Russian Germans in Kazakhstan and the Handling of the Legacy of the Soviet Union

Kazakhstan grapples with its Soviet past, particularly the deportation of 400,000 ethnic Germans under Stalin. Yunna Kinereish, a 22-year-old student, identifies as both Kazakh and German, actively participating in cultural remembrance through theater and film. The 'House of Rebirth' in Astana serves as a cultural center, funded by the German government, focusing on the history of deportation and repression. Kinereish's work includes documenting the stories of German women imprisoned in the Alzhir camp, highlighting the broader impact of Soviet repression. Despite efforts to remember this history, there is a lack of public interest in Kazakhstan regarding the dark chapters of its past, as noted by anthropologist Katherine M. Erdmann, who studies the Gulag system.