It was a blast!

The 2025 pilot edition of HISTOFEST. History on full blast was initiated and organized by Dr Dora Komnenovic with the aim of exploring new ways of practicing public history and the ambition of turning it into a recurring annual event that combines networking, promotion, and infotainment.

The first edition of Histofest took place at the Belval Plaza shopping centre in Esch-sur-Alzette. More than three hundred visitors attended the event, which started with a photo challenge revolving around the visits of prominent personalities such as Grand Duke Jean, Pope John Paul II, Tito, Ceaușescu, Queen Elizabeth II and others to Luxembourg and the Minett region.

Some of these visits might have left a more lasting imprint on Esch than others, but most resulted in at least one Golden Book entry. The multimedia exhibition at the festival thus displayed the Golden Book of Esch-sur-Alzette, the Visitors Book of the National Museum of Resistance and Human Rights, as well as the hologram featured in the film “Nicolae”.

Under the guidance of bookbinder Danielle Köller-Willems festival visitors participated in the creation of the Golden Book of Histofest and learned how to craft unique handmade booklets in a bookbinding workshop.

At the projects’ fair visitors could find out more about the work of the C²DH – especially the research projects Radio Luxembourg, A Colônia Luxemburguesa, Historesch Gesinn, Impresso,and Maison du Son.

In the evening the documentaries Tito Among the Serbs for the Second Time and Nicolae were screened at Kinepolis Belval. Each film was preceded by an introduction and followed by a lively conversation with the directors Želimir Žilnik and Mihai Grecu.

The programme was rounded off by a guitar performance by Ivan K., who played pop-rock covers and his own compositions.

The pilot edition of Histofest was part of the EUROPAST project, funded by the European Union under the WIDERA programme (Grant Agreement No. 101079466).

Any questions? Feel free to contact  Dr Dora Komnenovic for more information about the festival.

Hologram of Nicolae Ceaușescu

From l.t.r.: Philippe Hiligsmann (Uni.lu, Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs), Dora Komnenovic (C²DH, Organiser of HISTOFEST), Thomas Cauvin (Head of Public History & Outreach at the C²DH), Andreas Fickers (Director of the C²DH)

Programme

• 16.30 – 20.00

  Hands-on activities and projects’ fair

• 17.30

  Welcome and music

• 18.30 – 20.00

  Screening of ‘Tito Among the Serbs for the Second Time’ and talk with director Želimir Žilnik

• 20.15-21.45

  Screening of ‘Nicolae’ and talk with director Mihai Grecu

A Deeper Dive into HISTOFEST

• 

  Three questions to our HISTOFEST guests

  Read the interviews with our guests Mihai Grecu, Ivan K and Danielle Köller-Willems.

  Learn more

^{© Archives communales – Ville de Differdange / Département Patrimoine historique et industriel – Ville d’Esch-sur-Alzette / Fototeca online a comunismului românesc 109/1972}