Borderlands have fascinating stories to tell, but what if there is no ‘border’ dividing the ‘land’ anymore, or when there is a ‘border’ but there has never been any ‘land’? After the study visits to the Masuria region in Poland, and to the capital cities of Finland and Estonia, the participants of the educational project In Between? bring us two podcasts on invisible borderlands. Using their own research, excerpts of the interviews with time witnesses, local experts and activists, as well as sounds collected during their journeys, the groups created audio stories that depict the history and the pulse of the regions they visited last September.
‘Masuria – Somewhere in Between’
A trip to the historical German-Polish borderland
During their study trip to Masuria, the participants of In Between? visited Pisz, Mikołajki, Kadzidłowo, Ełk, and Ogródek to explore the memory of the German-Polish neighbourhood from over eighty years ago. By telling this audio story, they seek to understand the social relations in the area, marked by ethnic and national rivalries, both before 1945, when Masuria was part of Germany, and after 1945, when it was ceded to Poland and the ethnic composition of much of the population changed. What is the identity of this region? Who are the Masurians? Can traces of the complicated past still be seen in the landscape of this popular holiday destination?
‘(Un)common Borderland. Stories from Finland, Estonia, and the Journey In Between’
A trip to the maritime border between Helsinki and Tallinn
The authors of the podcast '(Un)common Borderland' retraced the historical routes across the Baltic Sea, travelling to Helsinki, Finland, and later crossing the 80 km sea passage to Tallinn, Estonia. During the Cold War this journey was accessible only to a select few, subject to strict restrictions and scrutiny by border guards. Today, it reflects the transformation of the region and the renewed cooperation between the two countries, which, after all, share much in common. During the programme, students learned personal stories from those who lived through this period of separation and explored the many physical and symbolic meanings of the border.
Read more about the 'In Between?' project and watch the gallery
The project was organised in collaboration with local partners: Michał Kajka Museum in Ogródek, Wojciech Ketrzyński Northern Institute, Historical Museum in Ełk, Western and Northern Territories Network in Poland, as well as with Historians Without Borders in Finland and with the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory
