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Description
The project Czech-Norwegian Memorabilia develops bilateral cooperation between the Department of Germanic Studies, Charles University, and Department of History, University of Trondheim, in the field of Norwegian and Czech history in the first half of 20th century. The main topics of the project are the Czech forced workers in Norway during WWII, the Czechoslovak exile in Norway in the years after 1948 and endeavour of the Czech Lappologist and historian of Scandinavia Václav Marek. The project offers an opportunity to share research and archival material among Norwegian and Czech experts in the war history. It enables innovative usage of teaching methods and possible growing of new experts. The project outcomes are new curricula, archival materials’ edition, an electronic database of memorabilia, a travelling exhibition and three roundtables.
Summary of project results
The project focused on Czech-Norwegian relations during the Second World War. Experts from Charles University in Prague, Czechia, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway, collaborated to bring this often-overlooked historical topic to the attention of students and the general public. They uncovered numerous historical documents from both Norwegian and Czech archives.
The team achieved several important outputs. Among them were two publications (Sent to the North: 15 Stories and Sent to the North: Czechs in Forced Labour in Norway), a traveling exhibition that has already been displayed in eight museums across the Czech Republic. And an educational website (www.noraci.cz) featuring an online database of stories from Czech forced workers. This resource serves as a teaching tool for both Czech and Norwegian schools, not just at the university level but also in broader educational contexts.
The project had a profound impact, opening up a previously underexplored historical topic: the forced labour of Czechs in Norway during World War II. The findings attracted considerable attention from historians and scholars in both the Czech Republic and Norway. The topic generated far more media coverage and public interest than anticipated, surprising and delighting the project team. The partnership, furthermore, resulted in new courses for students of Scandinavian Studies and an online resource that can be used in both Czech and Norwegian schools.
Additionally, the project strengthened relations between the universities, laying the groundwork for future collaborative educational and research initiatives.
Summary of bilateral results
The cooperation on the first joint project was direct and smooth, as both sides were deeply interested in the chosen topic. The Norwegian partner university had previously been working on a large-scale project on similar issues, but the involvement of the Czech team added a new dimension to the collaboration.The partnership was mutually beneficial – first, by acquiring new research materials, and second, by incorporating this new knowledge into education. It also fostered wider public engagement. The Norwegian partner was very helpful in introducing the Czech team to key resources, such as the Norwegian Archive in Oslo, where they familiarized themselves with the archive''s complex operations and established practical collaboration with the institution. Additionally, the partner provided expert advice on the project’s publications. Beyond these project outputs, the partner also contributed to a joint study that was published as a book chapter in spring 2022.Throughout the project, experts from both universities gained new skills and significantly expanded their understanding of the issues related to Czechoslovakia’s wartime history. The Norwegian partner expressed strong interest in further joint research, publications, and continued project cooperation. This successful collaboration led to another EEA Grants project.