Anne Applebaum lecture - The crimes of Stalin: What we know now and why it matters

Monday 23th August, 18.00 – 19.00

As a part of the commemoration of the “Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes'', the House of European History welcomes renowned Pulitzer Prize winning historian, journalist and commentator on geo-politics, Anne Applebaum, to present an online lecture entitled “The crimes of Stalin: What we know and why it matters.”

Thirty years after the opening of the Soviet archives, our views of Soviet history have changed profoundly. These changes, in turn, should shape the way we think about our past.

What perspectives have we gained by the availability of thousands of once-secret documents? How can these revelations help us understand the dangers and divisive nature of violent ideologies and authoritarianism, and to recognise the risks associated with misinformation and abuse of power in leadership?

While earlier commentators may have labelled Stalin as a ''mad man'', if Russian archives show that he was, ultimately, a clever and calculated ideologue, how can this influence us to think more critically around the challenges to democracy we are currently facing, in a landscape of large-scale disillusionment, polarisation and extremist movements?

More information on the programme and how to register here.

Language: English