Beginning and end of an era – 1917: revolution and art

The University of Freiburg is contributing to the Russian Culture Days 2017 with two lecture series, among other things. The themes are “Epochenjahr 1917” (1917 - the beginning and end of an era) and the Art of Revolution - Revolution of Art. All welcome. Admission is free; there is no need to register. The lectures are in German.

1917 - The dawn of a new era

Freiburg historians take up the most important historical events in the year 1917 as the starting-points for a series of lectures. The events they examine include the Russian Revolution and its effects on other countries, the United States’ entry into the first world war, the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, nations’ right to self-determination, and the twilight of European aristocracy. The series begins on 16 October 2017, 8:15p, in lecture hall 1010 in the Kollegiengebäude I, Platz der Universität 3, 79098 Freiburg, with the guest lecture “1917 und das Jahrhundert des Kommunismus” by Dr. Gerd Koenen from Frankfurt am Main. All further lectures take place on Mondays from 8:15pm in the Kollegiengebäude III, lecture hall 3044, Platz der Universität 3, 79098 Freiburg.

The Art of Revolution - The Revolution of Art.

The revolutions of 1917 not only marked a vast political upheaval - they also ushered in a new era in art and literature. In these areas, however, the aesthetic revolutions had happened much earlier. Artists had been vying to find the newest and latest forms since the 1890s. In this series of talks, Elisabeth Cheauré, Professor of Slavic Philology and Gender Studies, outlines this development and shows the background to the initial belief of many artists that the revolution was an overdue revolution in the arts - while others were forced into exile. She also looks at the cultural and political events which ultimately led to the doctrine of Socialist Realism. The lecture series begins on 18 October 2017. All lectures take place on Wednesdays from 6pm in the Kollegiengebäude I, lecture hall 1221, Platz der Universität 3, 79098 Freiburg.

Background on the Russian Culture Days 2017

This year marks one hundred years since the Russian Revolution - an event which has had long-lasting political, socio-economic, and cultural ramifications far beyond Russia itself, and which helped to shape the 20th century. The Russian Culture Days 2017 in Freiburg are dedicated to these epoch-making events. During October and November the Zwetajewa Center for Russian Culture, which was jointly founded in May 2017 by the University of Freiburg and the City of Freiburg, is presenting a seven-week program of events from the worlds of academia, music, art, film, literature, and theater.

www.zwetajewa-zentrum.de/russische-kulturtage-2017