Gorbatchev and the (unintended) end of the Soviet era
Channel: De Balie
Date: 2017-10-05

October marks 100 years since the October revolution took place. Therefore we are presenting an evening on the life of the historical figure Michail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the man ultimately responsible for the fall of the Soviet system.

Former Soviet leader Gorbachev is the personification of the revolution. Widely regarded as a hero by the West, he saw himself as a loyal soldier of the system and supported the communist experiment, which he helped collapse unintentionally. He was not against the end of the Cold War, but he in turn never wanted the communist experiment to end. In this programme, we aim to give an impression of this tragic historical hero and his role in the peaceful ending of the Cold War. Who was he? Why did the Soviet Union collapse?

We will present the internationally lauded and authorised biography: Gorbatsjov. His Life and Times by Pulitzer Prize winner William Taubman. Mr. Taubman will give an introduction to the life of Gorbachev at De Balie. Additionally, Pavel Palazhchenko, Gorbachev’s personal interpreter and advisor, will give an eyewitness account of this historical period: the necessary reforms, the Chernobyl explosion, the negotiations with Reagan on nuclear weapons, the fall of the Wall and the ultimate disintegration of the Soviet Union. Finally, we will ponder why the West has ultimately not capitalised on this peaceful ending of the Cold War. Laura Starink (former Moscow NRC-correspondent NRC and co-initiator of website RaamopRusland (Window on Russia)) will talk about the memories she has as a young correspondent in Moscow about Gorbachev's reforms and its consequences.

Moderated by: Lennart Booij

Language: English

Live stream 2017-10-01

This video is also at:
https://vimeo.com/debalie/gorbachev
https://youtu.be/4tn9t6-kn34

https://www.debalie.nl/agenda/podium/gorbatsjov-and-the-(unintended)-end-of-the-soviet-era/e_9783044/p_11769850

http://www.debalie.tv



N E D E R L A N D S :

Deze oktober is het 100 jaar geleden dat de Oktoberrevolutie plaatsvond. Deze avond kijken we terug op de opkomst en ondergang van de Sovjet-Unie aan de hand van de biografie van een van haar kenmerkendste sleutelfiguren: Michail Sergejevitsj Gorbatsjov.

Lees verder:
https://www.debalie.nl/agenda/podium/gorbatsjov-and-the-(unintended)-end-of-the-soviet-era/e_9783044/p_11769850



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