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Marxism and Medieval Studies
Marxist Historiography in East Central Europe
Series:
This volume is a unique publication as it examines the Marxist attitudes in East Central European historiography and archaeology for the first time, with an emphasis on the co-existence of Marxist and other methodologies between the 1950s and 1970s in the local historiographies in question. Its approach is to distinguish between pseudo-Marxism as an ideological tool on the one hand, and Marxism in the form of historical materialism as a way to interpret the medieval world on the other.
Contributors are: Florin Curta, Piotr Guzowski, Adam Hudek, Tereza Johanidesová, Jitka Komendová, JiÅà MacháÄek, Andrzej Marzec, Martin Nodl, Attila Pók, David Radek, Tadeusz PaweÅ Rutkowski, Iurie Stamati, RafaÅ Stobiecki, Gábor Thoroczkay, PrzemysÅaw Wiszewski, Piotr WÄcowski, Martin Wihoda, and DuÅ¡an Zupka.
Contributors are: Florin Curta, Piotr Guzowski, Adam Hudek, Tereza Johanidesová, Jitka Komendová, JiÅà MacháÄek, Andrzej Marzec, Martin Nodl, Attila Pók, David Radek, Tadeusz PaweÅ Rutkowski, Iurie Stamati, RafaÅ Stobiecki, Gábor Thoroczkay, PrzemysÅaw Wiszewski, Piotr WÄcowski, Martin Wihoda, and DuÅ¡an Zupka.
Martin Nodl, Ph.D. (2011), is a research associate professor at the Centre for Medieval Studies Academy of Sciences CR, Prague. He is the author of six monographs, including Das Kuttenberger Dekret von 1409 (2017), Åredniowiecze w nas (2020), and Praha 15. stoletÃ. Konfliktnà spoleÄenstvà (2023).
Piotr WÄcowski, Ph.D. (2004), is a professor at the University of Warsaw. He has published three monographs and many articles on medieval history and history of historiography, including The Origins of Poland in the Historical Memory of the Late Middle Ages (Cracow 2014).
Dušan Zupka, Ph.D. (2009), is an associate professor at Comenius University in Bratislava. He has published monographs, journal articles and edited volumes on power, ritual and war in medieval East Central Europe, including Rulership in Medieval East Central Europe (Brill, 2021).
Piotr WÄcowski, Ph.D. (2004), is a professor at the University of Warsaw. He has published three monographs and many articles on medieval history and history of historiography, including The Origins of Poland in the Historical Memory of the Late Middle Ages (Cracow 2014).
Dušan Zupka, Ph.D. (2009), is an associate professor at Comenius University in Bratislava. He has published monographs, journal articles and edited volumes on power, ritual and war in medieval East Central Europe, including Rulership in Medieval East Central Europe (Brill, 2021).
"...overall, this is a highly valuable and insightful work and I have enjoyed reading many of the contributions. It is to be hoped that it will inspire further studies on medieval historiography under communism." â Jan Dumolyn, Ghent University, in: The Medieval Review (25.10.30)
"...the volume highlights the interconnectedness of Marxist historiographical approaches across eastern Europe while also showing how the specifics of national histories came into play in terms of methodology as well as subject matter of medieval historical and archaeological research. In this sense, this volume is truly unique." â William Mahan, Northern Arizona University, in: Mediaevistik 2025), Volume 38, Number 1,
"...the volume highlights the interconnectedness of Marxist historiographical approaches across eastern Europe while also showing how the specifics of national histories came into play in terms of methodology as well as subject matter of medieval historical and archaeological research. In this sense, this volume is truly unique." â William Mahan, Northern Arizona University, in: Mediaevistik 2025), Volume 38, Number 1,
Publisherâs Note
Notes on Contributors
1 Introduction
âMartin Nodl, Piotr WÄcowski and DuÅ¡an Zupka
2 An Introduction to Marxist Historiography in Poland
âRafaÅ Stobiecki
3 Polish Medievalists in the Face of Stalinism (1948â1955)
âTadeusz PaweÅ Rutkowski
4 Hungarian Medievalists under the Spell of Marxism
âAttila Pók
5 On the Genesis of Marxist Iconology: Some Observations on the Ambitious Methodological Endeavours of Czech Medieval Art History
âTereza Johanidesová
6 Marxism and the Cultural History of Medieval Rusâ: The Concept of a Russian Pre-Renaissance
âJitka Komendová
7 František Graus: From Marxist Dogmas to the Concept of the Living and Dead Past
âMartin Wihoda
8 Between Science and Politics, between History and Archaeology: The Department for Studies on the Origins of the Polish State (1948/1949â1953)
