Stories about History from January, 2009
Estonia: Blogger's Response to Edward Lucas
AnTyx responds to the Economist's Edward Lucas: “So why does he, or anyone, seriously think that the economic crisis will be a test of Estonia's national spirit? We may become disillusioned with Europe – although on any significant scale, that's highly unlikely – but why would we become disillusioned with...
Czech Republic: News and Culture Roundup
A few updates from CzechFolks.com: Josef Lada‘s drawings; Karel Capek‘s life and writings; Vaclav Havel‘s health problems; the launch of a new Czech TV station; the 20th anniversary of Czech and Slovak ATMs; the gas dispute and the former Eastern Bloc countries’ dependency on Russia.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Support for Florence Hartmann
Amila Bosnae writes about the case of Florence Hartmann, journalist and former spokeswoman for Carla del Ponte, who published a book about the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) called “Peace and Punishment” (”Paix et chatiment: Les guerres secretes de la politique et de la justice internationales”, Flammarion,...
United States: Nedjo Ikonic's Deportation Case
Kirk Johnson of Americans for Bosnia writes that “the ever-vigilant Daniel at Srebrenica Genocide Blog has passed along a disturbing story about a US District Judge who evidently doesn't think that Federal law–at least not the Genocide Accountability Act–is something he should be bothering with”: “In short–faced with Serb illegal...
Croatia: Grobnik
Living Life in the eX-Yugoslavian Zone writes about Grobnik, Croatia's “birthplace of warriors.”
Middle East, Balkans: Comparing the Conflicts
Marko Attila Hoare and Jasmin Ademovic discuss at Greater Surbiton whether “Israel today [is] like Serbia in the 1990s.”
Hungary: New Flickr Group With CC-Licensed Photos
Antal Dániel of Central Europe Activ writes that he has started a Flickr group that “has only Creative Commons licensed photographs taken in Hungary.” One of the photos there was taken by Flickr user vi4kin at the Great Market Hall in Budapest, and is accompanied by a description (ENG, RUS)...
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Inauguration Thoughts
Jamaican Annie Paul features Washington D.C.-based activist Shani Jamila's musings on the inauguration of Barack Obama.
Oceania: Epeli Hau'ofa Has Passed Away
Noted Fijian (Born in Papua to Tongan parents) antropologist Epeli Hau'ofa died on January 11 in Suva, Fiji. The Savage Minds blog links to an essay by Epeli Hau'ofa tha argued against the commonly held assumption that the pacific islands were isolated communities held apart by massive oceans.
Mongolia: Tsagaan Sar
Bilguun writes about the national Mongolian holiday called Tsagaan sar (New Year), which is celebrated on different days every year, and this year's Tsagaan sar – as usually – provoked the same old debate amongst the astrologers and the lamas as to when it should be celebrated.
Myanmar: Kachin Conflict
Writing for The Pulitzer Center, Tim Patterson and Ryan Libre explain the backround of the Kachin Conflict in Myanmar. The struggle in Kachin is separate from the campaign of the political opposition of the ethnic Burmese majority.
Turkey: School Textbook Changes
Armenia: Higher Education & Sciences comments on changes to 8th grade school textbooks in Turkey which will deal with the massacre and deportation of much of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire in a more neutral way. The blog says that while the changes might seem negligible at first...
Azerbaijan: Martyr's Alley
Learning to Walk in Stilettos pays a visit to Martyr's Alley in Baku, a cemetery for those killed in the Soviet crackdown in the Azerbaijani capital on 19-20th January 1990. The blog details the walk to the eternal flame at the end of the alley and posts photographs.
Armenia-Turkey: Are We Hrant Dink?
Following the second anniversary of the murder of Hrant Dink in Istanbul, Unzipped comments on a recent piece by Glendal News Press’ Patrick Azadian on the ethnic Armenian journalist who stood for peace, democracy and human rights in Turkey. The blog despairs the fact that nationalists are attempting to hijack...
The EU: Srebrenica Commemoration
Cafe Turco writes about the EU's plans to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica massacre this year.
Iran: A Cemetery is in danger
Azarmehr writes that the Iranian authorities want to demolish Khavaran Cemetery altogether. The blogger adds that more than four thousand political prisoners were killed in 1988 and the bodies were dumped in places like Khavaran.
Philippines: World War 2 History in Indie Film
The acclaimed indie film Concerto: Davao War Diary depicts the interaction of a Filipino family with Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. Concerto, set in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, is based on true events. The film's trailer can be viewed on YouTube.
Russia, Hungary: Tractors, Trolleybuses, Buses
“Crazy” Moscow tractor – at Moscow Blog; St. Pete trolleybuses – at Russian History Blog; Budapest buses – at Budapest Guide.
Russia: Mummies and Lenin's Death Anniversary
Eternal Remont writes about the mummies’ protest on the 85th anniversary of Lenin's death.
Serbia: Belgrade's Bajrakli Mosque
An account of a visit to the Bajrakli Mosque in downtown Belgrade – at Bill's Blog.
Barbados, U.S.A.: True Identity
Living in Barbados is hoping that “President Obama will help us in the Caribbean and those in Africa rediscover who and what we really are.”
