Belarus-A Silenced History

Toni Stenström provides a new and unique insight into one of Europe's most unknown countries.

The importance of Belarus to European security has increased in recent years, but the history and identity of the country have yet to be uncovered by the broader public. Throughout the centuries, the various rulers of Belarus have intentionally silenced its national history to distance Belarus from its European context.

This historical book aims to demonstrate that Russian assimilation policies and the labeling of Belarus as Russia's little brother have been elements of a deliberate imperialistic policy, as Belarus shares most of its history with Poland and Lithuania.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine dominated international headlines in 2022. Belarus officially supported Russia in the war, yet hundreds of Belarusian volunteers enlisted in the Ukrainian army. Meanwhile, the Belarusian opposition organized itself in Poland and Lithuania, and a concrete wall emerged along the border with Belarus.
Is Belarus destined to remain isolated from Europe and an extension of Russian geopolitics, or can it restore its historical connections to Poland and Lithuania? How have Belarusians defined their identity, and how have their international relations evolved over the centuries?

Toni Stenström provides a new and unique insight into one of Europe's most unknown countries.

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the book is its implicit challenge to historical silence. In a region where memory has often been repressed, rewritten, or forcibly aligned with imperial narratives, any attempt to reclaim and retell national history is valuable.

Alesia Mankouskaya, CEU Review of Books, June 2025.

Autorentext
Toni Stenström studied international relations, Slavic languages, and Russian and East European Studies at the University of Helsinki from 20122019. He worked in diplomatic missions in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. He has also worked as an interpreter and tour leader on numerous expeditions to Belarus and other destinations in the post-Soviet sphere. Since 2023, he has commented on the situation in Belarus in the Finnish media and participated in podcasts, lectures, and international conferences. His book about Belarusian history was released to the Finnish public by readme.fi in May 2023.