Head of the Department for the History of Post-Communist Transition (from 2003 to present) in the Institute of Contemporary History at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague. Fulbright Scholar-in-residence, Endicott College, Beverly, MA, USA (2005-2006). Ph.D. degree, Russian and Eastern European Studies, Institute of International Area Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague. Dissertation title: ‘In Quest of the Revolution’s Lost Meaning. Marxist Revisionism in Central Europe 1953-1960.’ (5/2005). Academic Fields: Modern intellectual history in Central Europe, Communism and transition studies, history of historiography.
Experts - history
Michal Kopeček
Adrienne Körmendy
Graduated from the Eötvös Lόránd University in Budapest. Defended her PhD thesis in History and in 1986 obtained habilitated doctor degree at the History Institute of Warsaw University. She is the Laureate of the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship Award in 1988-89. Her research focuses on studying Settlement History in Central Europe in the Middle Ages specializing in German Settlement and German Law. She worked for the Hungarian Diplomatic Service in Warsaw, Poland. Lectured on Hungarian History and International relations at the Department of Hungarian Studies of Warsaw University and Pułtusk Aleksandr Gieysztor Academy of Humanities. Appointed Hungarian Consul General in Krakow in 2014.
Jiří Marek
Studies in history and political sciences at the Charles University in Prague, major in political
science-international relations. Focused on the problems of civil-military relations and security studies. Scholarship at University of Santiago de Compostela. Worked in Czech NATO Summit Task Force and in the preparations of Prague NATO Summit 2002. At the dawn of the Iraqi crisis started to work as Secretary to the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic.
Milan Nič
Politologist, historian. Former program manager at the Institute for Civic Diplomacy (ICD) of Pontis Foundation, an independent NGO based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Reporter of Radio Free Europe and SME (Slovakian daily). Organiser of humanitarian aid for Cuba and for Belarus. Since October 2007 work in the time of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jerzy Marek Nowakowski
Historian, publicist and politician. Untill February 2007 subeditor of Wprost weekly. Polish commentator in national as well as commercial Polish TV stations. Former Undersecretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. Director of the East Center of Polish Open University and deputy of the board of foundation „ Aid for Poles in the East”. Author of many publications about Polish eastern politics.
Jan Piekło
Ambassador of Republic of Poland to Ukraine and former director of the Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Foundation (PAUCI) which manages the trans-border projects with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia. Previously program director for ZNAK Foundation in Krakow and the editor of “Tygodnik Powszechny”. As a journalist, he covered the Romanian Revolution and war in the former Yugoslavia. Author of two documentary books on the Balkans and a novel Scent of the Angel which is based on his work experience in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. He has been working for the Polish and international media. As a conflict resolution journalism trainer and media consultant he co-operated with the Rutgers University of New Jersey, MU Columbia School of Journalism, Jagiellonian University of Krakow, IREX Pro Media, Groeningen University and other institutions. He was involved in journalism and civil society trainings in Bosnia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania and Poland.
Martin Svárovský
Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic to Poland. Graduated in 1996 from the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts at Charles University in Prague (B.A. in History), in 1999 graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University in Prague (M.A. in German Studies). In years 1997/1998 he did the Bundestag Internship Program. In 1998 was at Fridrich Wilhelms University in Bonn. In 1999 worked within an Internship at the Office of the President of the Czech Republic and from 1999 has been working at the Czech MFA. Until 2002 served as a Head of unit for Visegrad Group and non-German speaking countries at the Central European Department. In years 2002 – 2006 he served as a Deputy Chief of Mission at the Czech Embassy in Budapest. From 2007 to 2008 Deputy Director of the Central European Department of the MFA, from 2008 until 2010 Deputy Director of the Strategy and Analyses Department. From August 2010 at Embassy of the Czech Republic to Poland.
Nina Witoszek-Fitzpatrick
Polish professor at Oslo University and Oxford University. After graduating with a degree in linguistics from Wrocław University, in 1988 Witoszek received a doctorate in comparative cultural history from the University of Stockholm. At the beginning of 2005 she was included among the top 10 most outstanding Norwegian intellectuals in a ranking published by Dagbladet magazine. Witoszek is also a novelist and screenwriter. The collection of short stories entitled Fables of the Irish Intelligentsia and published under her pseudonym garnered a prestigious literary award in Ireland and the story The Loves of Faustyna (translated into polish) have created a sensation on the British literary market. In 2005 she was awarded the prestigious Freedom of Expression Prize for "bringing novel, Eastern European perspectives into the Scandinavian public debate". She donated part of the award to establishing the Solidarity Europe Association. Her recent books include Culture and Crisis (Oxford, New York, 2003) and Daimons (New York, 2003).
Jacek Woźniakowski
Professor of history of art. Uniwersytet Jagielloński and Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski. He also was the chairman of the board of Villa Decius Association, now its Honorary President. He cooperated with Tygodnik Powszechny, was chief editor of Znak and chief editor of publishing house Znak. 1989 he took part in the Round Table negotiations. 1990-1991 he was mayor of the of city Kraków. Author of dozens of books: "Zapiski kanadyjskie", "Góry niewzruszone" and articles, interpreter of Bennett and Greene. For special merits for France in field of culture awarded with Croix de la Légion d'Honneur.
