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Litvak Days: YIVO's Histories, Contexts, Tensions
30 November 2015–02 December 2015, 12:00 am–12:00 am
Event Information
Open to
- All
1 - 2 December 2015
In partnership with the Lithuanian embassy in London and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, UCL is hosting this years "Litvac Days" on the heritage of the Lithuanian jewry.
A two-day international conference commemorates the 90th anniversary of the founding of YIVO, as Yidisher Visnshaftlekher Institut (YIVO), in today's Vilnius. Its focus lies on the historical contexts out of which YIVO emerged, and on tensions that influenced its institutional forms, archival mission, and creative efforts.
The conference is complemented by a piano recital of music by Leopold Godowsky, and an exhibition in UCL's North Cloisters, along with a display on Yiddish culture in London. The second day of the conference is held at the Wiener Library (Russell Square), in recognition of its collaboration with the International Tracing Service, which contains vast resources relating to Lituania and the Holocaust.
For more information, contact Prof. Michael Berkowitz
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When: Where: |
Picture Members of YIVO's Aspirantur (graduate studies program), Vilna, 1939. |
Tuesday, 1 December 2015, UCL event space, front quad UCL
Tentative programme:
| 10am |
Introduction Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė, Lithuanian Ambassador to the UK: Welcome Mary Fulbrook, UCL (tbc): Greetings on behalf of UCL and the European Institute Jonathan Brent, YIVO: YIVO's History and introduction to the exhibition Michael Berkowitz, UCL: Welcome and brief introduction to the academic presentations |
| 10:30am | Keynote: Shaul Stampfer, Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Relationships to education in Lithuania outside of YIVO |
| 12:00pm | Lunch [not provided |
| 2:00pm |
Francois Guesnet, UCL: The Berlin Roots of YIVO Kamil Kijek, University of Wroclaw: Post-1918 Crisis, YIVO, and the New Generation of Interwar East European Jewry |
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3:30pm |
Coffee break, UCL Institute for Advanced Studies, South Cloisters, UCL main building |
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3:45pm |
Keynotes Jurgita Verbickienė, University of Vilnius: Famous YIVO: What did interwar Lithuanias know about it? Jonathan Brent, YIVO: Capturing YIVO as it was: Film from its archives |
Tuesday Evening, 1 December, Haldane Room UCL
| 7:30pm |
Concert Evening Mantvydas Bekešius, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Jonathan Arkush, Board of Deputies of British Jews: establishment greetings Faina Kukliansky, President of the Lithuanian Jewish Community: greetings from the present-day Litvaks Michael Berkowitz, UCL: [brief presentation] Leopold Godowsky between the folk and classical: connecting to peoples and publics recital: Gabija Butkutė, pianist, featuring music of Leopold Godowsky L. Godowsky - Frühlingsnacht (Nocturne) apie 4:30' L. Godowsky - Gamelan from Java Suite apie 3:30' |
Wednesday, 2 December, The Wiener Library, Russell Square
| 10.15am |
Keynote Avinoam Patt, University of Hartford: Contexts of rescue and collection efforts |
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11:30am |
Coffee |
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11.45am |
David Mazower, BBC: Tales and treasures from the YIVO Archives
Akvilė Grigoravičiūtė, University of Paris-Sorbonne: Support for YIVO in the Interwar Baltic States |
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1:15pm |
Lunch [not provided] |
| 2.30-5pm |
Special session at the Wiener Library: Exploring Litvaks, the Holocaust, postwar Europe Kat Hübschmann, Christine Schmidt and Toby Simpson, Wiener Library/International Tracing Service: New sources for a spectrum of historical interests: Highlights from the Library's collection and work focusing on Lithuania, including the International Tracing Service and its availability for research.
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| 5-515pm | Closing comments: Jonathan Brent, YIVO, and Francois Guesnet, UCL |
DAY 1
DAY 2
- This event is organised by YIVO and the UCL Department of Hebrew & Jewish Studies, in partnership with the Lithuanian Embassy in London and UCL's European Institute.
- The event is sponsored in part by the European Association of Jewish Studies (EAJS)