'Knights of the Rounde Table', by Christoph Hein

The 'Knights of the Rounde Table' is an anachronistic drama in three acts by Christoph Hein. The author noted that in this play, he did not want to stage GDR history but rather reinterpret anew something old. Hein sought to present a transformed version of the Round Table’s virtuous knights, who were now in a later stage of their lives and had realised that they had not lived up to their earlier ideals. The political connotation of the script could not be ignored, as it was clearly an allegory for the GDR’s political elites.

At first, most theatres declined to stage it, and it was only in 1988 that the theatre in Dresden showed interest to stage the play. Censors at the local level did not always share the same opinions of the central authorities, and the censors in Dresden disagreed with those in Berlin whether the play should be staged or not. However, despite the fact that the authorities in Berlin allowed the play to be staged, parts of the script were censored and performances were documented by the Stasi.

The play lost significance in the new political environment post-1989, and it was seldomly staged. The material preserved in the 'Theatre in‘der Wende’ collection held currently by the Archive of Performing Arts at the Academy of Arts in Berlin includes flyers, posters, and theatre programmes from various theatres where the play was eventually performed.

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Adresa:
- Berlin, Germany
Limbi:
- Germană
Creator:
- Hein, Christoph
Anul creării:
- 1987
Piesă remarcabilă la:
- Theatre 'in der Wende' Collection

'Ramka' [Illegal Printing Tool], 1981. Object

Gábor Demszy’s collection contains not only samizdat books and journals but also objects. The ramka (bolting-cloth stretched on a wooden frame) was a tool used in the samizdat printing process and today constitutes an important relic object of this technique.

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Adresa:
- Budapest, Hungary
Creator:
- Demszky, Gábor
Anul creării:
- 1981
Piesă remarcabilă la:
- Samizdat from Hungary in the Vera & Donald Blinken Open Society Archives

'Sociology' Journal, 1971. Manuscript

Sociology was the official periodical of the Sociological Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1972–1990). It was the first journal in Hungary devoted entirely to sociology. It opened a new chapter in the history of Hungarian sociology. Although the conservative ideological campaign led by orthodox Communist leaders made some changes in the editorial staff, Sociology was published continuously until 1990. The manuscript of the first issue from 1972, with the archival documents from 1971, inform us of the beginnings of this important journal. The authors of the first issue –included Zsuzsa Ferge (“Social Structure and the School System”), István Kemény (“Stratification of the Hungarian Working Class”), Iván Szelényi (“Housing System and Social Structure”), and others.

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Adresa:
- Budapest Széchenyi István tér 9, Hungary 1051
Limbi:
- Maghiară
Creator:
- Kemény, István
- Szelényi, Iván
Anul creării:
- 1971
Piesă remarcabilă la:
- Sociological Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Records

'The Construction', by Heiner Müller

During the 1960s, the SED (the communist party in power in East Germany) regime engaged in covering the gap of contemporary socialist theatre performance on GDR stages. Consequently, in 1963 the German Theatre (Deutscher Theater) in Berlin commissioned Heiner Müller to stage the novel Spur der Steine by Erik Neutsch. Müller’s critical adaptation of the novel as Der Bau (The Construction), which departed significantly from the original novel, was met by fierce criticism from the SED. Following seven revisions of the play, Müller was still unable to stage his work. It was only in September 1980 when the adaptation found significant success with the Volksbühne Theater in Berlin under the guidance of director Fritz Marquardt. However, censors forced the creators to change the play’s title and the names of the characters.

The controversy around the performance was linked to the play’s subtle critique of the GDR shown as detached from reality, dominated by a rigid bureaucracy, with citizens alienated by socialism, and the overemphasising of ‘development’ and ‘modernisation’. The play was greeted with praise by audiences, although the East and West German media reacted differently. West German press generally responded that the themes touched on in the play should have discussed years earlier, whereas the GDR press thought that the delay from real events was appropriate, such as discussion around the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The subtle staging of the political event, such as the construction of the Berlin Wall, created space for debate within the play’s audience. The play was staged twenty-nine times within a year of the opening night, and further performances were organised throughout the GDR. However, the fall of the GDR also meant the end for the play, which was staged only another two times, and only alongside other plays of Heiner Müller.

Currently, documents related to the play are preserved as part of the Theatre Performance Documentation collection of the Archives of Performing Arts of the Academy of Arts in Berlin.

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Adresa:
- Berlin (Ost)
Limbi:
- Germană
Creator:
- Müller, Heiner
Anul creării:
- 1965
Piesă remarcabilă la:
- Theatre Performance Documentation

A conclusion on the basis of a report submitted by the Commission for the Examination of Nationalist Phenomena in the Emigrant Foundation of Croatia, 1967

This is a document containing a conclusion based on investigative actions pertaining to the alleged emergence of nationalism in the Emigrant Foundation of Croatia (EFC) from 1964 to 1967, i.e. during the term of Većeslav Holjevac as its president. The Commission has identified incidents that "have manifested a certain nationalistic turn as well as an unhealthy climate, suitable for further deformities in the Emigrant Foundation of Croatia-" Holjevac was held the most responsible for this, because of "deeper ideological and political misconceptions about the national issue he is considering outside of the class and social context." Henceforth, Holjevac was forced to resign from membership in the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Croatia (CC LCC), and consequently from the post of president of the EFC. As a concrete fault, the document specifies: the shortcomings of the proposed EFC Charter due to the one-sided orientation on emigrants exclusively of Croatian nationality, then the mitigation of the characterization of two emigrant organizations - the "Croatian Academy" in New York and the "American-Croatian Academic Club" in Cleveland (from those hostile to Yugoslavia, to neutral, cultural organizations) in materials prepared by Secretary I. Marinković. Holjevac was also accused of hesitating to condemn the Declaration on the Status and Name of the Croatian Literary Language and its signatories, the lack of a reception and non-attendance on Republic Day in 1966, the singing of Croatian songs on New Year’s Eve ("Heavenly Maiden, Queen of the Croats," "Arise, banus"). The accusations included an appeal for help from emigrants during the flood in Zagreb in 1964, because it was addressed to "Croatian emigrants and other Yugoslav citizens on temporary work abroad," as well as putting Franjo Tuđman, Zvonimir Komarica and Ivo Frangeš on the list for the Main Committee (MC) of the EFC, and the rationale for signing a letter of solidarity with Ljudevit Jonke after the official condemnation of the aforementioned Declaration.

Holjevac was additionally found guilty of political aberrations on the nationalist viewpoint because of his disagreement with such assessments and for "ignoring his political responsibility." The Commission therefore instructed the convening of the EFC Extraordinary Assembly because of the changes in the MC and the definition of the EFC’s orientation "in accordance with the policies of our society."

This document is a very clear example of repressive action taken by the CC LCC, i.e., one of its bodies, in terms of cultural policy. Conduct beyond the established ideological line was not allowed and was quickly dealt with, and those involved were punished by the loss of their status in society, functions and often employment, and were placed under surveillance.

By 1995, the document was, along with the other records of socio-political organisations, a part of the Archives of the Institute of History of the Labour Movement of Croatia/Institute of Contemporary History. That year, in July, it was handed over to the Croatian State Archives (CSA), where it is kept today. The documents are accessible for use without any restrictions.

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Limbi:
- Croată
Creator:
- Commission for the Examination of Nationalist Phenomena in the Emigrant Foundation of Croatia of the League of Communists of Croatia (1964-1967)
Anul creării:
- 1967
Piesă remarcabilă la:
- Commission for the Examination of Nationalist Phenomena in the Emigrant Foundation of Croatia (1964-1967)