Historian of Eastern Europe. Lover of random, untold histories. Explorer of the last days of state socialism. ERC Project: Perestroika from Below ZZF Potsdam, CEU Viennahttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3muty25do7s2zI hope Witkoff and Kushner see the sheer beauty of Kyiv, its delicacy and softness and layers of history. It might give it a face when they read about the next missile attack. But they are property developers, so I should not hope too strongly. [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Sep 2026 12:18 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3muty25do7s2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mtu5pgqcvs2zHappy 35th Independence Day, Ukraine.24 Aug 2026 20:34 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtu5pgqcvs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3msvsyq3u3c2hSun eclipse in Bavaria. Always a good excuse to get the Alphorn out.12 Aug 2026 19:03 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvsyq3u3c2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mpe2jed76s2dPretty good analysis of British academia’s malaise which made me leave (plus Brexit). The unnecessary destruction of a system that functioned well through the cult of management. My condolences to my colleagues in Exeter. https://open.substack.com/pub/johnheathershaw/p/the-crisis-in-britains-universities?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email28 Jun 2026 13:14 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpe2jed76s2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3monoz3zu2c2wDieses Titelblatt wird durch Dutzende von Händen gegangen sein und keiner hat sich erinnert, dass es so was wie die Sowjetunion gab, die nicht mit Russland identisch war. Erstaunlich. [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Jun 2026 15:49 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3monoz3zu2c2whttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mompug3hqs2kOne of the casualties of the US -Israeli attack on Iran is the memory of the tens of thousands of protesters killed by the Iranian regime just a few weeks before. Trump has allowed brutal bullies to be recast as victims, probably pushing the chance of political change in Iran back by decades.19 Jun 2026 06:32 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mompug3hqs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mmrtjohf5s2mIt is not surprising Russia targeted the Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv. I spent hours in their exhibition a few years ago and left with an overwhelming sense of doom caused by systemic failure, yet mitigated by the actions of conscientious individuals. Chornobyl is the anti-story to imperial grandeur.26 May 2026 20:30 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmrtjohf5s2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3ml6wprovek2gFinally a collaboration worth its name. Leave it to women to find a common, anti-imperialist language. I suspect that this will remain the highlight of this year‘s biennale. https://kyivindependent.com/pussy-riot-femen-storm-russian-pavilion-at-venice-biennale/06 May 2026 14:42 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6wprovek2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mkmej4flns2iI am in awe of this very British linguistic construction: a subjective qualifier preceding a verb embodying uncertainty. An amazing feat of hedging your words. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Apr 2026 05:28 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmej4flns2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mkeyf7rc522s40 years ago one of the reactors of the nuclear station of Chornobyl went into meltdown and exploded. The consequences of this event still reverberate today, not least in the ongoing struggle for independence by Ukraine and Belarus. The accident ripped off the plaster covering past Soviet wounds.26 Apr 2026 07:02 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkeyf7rc522shttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mhtpsqqogc2fI have walked this street many times. As have millions of Russian tourists. But the times when shock still had value have probably passed a long time ago. Oh beautiful Lviv. My heart breaks for you. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Mar 2026 23:23 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhtpsqqogc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mhpjewrtk22xWe truly live in an age that proves that destruction is much easier than construction, that creating negativity is much easier than positive affirmation, and that no man is too stupid or too evil to wreck things for all. And I have several candidates in mind here.23 Mar 2026 07:18 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhpjewrtk22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mgwceme4sc2gBabies running academia. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Mar 2026 06:36 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgwceme4sc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mgmdxstrxk2lDisplay of items confiscated at Tbilisi airport. And I was worried about the pickled cabbage in my hand luggage.09 Mar 2026 07:38 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgmdxstrxk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mgdnct6nr22yMulti-layered relationships to Russia in Tblisi.05 Mar 2026 20:31 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgdnct6nr22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/jcaf.bsky.social/post/3mfn6i47bfk2pUkraine still stands. And Vienna still stands with Ukraine. Including its large Iranian exile community which came out in force this year. The pain that hung over the square and everyone on it was palpable. One could almost touch it.24 Feb 2026 22:07 +0000at://did:plc:ihdjwpb2lv6d7vmf45kec3p3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfn6i47bfk2p