Walter Sperling. Vor den Ruinen von Grosny: Leben und Überleben im multiethnischen Kaukasus. Berlin: Matthes & Seitz, 2023

Abstract

Walter Sperling’s Vor den Ruinen von Grosny (Before the ruins of Grozny) provides a nuanced exploration of how broader historical forces were experienced at the local level in one of the most contested regions of Russia and the Soviet Union. Focusing on Grozny—the capital of Chechnya, a republic in the Russian North Caucasus—a city at the intersection of imperial expansion, Soviet modernization, and ethnic conflict, Sperling highlights how major political and social transformations, from colonization and industrialization to revolution and war, were reflected in everyday urban life. By placing the daily interactions, decisions, and adaptations of ordinary residents at the center of his analysis, Sperling sheds new light on how global processes shaped local identities, conflicts, and solidarities, revealing the complexities often obscured by larger historical narratives.

Text in English