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.
