The conference is organized as part of the Central Research Project "The Communist Movement and the Apparatus of Power 1917-1990."

In February 1945, as the end of World War II approached, the three major world powers convened at the Yalta Conference to establish the principles of the post-war world order. One significant outcome of this meeting was the creation of a Soviet sphere of influence in Central and Eastern Europe. Between 1944 and 1948, the existing political systems in the Soviet satellite states were dismantled. The Communists formed what appeared to be coalition governments under a system they called people's democracy, which were legitimized through rigged elections.

As tensions grew between the USSR and Western countries, leading to the onset of the Cold War, the transformation of the Soviet sphere of influence accelerated. After the conference held in Szklarska Poręba in September 1947, the anti-Western stance of the communist movement gained strength, increasing the control exerted by Moscow over its satellite states. Consequently, these countries were swiftly reorganized according to the principles of Stalinism.

Only after the death of the Soviet dictator in 1953 did a shift away from Stalinism become possible.

The organizers of the conference invite participants to engage in discussions on the transnational aspects of the communist movement, the development and implementation of Stalinism, its shared characteristics, and the variations across different countries, with a particular emphasis on the following issues:

- The functioning of Stalinism in the political sphere, considering the repression of citizens in satellite states and their leaders, 

- Political and economic differences among the satellite states, 

- Implementation of Stalinist policies, such as industrialization and collectivization, across different Central European countries.

- Ideologization of life in the satellite states of the USSR. 

-  Social reception of Stalinism in dependent states. 

- Manifestations of social resistance and the outbreak of political upheavals in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Czechoslovakia. 

The conference is organized by the IPN Historical Research Office and the IPN Branch Historical Research Office in Katowice.

There is no conference fee. Speakers will receive accommodation, meals, and reimbursement for travel expenses. Employees of the IPN will have their participation accounted for as part of business trips.

Applications to present a paper must be submitted using the attached form and will be accepted until March 16, 2025. The organizers will notify applicants of their acceptance by March 31, 2025.

Authors of papers are encouraged to submit articles to the journal „Komunizm: system-ludzie-dokumentacja”. Speakers are requested to submit their texts, adapted according to the IPN publishing guidelines, no later than June 30, 2025. After incorporating the feedback from the discussions held during the conference, the texts will undergo a review process. For detailed information about the journal's profile, please visit: https://czasopisma.ipn.gov.pl/index.php/k/.

For submissions and any inquiries related to the conference, please contact Dr. Sylwia Szyc at sylwia.szyc@ipn.gov.pl.