The Impact of Land Reform on the Baltic States and Societies Across the Ruptures of 1918, 1944/45 and 1991

There is a broad consensus on the vital importance of land reform for the building of states and societies in the Baltics – be it during the periods of nation statehood (interwar, post-Cold War), under Soviet rule or during the two World Wars. Scholars have noted the interaction of land redistribution in one period with effects of land reform from previous periods, but only in passing: Reconstruction these interactions across the profound ruptures that structure 20th
century Baltic history poses considerable methodological challenges. These range from variations of record-keeping across linguistic hurdles to the ideological underpinnings of primary sources.

At this workshop, which is part of the AHRC-DFG-funded project ‘Subjectivities of Owning Land: Land Redistribution and the Nation State in the Baltics’ (SOL), we want to examine what can be gained from taking a broader perspective on land reform and historical change, what the limitations are, how land reforms shaped societies, and how different acts of land reform built on one another. The focus is on an exchange of research findings, of conceptual ideas, and of methodological approach most suited for reconstructing continuities across ruptures.

SOL Website: https://mob.subjectivities-of-owning-land.de/ 

Participants
1. Heidi Hein-Kircher, Martin Opitz Library / Ruhr University Bochum, „Subjectivities of Owning Land: Land Redistribution and the Nation State in the Baltics Across the 20th Century“
2. Klaus Richter, University of Birmingham, „Subjectivities of Owning Land Land Redistribution and the Nation State in the Baltics Across the 20th Century“
3. Karsten Brüggemann, Tallinn University, „Everyday Life in the Estonian SSR“
4. Airi Uuna, Tallinn University, „Everyday Life in the Estonian SSR“
5. Heidi Rifk, Tallinn University
6. Davis Pumpurins, Martin Opitz Library / Ruhr University Bochum, 'The Reflection of the Agrarian Reform of the Republic of Latvia (1920–1937) in Historiography'
7. Olaf Mertelsmann, University of Tartu, Land Reforms in Comparison: Estonia 1919–1949
8. Marju Luts-Sootak, University of Tartu, A Forgotten Chapter of Land Reform: Addressing the Small Tenant (Pops) Question through Land Consolidation
9. Triinu Rennu, University of Tartu, From Land Reform to Land Use Modernisation: Improving Land Use Efficiency in Estonia, 1926–1940
10. Arturas Svarauskas, Lithuanian Institute of History, Land Reform in Interwar Lithuania: Political and Social Aspects
11. Rasa Čepaitienė, Lithuanian Institute of History, From Peasant-Citizens to Post-Agrarian Subjects: Land, Power, and Loss in Lithuania
12. Jānis Šiliņš, Land, War, and State-Building in Latvia: Agrarian Reform Projects of 1919
13. Arta Snipe, The Promise and Perils of Redistribution: Urban Land Restitution in Latvia.
14. Jaak-Markus Maamets, Forests, Land Reform, and State Authority: Forestry Expertise and the Aftermath of the 1919 Land Reform in Interwar Estonia