Viadrina Center of Polish and Ukrainian Studies

Ukraine@viadrina

Profile

Founded in July 2023, the Viadrina Center of Polish and Ukrainian Studies (VCPU) merges the Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies and the Chair for Entangled History of Ukraine into a new research institution at the European University Viadrina. The VCPU focuses on interdisciplinary research on Polish and Ukrainian history and the present day, as well as on the transfer of science-based and up-to-date knowledge about Poland and Ukraine to the public.

Interdisciplinary conferences, workshops, open lectures, summer academies, research trips as well as university lectures and seminars by the VCPU’s academic staff and international guest researchers, several publication series, an academic blog and a YouTube channel stimulate research on Poland and Ukraine and underline the special role of the Viadrina as a place of European intellectual exchange.

Große Scharrnstraße 59, DE 15230 Frankfurt (Oder)
+49 335-5534 2445
vcpu@europa-uni.de
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Visitor address

Große Scharrnstraße 23a
DE 15230 Frankfurt (Oder)
Räume 301-311

News

The beginning of the Holocaust: forced labour – a new book by Frank Grelka

In his book ‘Mörderische Verschwendung’ (Murderous Waste), published on 24 September 2025, historian Dr Frank Grelka describes forced labour in the Polish territories occupied by Germany as the beginning of the Holocaust. Read more [in German]

1869. The Cornell University Press Podcast

In “Borders in Red”, Stephan Rindlisbacher uses the making of national borders as a lens through which to examine the Bolsheviks' fundamental shift from proletarian internationalism to ethnonational federalism sui generis. Listen to the author talking about his new book at the “1869” podcast

Events

Oct

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International academic conference ‘Henryk Bereska - a man in between’ [DE]

15.10.2025 bis 17.10.2025

Nov

Thursday 14.00

Symposium Bartoszewski Promemoria

Research | Teaching | Transfer

Research

The research carried out at the Viadrina Center of Polish and Ukrainian Studies is dedicated to Poland and Ukraine in a broad transregional context, considering the close entanglements – commonalities as well as conflicts – in this multi-layered contact zone. Recognizing the cultural and political agency of Poland and Ukraine, we treat our research as an integrative endeavor with a strategic interdisciplinary focus.

Teaching

In line with its research focus, the Viadrina Center of Polish and Ukrainian Studies pursues the strategy of integrating Polish, Ukrainian, as well as Central and Eastern European studies into as many courses at the Viadrina as possible. For this reason, courses are generally offered in English and German, together with a number of seminars in Polish and Ukrainian, and are aimed at students from all three faculties at all levels of qualification – BA, MA and PhD.

Transfer

We want to share the results of our enquiries with the public. Scientifically based, trustworthy knowledge and information, especially about the complex situations and conditions in Central and Eastern Europe, are urgently needed in Germany. In order to transfer the findings of the Viadrina Center of Polish and Ukrainian Studies projects into an enlightened public debate, we will further develop our existing formats.