Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders | Uncensored Literature in Cold War Europe
Free summer school for students and young professionals
Time: 25-26 August (online) and 1-10 September 2025
Location: Bremen and Paris / Prague and Paris
Costs: Free of charge
Application open until 6th May 2025
Project language: English

What would you do if expressing your opinion meant risking your freedom? How would you share your thoughts in a society where censorship silences dissent? These were the everyday dilemmas of dissidents in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War — and they are still relevant today, as freedom of speech continues to face
growing threats across the globe.

The European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS), in collaboration with its partners, invites university students and young professionals to participate in the interdisciplinary educational project ‘Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders.’ The programme aims to explore the history of the struggle against censorship during the Cold War and to reflect on contemporary challenges to freedom of expression. Participants will engage in a dynamic learning experience combining online seminars with study visits to European archives and memory sites. Two parallel study visits will be held – one in Bremen, Germany, at the Research Centre for East European Studies, and the other in Prague, Czech Republic, in the Libri Prohibiti Library and the Václav Havel Library. The programme will conclude with a joint gathering at the House of the Literary Institute in Maisons-Laffitte, near Paris. There, participants will work together to create a collective zine — inspired by historical samizdat — reflecting on past and present struggles for free expression.

Through archival research, historical document analysis, and interviews with former dissidents and human rights activists, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the resilience and courage required to resist censorship. Additionally, a hands-on zine-making workshop will provide an opportunity for creative expression, guided by experienced artists.

Who can apply?
We welcome applications from students of the humanities, social sciences and the arts, as well as young journalists, poets, writers, photographers and human rights activists. A good command of English is must, and knowledge of Polish, Hungarian, German, Czech, or Slovak is an advantage. Workshops, accommodation, and transport to the study visits’ destinations are free of charge; participants can also apply for a partial reimbursement of travel costs.