Vitali Byl

Dr. Vitali Byl is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS), funded by a DFG Research Grant. Previously, he held part-time research roles at the University of Greifswald, including coordinating the Virtual University of the Baltic Sea Region and contributing to DAAD-funded projects on spatial data analysis and Belarusian forest sustainability. He earned his PhD from the University of Greifswald's IRTG 1540 program in 2021 with a thesis on witch trials in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His academic career includes roles at Belarusian National Museums and fellowships from the Polish Government and New Europe College.

His research focuses on early modern history, particularly race, slavery, and witchcraft in Eastern European contexts. Current projects explore African communities in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the intersections of proto-globalization, racial ideologies, and forced labor systems. His work bridges legal history, cultural studies, and transnational networks.

Awards include the Konstanty Kalinowski Scholarship (2019–2020) and a Pontica Magna Fellowship (2018–2019). His publications span academic monographs, peer-reviewed articles on witch trials and ethnic minorities, translations of historical sources, and popular works on Belarusian heritage. He has contributed to documentaries, including consulting on Holocaust resistance films and producing cultural heritage films about Niasvizh.