Together with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Baden-Württemberg we create spaces in which we can talk about difficult topics with audiences from the greater Stuttgart area. The formats are varied: panel discussions, film screenings, readings with guests from all over Germany and Ukraine.
1. Discussion evening | The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in its second year. How has the debate in Germany changed?
Historical concepts and analyses are playing an increasingly important role in the current debate on support for Ukraine in Germany. However, it is important to remember that this discussion is part of a complex conflict that extends far beyond Germany's borders.
MIT: Klaus Gestwa, Professor of Eastern European History and Director of the Institute for Eastern European History and Regional Studies at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen; Anastasia Tikhomirova, journalist for taz, ZEIT ONLINE and Jungle World, among others; Afina Albrecht, who was honoured as Stuttgart Woman of the Year 2022 for her wide-ranging commitment.
2nd film screening of ‚20 Days in Mariupol‘ followed by a panel discussion in the Atelier am Bollwerk.
When the siege of Mariupol by the Russian invasion forces begins, most members of the press leave the Ukrainian harbour city. Filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko are the only international reporters on the ground to capture crucial images of the war. The film by Pulitzer Prize winner Mstyslav Chernov is based on his personal reports and vividly shows the heroism of news journalism in conflict zones.
The film was awarded an Oscar for „Best Documentary Film“.
MIT: Klaus Gestwa, Professor of Eastern European History and Director of the Institute for Eastern European History and Regional Studies at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen; Kateryna Ilchenko, IT entrepreneur from Mariupol who witnessed the siege; currently a lecturer at Arden University Berlin.
3 „The pages of war“: literary evening at the Stuttgart Literaturhaus with and in memory of authors from Ukraine
Ukrainian author Andriy Lyubka describes his experiences as a volunteer aid worker in „The Back Side of War“ and paints a vivid picture of everyday life in Ukraine, which is characterised by war. He reports on encounters with soldiers, civilians and helpers whose lives have changed fundamentally (Transit Verlag, published in September 2025).
Stanislav Aseyev describes in „Heller Weg. Donetsk - Report from a Torture Prison“, Stanlav Aseyev describes his several years of imprisonment in the notorious „Isolatsiya“ in Donetsk and documents the violence and repression under Russian occupation (Suhrkamp, 2023).
In honour of the murdered authors Victoria Amelina and Volodymyr Vakulenko, their texts will be presented. Vakulenko's diary from occupied Izjum and Amelina's publications bear witness to the experiences under Russian rule and visualise the human and cultural losses.
4 Ukraine at a glance
Dealing with war crimes is a key prerequisite for justice and lasting peace. Only if atrocities are documented, investigated and legally prosecuted can victims be recognised and future crimes prevented. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine poses enormous challenges for international criminal justice - at the same time, it is a touchstone for the effectiveness of international legal norms and the responsibility of the international community.
Under the working title „Russian war crimes in Ukraine, international criminal jurisdiction and the debate in Germany“ we invite you to an event with keynote speeches and a subsequent panel discussion.
MIT: Dr Zeccola, research associate at the Institute of Economics and Law, Department of Law at the University of Stuttgart; Prosecutor Klaus Hofmann, who was involved in the investigation of war crimes in Ukraine and who Ukrainian General Prosecutor's Office Nataliya Pryhornytska, political scientist, activist and co-founder of the Open Platform e.V. and the Alliance of Ukrainian Organisations.