Paul Zalewski

Professor Paul Zalewski holds the Professorship for Monument Studies at the Faculty of Cultural Studies (Kuwi) at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. He is based at the Collegium Polonicum in Słubice, Poland, reflecting the university's binational character. Professor Zalewski serves as the academic director of the part-time Master's program "Protection of European Cultural Property," established in 1999, which maintains strong connections with cultural institutions across Germany and internationally.

Professor Zalewski earned his Magister degree in Art History and Monument Preservation from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland (1986-1992), followed by advanced studies in monument preservation at the University of Bamberg (1992-1993). He completed his doctoral studies at the Technical University of Berlin in 2000, focusing on the building history of the town of Schmalkalden. His academic career includes positions as Scientific Assistant at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (2000-2003), Junior Professor for Building Research and Monument Preservation at Leibniz Universität Hannover (2004-2008), and substitute professor at Europa-Universität Viadrina before his appointment as full professor in 2009.

Professor Zalewski's research focuses on the practical aspects of cultural heritage preservation, with particular emphasis on architectural and art history, cultural mediation, and the perception of cultural heritage in modern societies. His work examines why certain objects are recognized as heritage worthy of protection while others are not, and what political and social dynamics influence the valuation of objects in public space. His team takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining perspectives from various disciplines to address the complex challenges of heritage preservation.

Professor Zalewski's recent publications reveal a consistent focus on Modernism and Late Modernism in Eastern Central Europe, particularly examining the fate of cultural heritage following border shifts and political transformations. His work spans architectural history, conservation theory, cross-border heritage cooperation, and the social dimensions of monument preservation. He has made significant contributions to understanding socialist architecture, post-reunification heritage debates, and the challenges of preserving architectural heritage in politically contested regions.

Professor Zalewski maintains active professional connections through his membership in ICOMOS-Germany, the European Network for Country House and Estate Research, and the Arbeitskreis der deutschen und polnischen Kunsthistoriker und Denkmalpfleger. He serves on editorial boards including the Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture and provides expert consultation for organizations including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, BMBF, and DFG.

His practical work extends across multiple countries, with significant contributions to monument documentation and preservation in Poland, Germany, France, and Romania. Notably, he coordinated a major project (2017-2019) for the structural assessment of 40 endangered church fortresses in Transylvania through German-Romanian cooperation.