From the Cold War to the transformation of Europe. The Institute of European History, 1950–1990

Marking its 70th anniversary the Leibniz Institute for European History (IEG) presents the exhibition »Vom Kalten Krieg zum europäischen Umbruch. Das Institut für Europäische Geschichte 1950–1990« (»From the Cold War to the transformation of Europe. The Institute of European History, 1950–1990«) as an panel exhibition in the institute as well as virtual exhibition online.

Five years after the end of the Second World War, the Institute of European History was founded in Mainz in 1950. At the end of 1952, the institute could move into the Domus Universitatis, which was rebuilt for this purpose. At its establishment the French and US-American military governments collaborated with the young state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The French promoted facilities that helped the “re-education“ of Germans towards democracy as well as a rapprochement with France. The USA also endorsed institutions that should strengthen the young democracy in Western Germany. Rhineland-Palatinate assumed sponsorship and eventually financing. The new institute was to research the conflict-ridden historical development of Europe and thus to, in a scholarly way, work towards peace and understanding in Europe.

The exhibition pursues the founding history of the institute, as well as its development over the course of four decades. It was disputed from the beginning what a peaceful Europe should be based on, and which conception of history the institute should be promoting in the federal republic. The presentation addresses, for example, how the insitute legitimised its “European Mission“ and how it dealt with the “burden” of National Socialism.

From the beginning the institute made a point of promoting young scholars from home and abroad. The international scholarship programme became a pillar of the IEG. Considering the housing shortage in Mainz during the post-war area it was natural that the institute building, apart from the library, conference room and offices also provided housing space for its academic guests and its two directors. Under the Domus Universitatis‘ roof work and life of the institutes’ inhabitants evolved, sometimes with struggles, into a joint venture.

How the institute established itself in the West German as well as the international scientific landscape and how, since the 1960s, it became a “window to the West” for scholars from the Eastern bloc is shown in the exhibition with the aid of historical documents and accounts of contemporary witnesses.