Chernobyl: History and its new reality

„Chernobyl“ stands for far more than a reactor accident. It began on April 26, 1986, with radiation and death, the creation of an exclusion zone, and the forced short-notice resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people in the Soviet republics of Belarus and Ukraine. The catastrophe ruthlessly exposed the decay of the Soviet system.

Yet the disaster also marked a profound turning point in the awareness of both Western and Eastern European societies regarding the extreme dangers nuclear energy poses to human life and the environment. In many countries, it brought ambitious nuclear power plant projects to an end and mobilized civil movements in Central and Eastern Europe. The year 1986 thus became a watershed in society’s perception of technological progress. It was no coincidence that Ulrich Beck’s Risk Society appeared that same year, giving influential expression to growing concerns about the risks of scientific and technological modernization. At the same time, Chernobyl became a defining reference point in the political identity of the Green Party, which transformed broad public support for phasing out nuclear power into a sustained political struggle.

In 2026 - four decades later - the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster is more relevant than ever. The debate over high-risk technologies has regained urgency. In its war against Ukraine, Russian forces have not only shelled the protective ‚safe confinement‘ structure surrounding the damaged reactor at Chornobyl - the Ukrainian spelling that we are going to use here when referring to the present. Russia has also occupied nuclear facilities and deliberately targeted critical infrastructure around reactors, once again playing a dangerously reckless game with nuclear safety - one that affects not only the region but extends far beyond Ukraine’s borders. The Russian nuclear industry continues to function as an effective geopolitical instrument of power. In Germany, by contrast, the issue has largely receded from public debate since the country completed its final nuclear phase-out three years ago.

What remains of Chernobyl/Chornobyl? We invite you to a discussion about green history and security in Europe.

With (among others)

• Rebecca Harms, MEP for „Alliance 90/ The Greens“ (2004-2019)
• Tatiana Kasperski, Senior Researcher on Nuclear and Environmental History, Södertörn University, Sweden
• Olexi Pasyuk, Environmental Activist, Ukraine
• Carla Reemtsma, Climate Activist, Fridays for Future, Germany
• Frank Uekötter, Chair of Technology and Environmental History, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany

Contact:

Dr. Clara Frysztacka
Contemporary History Division
E clara.frysztacka@boell.de

Robert Sperfeld
East and South-East Europe Division
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
E robert.sperfeld@boell.de 
 

» Participation on site
at the the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Conference Center, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register in advance. Unfortunately, the number of seats for this event are limited. If we are at capacity, the conversation will be transmitted via video to other rooms.
 

» Livestream
Alternatively, you can follow the event via livestream without registering.

» Towards Greater Accessibility
At the Heinrich Böll Foundation, we are constantly striving to remove barriers. Whether in our building, in the release of publications or at online events. All information on this can be found under the following link: https://www.boell.de/de/auf-dem-weg-zur-barrierefreiheit