International conference in Muenster. 19.-21. November 2010. Conference venue is Latvian Centre Muenster.
Programme:
Fri 19.11
15.00 Arrival
19.00 Lecture
Prof. Dr. Valters Nollendorfs The role of Exile in the fight for independence
Sat 20.11
09.30 Opening of the conference (LCM, Salzmannstr.152)
from 10.00 Presentations (in alphabetic order of projects) (Technical equipment is available)
10.00 Marianna Auliciema (Riga) Displaced Persons Album/Latvians Abroad Museum – Discussion
10.30 Dr. Baiba Bela (Riga) The Life Story Project – Discussion
11.00 Prof. Dr. Valters Nollendorfs (Riga) The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia – Discussion
11.30 Geert Franzenburg (Muenster) TRIMDA (Exile-) Forum Muenster – Discussion
12.00 Research papers about Baltic Exile:
Kaja Kumer-Haukanõmm: Research about Estonian DPs – Discussion
12.30 Kristina Pecia: Research about Lithuanian DPs – Discussion
13.00 Lunch (in Town)
14.00 Building an European network for documentation and research of Baltic exile and diaspora (Discussion about visions and projects) (with statements from Karlis Kangeris, Dr. Magdalene Huelmann, Prof. Maira Bundza and others)
16.00 Conclusion
Evening Event: Celebration of Latvian independence anniversary
17.00 Event: Anniversary of Latvian independence
Sun 21.11
12.00 Excursion to Augustdorf
The Context:
Since in 1941 and 1944 refugees from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania came to Western Europe, they left their traces and traditions for the following generations. Although most of the DPs resettled since 1947 worldwide, many chose Germany as their new home, where they gathered around the Latvian Gymnasium in Muenster (MLG) until regaining independence and membership in the EU. Since this time, institutions in Latvia, Estonia and Germany care about the (common) heritage of the former refugees and emigrants to keep it alive. The conference facilitates an encounter of the different approaches to documentation and research of Baltic heritage to find out connections between them. Confronted with the challenges of coping with economic crisis such synergies (common ressources and joined projects) become more and more important. By sharing experiences, projects and information and by comments made by experts first steps towards an European network of documentation and research about the living treasure of Baltic heritage in Europe might become obvious.
There is no conference fee and no costs for accommodation.
Travel-Costs will be refunded during conference. The conference will be in English. Participants are kindly requested to send their papers as articles for publication (DRAUDZIBA Journal 8/2011) until end of December 2010.
Further informations:
Geert Franzenburg, Vice—chairman of LCM, franzenburg@t-online.de