Jena, August 29, 2026 – The “Imre Kertesz Kolleg Jena” has officially commenced its work at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena. The institution is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with a total of 8.2 million euros over the next six years and is co-directed by a German and a Polish historian.
- Event: Commencement of operations of the Imre Kertesz Kolleg at the University of Jena
- Funding: 8.2 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for six years
- Focus: Eastern Europe in the 20th century and historical experiences
- Namesake: The Hungarian Nobel Laureate in Literature Imre Kertész (2002)
The new college offers up to ten renowned contemporary historians from around the world the opportunity to conduct research at the highest European level as fellows. The goal of the institution is to contribute to the objectification of historical-political debates through publications such as a four-volume handbook and to promote a reflective, democratic historical consciousness.
Significance for Jena as a Research Hub
The establishment of the college underscores Jena’s role as an internationally visible center for top-tier research in the humanities. By linking international exchange with local university expertise, the research location is sustainably strengthened. The results of the scientific work are intended not only to be discussed in professional circles but also to be actively brought to the general public.
Research Focus of the College
The substantive work of the Imre Kertész Kolleg focuses on clearly defined core areas of modern European history:
- Dictatorship, war, and violence in the 20th century
- Forms and structures of statehood
- Historical upheavals toward modernity
- Intellectual horizons as well as self-perception and perception of others in Europe
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Background: The Nobel Laureate’s Connection to the Region
The namesake of the college is the Hungarian writer Imre Kertész, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2002. In 1944, at the age of 15, Kertész was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp and shortly thereafter to the Buchenwald concentration camp, located near the Thuringian university city. He processed this existential experience literarily and made the fragility of civilization and humanity the central theme of his work.
Source:
Kertész-Kolleg an Uni Jena gegründet – Pester Lloyd
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.