Where Does Central Europe Begin?

The Chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg († 1018) is a valued, irreplaceable source for the history of Central Europe around the year 1000. As such, it has been used for generations as a place of evergreen returns. However, in the past it has not only been interpreted, but also misinterpreted in the spirit of the interests of the time.

Although Thietmar of Merseburg has been repeatedly exploited by German, Polish, Hungarian and Czech historians, his work has not yet been subjected to comparison in a Central European context. This deficit will be addressed by an international workshop, which will feature historians from Czechia, Germany, Hungary and Poland.

The workshop program will be themed around three problem areas. The first will focus on the possibilities and limits of interpreting the chronicle. The second will be devoted to the second life of Thietmar's work, and the third will attempt to come to terms with the way the chronicle was used by modern historiography of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Thietmar of Merseburg’s Chronicle is an important source for understanding the political and dynastic connections of the emerging Kingdom of Hungary within Central Europe around the year 1000. The workshop will examine Thietmar’s references to Hungary and the Hungarians, with particular attention to their political, ecclesiastical, and dynastic contexts and to the possibilities and limits of using the Chronicle as a source for early Hungarian history. By bringing together specialists in medieval Hungarian and Central European history, the workshop will also explore how Thietmar’s account can be interpreted within the wider network of relations linking Hungary to its neighbouring realms.

Thietmar of Merseburg’s Chronicle is one of the most important narrative sources for the history of the early Piast realm and its relations with the Holy Roman Empire around the year 1000. The workshop will examine Thietmar’s portrayal of Poland, its rulers, and Polish–German political and dynastic relations, while also considering the possibilities and limitations of his account as a source for early Polish history. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which Thietmar interpreted conflicts, alliances, and encounters between the Piast and Ottonian worlds.