Marking 85 years since Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, this year’s Summer Reception of the Foundation for West-Eastern Encounters, held on 1 July 2026, focused on remembrance.
At the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jelena Hoffmann, Chair of the Foundation’s Executive Board, welcomed the guests. She was followed by Matthias Platzeck, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and former Minister-President of the State of Brandenburg, who addressed the participants with welcoming remarks.
The central event of the evening was a lecture by historian Prof. Jochen Hellbeck, Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University in New Brunswick and author of the book A War Like No Other – Germany’s War of Annihilation against the Soviet Union. In his lecture, he examined Germany’s war of annihilation against the Soviet Union and its significance for the culture of remembrance.
Following the lecture, Jochen Hellbeck joined Prof. Dr. Susan Neiman, Director of the Einstein Forum in Potsdam, for a conversation. Together, they discussed questions of commemoration and historical understanding, as well as the responsibility that arises from engaging with history for the present and the future.
At the conclusion of the Summer Reception, participants had the opportunity to continue their conversations in an informal atmosphere and exchange their thoughts on the ideas and perspectives raised during the evening.
© Photos: Alexandra Majorov
