COURAGE

Підключення Колекцій

The collection of the Slovenian State Security Administration's (UDB-a) surveillance materials about Maks Samec illustrates the mechanism and extent of control exercised by the UDB-a against a Slovenian scientist (chemist) of the older generation (Maks Samec). After 1945, Samec was perceived as an irreplaceable scientist, but also politically suspect, even a potential political and ideological adversary, so he was placed under surveillance.

Sociology, along with other social sciences, was under a strong political pressure in the socialist era. After the foundation of the Sociological Research Group (1963), sociologists tried to make room for more autonomous academic activities. “Critical sociology” formed in part because many sociologists refused to legitimize the communist regime through their work. This collection gives insights into this controversial dynamic, i.e. the struggle between scholars on the one hand and political institutions on the other.

The collection consists of manuscripts on historical studies, memoirs and correspondence by Stasys Matulaitis, a historian, national activist, member of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (from 1896), and from 1917 a member of the Communist Party. In 1950, Matulaitis openly criticised the authorities of Academy and the work of the Institute of History at a session of the Academy of Sciences of Soviet Lithuania. He was fired from his job at the Institute. The most valuable documents in the collection are Matulaitis’ letters to the presidium of the Academy.

The Vilnius University Party Committee collection reflects the official policy and attitudes towards teachers, researchers and students. The university administration and Party Committee tried to control the educational process and the creative expression of scholars and students. On the other hand, documents from the collection help us to better understand the creative ambitions of Lithuanian researchers and even students, which did not always comply with the official ideology.