26–27 October 2026: Fluid boundaries. Water bodies and their use in the history and culture of Eastern Central Europe
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16. September 2026
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Veranstaltungen
Fluid boundaries. Water bodies and their use in the history and culture of Eastern Central Europe
Annual Conference Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO)
Leipzig, 26–27 October 2026
Water bodies shape landscapes, influence settlement patterns, and facilitate trade. Reflecting on the scholarly work of Matthias Hardt, this conference explores their significance for Eastern Central Europe from the premodern period to the present through the lenses of development, demarcation, and exchange. Hydraulic engineering projects opened up natural environments, while land reclamation and drainage enabled agricultural use and the establishment of settlements. At the same time, waterways connected cities, markets, and societies, fostering the circulation of goods, people, and knowledge. Rivers such as the Vistula, Oder, and Danube became important corridors of transregional interaction. Yet bodies of water also served as lines of division and borders. Their role as lifelines, connecting links, and boundary spaces makes them a particularly fruitful subject for historical and cultural research on East Central Europe.
Venue
Leibniz-Institut für Geschichte und Kultur des östlichen Europa (GWZO)
Specks Hof (Eingang A), Reichsstraße 4–6,
04109 Leipzig
Concept and Coordination
Martin Bauch, Orsolya Heinrich-Tamáska, Uwe Müller, Timm Schönfelder, Marcin Wołoszyn (alle GWZO)
Organisation
Stephanie Yacoub
stephanie.yacoub@leibniz-gwzo.de
The complete programme and further information can be found here as PDF-Download.
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