Conference 'Homecomings: Experiences and narratives of Second World War resistance veterans and the construction of a healthy Europe'. (360G-Wellcome-108026_Z_15_Z)

This conference will be held at Birkbeck on April 24 and 25 2015. It aims to explore one of the most important and lasting legacies of the Second World War - that of anti-fascist resistance, and views the experiences and activities of resistance veterans as essential for understanding how Europe dealt with the massive medical and public health challenges in the aftermath of the Second World War. It demonstrates that the history of resistance veterans stands at the core of the postwar medical his tory of Europe, and that veterans' experiences offer unique insights into the history of psychological trauma, public health institutions and disability. The conference focuses on medical and health aspects of day-to-day lives, concerns and narratives of disabled and traumatized anti-fascist resistance soldiers in the immediate aftermath of the war. It explores the figure of the war veteran in a transnational European context, from medical, psychiatric, and social perspectives, in order to conve y the complexity of soldiers' everyday experiences and complaints on both sides of the Iron Curtain. It also interrogates veterans' relationships and growing dissatisfaction with their respective states' health policies, showing how veterans' narratives and activities shaped the transformation of post-war healthcare systems in Europe.