Oral History Archive
Preserving voices, documenting experiences, and honoring memories through systematic collection and analysis of personal testimonies and historical narratives.
Featured Content
Latest documentaries, interviews, and research
35 Years of the 2+4 Treaty
The 2+4 Treaty, signed in 1990 by the two German states and the four Allied powers, marked the final chapter of the Cold War. This documentary retraces the crucial negotiations that led to German reunification and restored full sovereignty to a once-divided nation.
Consequences of Love
Consequences of Love is a documentary that unveils a little-known story—the fate of many Russian women who married Albanian men, leaving their homeland for love, only to find themselves imprisoned, persecuted, and oppressed by Albania’s communist regime.
Andrei Makarov
Andrei is a Russian-born street musician who relocated to Kyrgyzstan and found his calling performing on the streets of Bishkek. He shares his journey of adapting to a new country, building a community, performing Russian and Kyrgyz songs, and his evolving musical career as "Andrei Kochenik".
Andrey Ralko
Entrepreneur and founder of a photo/video equipment store in Istanbul. Originally from northern Russia, Andrey fled due to war and mobilization concerns. He now balances remote real estate work with growing a business and integrating into the Turkish creative community.
Artem Sukhov
This interview features Artem, a Russian-speaking migrant originally from Russia’s Sakhalin region, who relocated to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in 2022. A journalist and media writer by profession, Artem works remotely, producing articles and analytical texts focused primarily on economics, regional development, and cultural topics, including the Far East and post-Soviet spaces. Artem reflects on his migration experience, beginning with exploratory travel to Kyrgyzstan and followed by a permanent move together with his family. He emphasizes the ease of social integration, the openness of local residents, and the importance of informal support networks in everyday adaptation. The interview highlights pragmatic aspects of relocation, including housing, banking, document processing, and digital versus face-to-face communication practices. Particular attention is given to cultural observation and everyday life: urban greenery, murals, mountain landscapes, food culture, and leisure practices such as travel across Kyrgyzstan. Artem also discusses family life, raising a child, education and kindergarten experiences, and the long-term decision to purchase property in Bishkek.
Anna Balashova
This interview features Anna, a Russian-speaking migrant originally from Russia’s Altai Krai, who has been living in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for approximately two and a half years. Trained as an Oriental studies specialist with a focus on the Korean language, Anna later completed a master’s degree in anthropology in Bishkek, making her personal migration experience closely intertwined with academic reflection. In the interview, Anna reflects on her relocation, adaptation, and everyday life in Kyrgyzstan, highlighting themes of cultural familiarity, community, and emotional transformation. She discusses linguistic and cultural openness, intergenerational social norms, and the warmth of everyday interactions, contrasting them with experiences from large Russian cities. Particular attention is given to nature, urban space, and cultural symbolism, including traditional ornamentation, textile practices, and the embodied transmission of cultural meaning. Anna emphasizes the role of education, friendship networks, and institutional accessibility in her smooth integration. Her narrative presents migration as a deeply transformative process and portrays Bishkek as a space of safety, belonging, and personal growth.
Search the Archive
Explore our archive of contemporary witness interviews
Popular Tags
Discover personal stories and first-hand historical memories. Use keywords, names, or time periods to find relevant interviews.
Scientific Research Platform
Advanced tools and methodologies for oral history documentation
Searchable Database
Advanced full-text search across all interviews with filters for date, location, topics, and keywords to quickly find relevant testimonies.
- Boolean search operators
- Metadata filtering
- Time-stamped results
Digital Preservation
Professional archiving with rich metadata, high-quality audio/video, complete transcriptions, and contextual materials for each interview.
- Full transcripts with timestamps
- Biographical information
- Historical context documents
Research Tools
Comprehensive analytical dashboard with citation management, export functions, and collaborative features for academic research.
- Statistical analysis tools
- Citation generator
- Export in multiple formats