The Jewish Population of Brest-Litovsk during the Period of German Occupation, 1915–1919: Analysis and Perspectives

The present work aims to fill a gap by analyzing the situation facing the Jewish population of Brest between 1915 and 1919. It is based on unpublished documents and an accurate account of events in Yiddish. It further endeavors to outline the perspectives offered by the examination of the documents over a longer period of time, taking into account the early years of the Polish period. We believe that such an approach will not only allow us to stop considering the period 1915–1919 as an “empty” period, but also contribute to a better understanding of the situation of the Jewish population in Brest-Litovsk after 1919. This epigraphic analysis of the documents presented by the inhabitants of Brest when returning to obtain Polish nationality is a novel study of materials that have not previously been investigated.

Domestic Constraints on Foreign Policy Change in Belarus

After 2014 the relationship between Russia and its ally Belarus was strained. Russia was dissatisfied with Belarus’s foreign policy and sought to influence the latter’s international affairs. This article considers the extent of change and continuity in Belarus’s foreign policy, and thus whether Russia’s criticisms reflect consequential shifts, covering the period 2016–2019. The analysis begins with the removal of EU sanctions, which afforded Belarus new opportunities, and ends before the protest movement that emerged ahead of the election in 2020. The study considers three policy areas: international trade; diplomacy more broadly; and foreign policy concerns for prestige. The article argues that Belarus made appreciable policy changes in response to structural pressures in the period 2016–2019, but the parameters of these foreign policy shifts were necessarily highly constrained by domestic interest group competition which prevents Belarus distancing itself from Russia. It concludes with a brief reflection on how the 2020 election protests and repressions affect the dynamics described.

The Role of Michaś Skobla in the Belarusian Literary Process

The many-sided work of Michaś Skobla (b. 1966) takes a variety of forms, including that of prose writer, critic, editor, anthologist, parodist, translator, radio correspondent and lyric poet. The article aims to outline the main features of his writing, with particular emphasis on his parodies and lyric poetry, in this way showing his central role in the Belarusian literary process of today.

Great Expectations: The Case of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant

As extreme dependence of Belarus’s economy on Russian hydrocarbons poses a national security threat, the Belarusian Government decided to mitigate this challenge by constructing a nuclear power plant (NPP) that will cover two fifths of the domestic electricity demand and contribute to increased excess electricity generating capacity for export to the EU. This article assesses a combination of diplomacy and domestic adjustments to develop four scenarios representing the most feasible mechanisms to address the challenges associated with this excess capacity. Having evaluated each scenario’s advantages, drawbacks, costs, and probability, it concludes that, in the current political and diplomatic environment, Belarus will have to consume all its NPP’s energy domestically. This, in its turn, will necessitate significant economic adjustment.

Missing Chain? Challenges for the Contemporary Study of 18th Century Belarusian Language and Culture

The dominant axiom of Belarusian historical linguistics holds that the Belarusian literary language was created in the 19th century. According to this perspective, the contemporary Belarusian literary language is a new entity, separate from the old writing tradition. Its supporters therefore sanction the thesis that this writing tradition was broken, despite recent research proving the continuity of the Belarusian language. The present analysis shows that the reproduction of cliches about ‘the breaking of the tradition’ in textbooks used for teaching Belarusian language cause significant cognitive dissonance. Modern conscious Belarusians are building their identity based on the tradition of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, feeling themselves its heirs. The building of a modern identity should, however, incorporate references to language which is an important component of it. The analyzed textbooks contradict this by maintaining that the Belarusian literary language has its roots in the 19th century.