BHA Webinar Series (Zoom)
Speakers: Mateusz Kamionka (Jagiellonian University, Kraków) and Maksym Potapenko (Nizhyn Gogol State University, Ukraine)
Date & Hour: May 19 (Tuesday), 19:00 CET / 20:00 EET
Moderator: Timothy French
Technical assistance: Timothy French, contact: timothymfrench@yahoo.com
Webinar link
https://us06web.zoom.us/
Webinar ID …
This webinar focuses on the historical figure of Andrij Potebnia-a Ukrainian officer of the Russian Empire, a revolutionary, and a participant in the polish January Uprising, who died in 1863 near Skała in the Olkusz region. The discussion will explore both Potebnia’s biography and the evolution of narratives surrounding his national identity, as well as his place in Polish and regional historical memory from the 19th century to the present day. The speakers will examine primary sources from 1863–1917, interpretations developed during the Second Polish Republic, and the instrumental use of Potebnia’s figure in propaganda during World War II and the communist era in Poland. An important part of the meeting will also present findings from field research conducted in 2025, highlighting the fragmented nature of contemporary local memory and generational differences in identifying Potebnia as either “Russian” or “Ukrainian.” In light of current geopolitical developments, Potebnia will be discussed as a transnational symbol of resistance against imperial despotism and as a representation of solidarity among the nations of Central and Eastern Europe, expressed in the enduring slogan: “For our freedom and yours”.