Institute of Contemporary History

Research focus:

• History of Czechoslovakia and East Germany after 1945
• Opposition, defiance and resistance in Czechoslovakia and GDR
• Repressions and activities of secret police
• Corporate management in the period of late socialism and transformation
• Phenomenon of Elections in Communist Czechoslovakia
• Moveable Boundaries of Dictatorship in Light of Czechoslovak Citizens’ Complaints and Anonymous Letters after 1948

Education:

• 2018: Doc. Degree (Ass. Prof.) in Modern Economic and Social History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague
• 2009: Ph.D. Degree, Political Science Institute, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
• 2003: PhDr. Degree, Institute of Economic and Social History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
• 2002: MA Degree, Political Science Institute and Institute of Economic and Social History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
• 1996–2002: Faculty of Arts, Charles University – history and political sciences

Employment:

• since 2006: Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Senior researcher, Head of the Research unit II. – Humans, identities, environments, the full-time employment

Teaching Activities:

• since 2006: Lecturing activity at Charles University Faculty of Arts, Prague – Institute of Economic and Social History, Political Science Institute

Study Trips Abroad and Fellowships

• 2004–2006: ZEIT-Stiftung Research Fellowship – Deutschland und seine östlichen Nachbarn, Beiträge zur europäischen Geschichte, Berlin
• 2002–2003: Studienkolleg zu Berlin Fellowship, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes Humboldt University, Berlin
• 2000–2001: ERASMUS internship, University of Leipzig, Institut für Kulturwissenschaften

Research Grant Projects:

• 2022–2024: The History of Charter 77 in Domestic Context and Transnational Perspective, Czech Science Foundation, member of research team
• 2019–2022: Movable boundaries of dictatorship in the light of complaints and anonymous letters of Czechoslovak citizens between 1948 and 1989, Czech Science Foundation, investigator
• 2015–2017: Expert Roots of Post-Socialism: the Czech Case, 1980–2000, Czech Science Foundation, co-investigator
• 2015–2017: Czechoslovak dissent as a spiritual, cultural and political phenomenon at the times of normalization, revolution and transformation (1969–2000), Czech Science Foundation, member of research team
• 2013–2015: Regime and Society in Eastern Europe (1956–1989). From Extended Reproduction to Social and Political Change, ERC, member of research team
• 2012–2016: Resistance against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia between 1948–1989. Its resources, manifestations and response, Czech Science Foundation, member of research team
• 2008–2012: Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and Bolshevism, Czech Science Foundation, member of research team
• 2007–2009: Das andere Osteuropa – die 1960er bis 1980er Jahre. Dissens in Politik und Gesellschaft, Alternativen in der Kultur”, VW-Forschungsverbund, member of research team

Scientific awards:

• 2020: Award of the Czech Academy of Sciences for outstanding results of great scientific significance (Czech Historical Atlas. Chapters on the History of the 20th Century, member of the author team)
• 2011: Otto Wichterle Award, Czech Academy of Sciences

Selected Publications:

• VILÍMEK, Tomáš – PAŽOUT, Jaroslav: Pohyblivé hranice diktatury ve světle stížností a anonymů československých občanů (1948–1989). Praha 2023.
• VILÍMEK, T.: „We Want No More, We Can No More.” The Changing Social Atmosphere in Czechoslovakia in the Late 1980s. In: KATREBOVÁ-BLEHOVÁ, Beáta: ‚Annus mirabilis‘ 1989 and Slovakia: from a totalitarian regime to democracy: proceedings from the International Scholar Conference in Bratislava, 12 – 13 November 2019. Bratislava 2021, pp. 454–489.
• PAŽOUT, J. – VILÍMEK, T.: Barometr nálad, studnice informací. Dopisy občanů vedoucím představitelům a orgánům Komunistické strany Československa v letech 1988–1989. Praha 2020.
• KOCIAN, Jiří – PAŽOUT, J. – VILÍMEK, T. – BALÍK, Stanislav – HLOUŠEK, Vít: Dějiny Komunistické strany Československa IV (1969–1993). Praha 2020.
• VILÍMEK, T. – DVOŘÁČEK, Petr: Bemerkungen zur Berichterstattung der Staatssicherheit über die Lage in der Tschechoslowakei am Beispiel der Sammlung von nachrichtendienstlichen Informationen 1969 bis 1983. In: MÜNKEL, Daniela – BISPINCK, Henrik: Dem Volk auf der Spur. Staatliche Berichterstattung über Bevölkerungsstimmungen in Kommunismus. Deutschland – Osteuropa – China. Göttingen 2018, pp. 135–155.
• VILÍMEK, T. – TŮMA, Oldřich (eds.): Projevy a podoby protirežimní rezistence v komunistickém Československu 1948–1989. Praha 2018.
• VILÍMEK, T.: „Všichni komunisté do uren!“ Volby v Československu v letech 1971 až 1989 jako společenský, politický a státněbezpečnostní fenomén. Praha 2016.
• VILÍMEK, T.: Die Opposition in der ČSSR und in der DDR: Der „dissidentische Weg“ und die gegenseitige Wahrnehmung von Vertretern der tschechoslowakischen und ostdeutschen Opposition. In: PLATO von Alexander – VILÍMEK, T. – FILIPKOWSKI Piotr –WAWRZYNIAK, Joanna: Opposition als Lebensform. Dissidenz in der DDR, der ČSSR und in Polen. Berlin – Münster 2013, pp. 279–488.
• VILÍMEK, T.: Solidarita napříč hranicemi. Opozice v ČSSR a NDR po roce 1968. Praha 2010.
• VILÍMEK, T.: Zu den Ursachen des Regimezusammenbruchs in der Tschechoslowakei und in der DDR im Jahre 1989. Ein Vergleich. In: ZIMMERMANN, Volker (ed.): Die Tschechoslowakei und die beiden deutschen Staaten. Essen 2010, pp. 163–200.

Detailed publication list is available HERE.