BOOK LAUNCH
May 2, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
Blinken OSA Archivum (1051 Budapest, Arany János u. 32.), Research Room
Adrian-George Matus's book, The Long 1968 in Hungary and Romania, examines the history of the sixty-eighters from both countries between 1956 and 1975. It seeks to address two main topics: the impact of “the long 1968” on protest history, and the distinction between protest, opposition, and leisure activities among the youth. Through comparative and oral history methodology, the book fills archival gaps and elucidates how political and social events shaped individuals’ memories.
As a former Visegrad Fellow of the Blinken OSA Archivum, Matus’s research was partly based on the Archivum’s holdings, focusing on lesser-known cases of Hungary and Romania within the late 1960s youth protests, exploring various forms of activism, social engagement, mysticism, and music genres. Radio, particularly Radio Free Europe, played a significant role in expressing discontent, especially as Socialist censorship often restricted musicians. The Archivum’s collection had a crucial role in providing insights into youth behavior in Eastern and Central Europe, offering a transnational understanding beyond state archives.
The author will be in conversation with Emese Kürti, art historian (Deputy Director of Research, KEMKI – Central European Research Institute for Art History) and András Mink, historian (Research Fellow, Blinken OSA Archivum).
The program is in English.
Adrian-George Matus defended his PhD in History at the European University Institute, Florence, under the supervision of Prof. Alexander Etkind. Prior to that, he studied history at the Universite Sorbonne and literature at the Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca. Currently, he is a Chair of Humanities at the Milestone Institute and a Guest Fellow at the ELTE Budapest.