The Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences is the guarantor of the project. Since its foundation in 1990, its function is to undertake primary research into post-1938 Czech and Czechoslovak history in the international context. The idea of its foundation was based on experience of most Western European countries, where such institutes focused on the research of recent history had been already active for several decades. The aim was to establish a workplace for independent research of Czechoslovak history between the years 1938–1989, because under the communist regime the research of (not only) this period was subjected to systematic ideological supervision. The internal structure of the Institute has changed over time with the main focus of enquiry shifting from the study of key events in the political history of Czechoslovakia during the period of communist dominance in the first years of the Institute’s existence, to a multilayered exploration of contemporary history from sociological, economic, international, gender etc. perspectives. The timeframe of research is also changing becoming involved up to the present, and the period after 1989 is now one of the most important research fields for the Institute.
The project also envisages the collaborating with other workplaces of the individual team members, especially the Museum of the Hlučín Region, which will play a large role in organizing the international conference and other meetings, and the Military Historical Archive in Prague. Team members hope that they will be able to attract foreign partners and institutions as well.