âPiotr WÄcowski
9 Medieval Knight Clans in Marxist Historiographical Criticism in the 1950s
âAndrzej Marzec
10 How Did the Czech Hussites Become a Current Problem in the History of Socialist Poland?
ââEwa MaleczyÅska: Between Professional and Party Historian
âPrzemysÅaw Wiszewski
11 Hussitism as an Early Bourgeois Revolution
âMartin Nodl
12 Between Nationalism and Marxism: Silesian Princes of the Late Middle Ages through the Lens of Post-war Polish Historiography
âDavid Radek
13 Peasants, Rents, and Money in Marxist Works on German Law-Based Colonization
âPiotr Guzowski
14 Great Moravia in Slovak Marxist Historiography
âAdam Hudek
15 Marxists, Pseudo-Marxists and Neo-Marxists in Czech Archaeology
âJiÅà MacháÄek
16 Marxism in Medieval Archaeology: A Womanâs Touch
âFlorin Curta
17 Marxist Historical Theory in the Research of the Ãrpádian Period in Hungary (1000â1301)
âGábor Thoroczkay
18 The Marxist Paradigm and Early Romanian Medieval Archaeology from the âEra of Great Achievementsâ
âIurie Stamati
19 Conclusion: Is Marxism Alive and Inspiring in Contemporary East Central European Medieval Studies?
âMartin Nodl, Piotr WÄcowski and DuÅ¡an Zupka
Index
Notes on Contributors
1 Introduction
âMartin Nodl, Piotr WÄcowski and DuÅ¡an Zupka
2 An Introduction to Marxist Historiography in Poland
âRafaÅ Stobiecki
3 Polish Medievalists in the Face of Stalinism (1948â1955)
âTadeusz PaweÅ Rutkowski
4 Hungarian Medievalists under the Spell of Marxism
âAttila Pók
5 On the Genesis of Marxist Iconology: Some Observations on the Ambitious Methodological Endeavours of Czech Medieval Art History
âTereza Johanidesová
6 Marxism and the Cultural History of Medieval Rusâ: The Concept of a Russian Pre-Renaissance
âJitka Komendová
7 František Graus: From Marxist Dogmas to the Concept of the Living and Dead Past
âMartin Wihoda
8 Between Science and Politics, between History and Archaeology: The Department for Studies on the Origins of the Polish State (1948/1949â1953)
âPiotr WÄcowski
9 Medieval Knight Clans in Marxist Historiographical Criticism in the 1950s
âAndrzej Marzec
10 How Did the Czech Hussites Become a Current Problem in the History of Socialist Poland?
ââEwa MaleczyÅska: Between Professional and Party Historian
âPrzemysÅaw Wiszewski
11 Hussitism as an Early Bourgeois Revolution
âMartin Nodl
12 Between Nationalism and Marxism: Silesian Princes of the Late Middle Ages through the Lens of Post-war Polish Historiography
âDavid Radek
13 Peasants, Rents, and Money in Marxist Works on German Law-Based Colonization
âPiotr Guzowski
14 Great Moravia in Slovak Marxist Historiography
âAdam Hudek
15 Marxists, Pseudo-Marxists and Neo-Marxists in Czech Archaeology
âJiÅà MacháÄek
16 Marxism in Medieval Archaeology: A Womanâs Touch
âFlorin Curta
17 Marxist Historical Theory in the Research of the Ãrpádian Period in Hungary (1000â1301)
âGábor Thoroczkay
18 The Marxist Paradigm and Early Romanian Medieval Archaeology from the âEra of Great Achievementsâ
âIurie Stamati
19 Conclusion: Is Marxism Alive and Inspiring in Contemporary East Central European Medieval Studies?
âMartin Nodl, Piotr WÄcowski and DuÅ¡an Zupka
Index
This volume is particularly relevant for students and researchers interested in 20th century historiography, history of ideas, Marxist historiography and the history of East Central Europe in the Middle Ages.