The Max Weber Foundation, represented by the German Historical Institute in Warsaw (Deutsches Historisches Institut Warschau; DHI) and the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, have signed a cooperation agreement. At a joint meeting on 17. 12. 2025, the agreement was confirmed by the head of the Prague branch of the DHI, Dr. Jaromír Mrňka, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, Eva Lehečková.
„The signing of the memorandum represents a commitment to sharing knowledge, supporting mobility, and deepening institutional responsibility. It is not just a framework for further cooperation, but a confirmation of the shared belief that historical research in Central and Eastern Europe can only be meaningfully developed in a trans-national context. Open international dialogue is a prerequisite for finding new interpretative perspectives or critically reevaluating already existing ones. The memorandum therefore creates conditions for further deepening the connection between Czech and German historiography, both in everyday research work, as well as in teaching and broader public debate,“ said Jaromír Mrňka.
The memorandum, concluded for a period of three years, i.e. 2025–2028, envisages the development of cooperation between the two institutions in education and research in the fields of Central and Eastern European history, cultural history, memory studies, and global history. CU FA and DHI want to work together on popularization and research projects, especially international ones, and scientific mobility and the mutual exchange of experts to commissions, expert councils, etc. are also planned. The agreement also includes the participation of academics in teaching and supervising student theses, as well as the sharing of scientific and research infrastructure.
„The newly established Institute of History builds on the existing rich international cooperation between historical institutes at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, which it intends to significantly expand and deepen. That is why we have established close cooperation with the German Historical Institute in Warsaw this year. We plan to teach German and Polish historians affiliated with the DHI at our institute, organize academic exchanges, joint public lectures, workshops, and research projects, as well as cooperate in the implementation of doctoral studies. Both sides have something to offer each other,“ said Matěj Spurný, director of the Institute of History at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University.
Since its opening in 2018, the Prague branch of the German Historical Institute in Warsaw has been supporting scientific research into Czech, German, and Polish history in a European context, organizing academic conferences and lectures, and supporting the creation of specialist publications. It works closely with the Prague branch of the Munich-based Collegium Carolina and the Czech Academy of Sciences.
