Russia 1917 and the Dissolution of the Old Order in Europe. Biographical Itineraries, Individual Experiences, Autobiographical Reflections

Dates: 13-15 September 2017 In 2017, we will witness the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. As new tendencies to divide once again Europe into a Western and an Eastern part can be noticed in the political sphere, 2017 will offer a unique opportunity to launch an international scholarly debate on the impact of the Russian Revolution on European history in the 20th century, including scholars both from Russia and Western Europe. Switzerland, a country that hosted many Russian revolutionaries before 1917, seems to be an ideal location for such an international historical debate. The Russian revolution of 1917, an event that "shook the world" and contributed significantly to the dissolution of the old order in Europe, thus may be re-examined through individual experiences. In our conference, we will discuss how the revolutionary events of 1917 shaped biographies both in Russia and in Western Europe. We will analyze the impact of individuals on the course of the revolution, in Russia and abroad, study personal experiences of actors, victims and bystanders and explore memories of the revolution in autobiographies and other ego-documents. Last but not least, we will discuss historiographical narratives that either highlighted or downplayed the role of the individual in historical events.