have on the current cultures of the regions. One of them is the negligence of the German skills and know-how. In turn, the process of recycling still continues. In other words, the “post-displacement” nonhumans were not fully domesticated and they are still spectral. We have found distinctive case studies to follow, i.e. the fruit orchards, Great War memorials, urban planning and natural catastrophes.
Until the end of May, 2024, we successfully gathered nearly 200 interviews. This dataset encompasses both oral history interviews and ethnographic approaches.
We presented the results in conferences, public lectures, articles and poster.
The research led to unexpected outcomes, including groundbreaking studies that were previously undervalued by academics. Notable publications include K. Hoření’s article on property confiscation and distribution in postwar Czechoslovakia and K. Ćwiek-Rogalska’s study on formerly German orchards in Polish Pomerania. Thus, potential impacts includes re-evaluation of established historical narratives. It contributes to the advancement in material culture research: Both studies contribute significantly to understanding the impact of historical migrations on material culture. Further research leading to fully achieve Objectives 2 and 3 is needed and planned for the 3 more years of the project.