Participants

Discussion

This roundtable explores the role of diverse archival sources in writing the transnational history of Eastern Europe and the USSR, focusing on the period from the early Cold War up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. Global archives that span multiple countries, regions, or international institutions provide a transnational perspective on the history of the region, its role in the Cold War, and the lives of people within it. Many archives, especially in former Soviet and Western bloc countries, contain declassified intelligence reports, offering invaluable resources for understanding surveillance, espionage, and ideological battles that shaped Eastern Europe’s political landscape. Concurrently, international archives document cultural exchanges between Eastern Europe and other parts of the world.

The discussion will focus on Soviet, Eastern bloc, diaspora, Vatican, and international relief organizations archives, which offer critical perspectives on Eastern Europe’s political, cultural, and social dynamics. Recent geopolitical upheavals, especially the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have disrupted access to some of these resources, prompting researchers to reassess their methodologies.

Among the archives discussed, Soviet-era materials are essential for understanding the workings of the Soviet bloc. Diaspora archives in the United States and Canada shed light on the experiences of Eastern European émigrés, while the Vatican archives provide unique insights into the origins of the Cold War and the role of Eastern European migrants in the Church’s anti-communist crusade. The archives of the American Joint Jewish Distribution offer a transnational view of Jewish communities under Communist regimes. Through these records, one can trace the organization's efforts in Communist Poland to mediate pressures from the international Jewish diaspora, leading to tangible interventions across the Iron Curtain.

The roundtable will also highlight archives within Eastern Europe and their global impact, particularly in Bulgaria, Serbia, Russia, and Ukraine, which hold essential information on political, military, economic, and cultural links within the Warsaw Pact and its interactions with the West. These sources shed light on Cold War diplomacy, alliance cohesion, and the intricate web of relationships across the Eastern bloc.

By bringing together scholars with expertise in these diverse archival sources, the roundtable will discuss strategies for overcoming contemporary access challenges and emphasize the importance of cross-border collaboration and adaptive research methodologies.