Hrodna: historians refuse to participate in scientific conference

Ten Belarusian historians refused to take part in the international historical conference dedicated to the 880th anniversary of Hrodna after the doctors of historical sciences Ales Krautsevich and Ales Smalianchuk were deprived of the right to take part in it. 

BelaPAN was informed about it by the democratic activist Pavel Mazheika. According to Mazheika, over 150 persons were invited to the conference on issues of public, political, social and economical development of Hrodna. Among them there are scientists, postgraduates and students from Belarus, Poland, Lithuania and Russia. The conference is organized by Hrodna State University, the city administration and the National Academy of Sciences and is to take place 10-11 April.

Having learned that Krautsevich and Smalianchuk are deprived of the right to participation in the conference, the scientists Andrei Charniakevich, Yury Hardzeyeu, Vital Karnialiuk, Andrei Kishtymau, Eduard Masko, Volha Sabaleuskaya, Henadz Sahanovich, Inna Sorkina, Siarhei Tokts and Anatol Trafimchyk decided to refuse from participating in the event.

‘8 April, at the press-conference in Hrodna Charniakevich expressed regret with the elimination of Krautsevich and Smalianchuk from the list of the conference participants despite the considerable contribution of these scientists into the research of the city’s history,’ Mazheika said. ‘According to Smalianchuk, the ban on participation in the conference, which was declared open, is caused by the pressurization of the ideology department of Hrodna city executive committee. According to the scientist, the faculty of history and sociology of Hrodna State University is turning into a structure of the ideological department of Hrodna city executive committee, as it was in the soviet times. Smalianchuk relates the exclusion of him and Krautsevich with their active position in the campaign for protection of the historical center of Hrodna. According to Krautsevich, there cannot be any scientific reasons for such step, as even students in history will read their reports at the even.’ 

At the conference A.Smalianchuk, professor of the European Humanities University (Vilnius, Lithuania), intended to read the report ‘Hrodna in the pages of Nasha Niva (1906-1910), and the doctor of historical sciences A.Krautsevich – ‘The history of forming the city center of Hrodna’.

Krautsevich and Smalianchuk also stated their intention to hold an alternative conference in Hrodna in November this year.